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‹ FAQ
- Is B'nei Avraham
a part of any particular denomination?
- My
church does the Jewish roots of the Christian faith.
They even sell prayer shawls, kippa, and tzitzit
in the bookstore. Are we of the same mind set?
- Where does
B'nei Avraham stand on being pro-life?
- Is B'nei Avraham
part of Messianic Judaism?
- Is B'nei
Avraham part of traditional Christianity?
- What version
of the Bible does B'nei Avraham use?
- What do you mean by Jewish
or Hebraic roots?
- Why does it seem that there is more
of an emphasis on Torah than the other sections of
Scripture?
- Do you feel that the rest of Scripture is
not as inspired as the Torah?
- Is the Old Testament still
valid for today?
- What is Torah?
- By keeping the
Torah, am I not going directly against Paul’s
admonition to me in the book of Galatians?
- Paul says in 2
Corinthians 3, that Moses’ ministry
brought death and condemnation whereas Paul’s
ministry brought life and Spirit? Why would I want
to follow the Torah?
- Are we not free from the Law in
Christ Jesus?
- If I have the Torah written on my heart,
why do I need to do the old law?
- Did not Jesus demonstrate
love and mercy compared to the harshness of the law
to the woman at the well? How do you resolve this
conflict?
- Was
not the Torah nailed to the cross with Christ?
- Did not
Jesus just say we had to love one another and that
would fulfill the law?
- Are you saying my parents and
friends who do not keep Torah, do not love God?
- What
is the difference between legalism and the Torah?
- Is
there a difference between Torah and Law?
- What is the
difference between the Torah that B'nei Avraham espouses
as God’s
definition of a righteous life, compared to the Torah
of greater Judaism and the Jewish people?
- What is the
difference between the written and oral Torah?
- I have
visited several Messianic Congregations and they
appeared to be very Jewish in their expression. Do
I have to become a Jew or look Jewish in order to
live a Torah lifestyle?
- What is important about this time in history
regarding the restoration of the Torah to the Body
of Christ?
- I am afraid if I follow Torah I am going
to lose my salvation. What do you say about that?
- This
is interesting teaching, but how does it affect my
daily life now?
- How do I begin to make transitions to
have my life more in line with the Word?
- Can I be Torah
observant and still go to church?
- Why should I consider
keeping the 7th day Sabbath?
- Can I not worship on any
day of the week?
- If the Sabbath is valid for Christians
today, why is the 4th commandment not taught in the
New Testament?
- What value is
it to a Christian to keep the “Jewish” festivals?
- Do you mean to
say I can not eat pork? Are not all foods clean
by Jesus’ burial
and resurrection?
- What is so important about the modern
state of Israel and its establishment?
- What is replacement
theology?
- Where’s
the Spirit in all of this?
- What about
the fruit that I see from my local church; souls
being saved, people’s lives being helped?
They are not keeping Torah and it seems like the
Spirit is moving amongst them. What do you say about
this?
- It
seems that in your writings you lift up the Scriptures
above the Spirit. Does the Spirit not teach us and
lead us according to the stipulations of the New
Testament?
- Do
you believe in the gifts of the Spirit?
- My pastor
told me I am going back under the law. Is this true?
What do I say to him?
- What must I do to be
saved?
1. Is B'nei Avraham part of any particular denomination?
Our congregation is comprised of Jewish and non-Jewish
believers, many with strong evangelical backgrounds.
While we do not belong to any specific denomination,
we all firmly believe in the finished, atoning work
of Jesus Christ; and that all are saved only by the
unmerited grace of God through personal faith in
the Messiah.
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2. My church does the Jewish roots of the Christian
faith. They even sell prayer shawls, kippa, and tzitzit
in the bookstore. Are we of the same mind set?
We are of the same mind set if we share a common faith
in the Messiah. However, there is a significant difference
between Jewish roots teaching and living Torah. B'nei
Avraham is promoting and encouraging the Body of Christ
to Torah life not simply Jewish, or Hebraic, roots
teaching.
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3. Where does B'nei Avraham stand on being pro-life?
It is interesting to note that the New Testament scriptures
do not specifically speak of the death of the unborn
child. This is only taught in the Torah when it speaks
of the penalty for an individual that causes the
death of an unborn child in a woman. This is a clear
indication that the child in the womb is a life,
a real person, and one who ends that life should
be punished. See Exodus 21:22–23.
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4. Is B'nei Avraham part of Messianic Judaism?
Messianic Judaism is a congregational movement. Messianic
Judaism is a very specific movement of believers
in Yeshua that is focused primarily on evangelism
o, and ministry to, Jewish people by Jewish people.
Non-Jewish participants in the Messianic Jewish movement
play a secondary, supportive role. While we do share
some things in common with Messianic Jewish congregations,
the primary goal of A'm Segulah is to see all of
God’s redeemed (Jewish and non-Jewish alike) “living
holy and godly lives” (2 Peter 3:11) according
to the whole of Scripture. Proclaiming the Good News
of Yeshua, making disciples, or any other important
work for the kingdom are natural byproducts of a
Torah-submissive, Spirit-led lifestyle in the Messiah.
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5. Is B'nei Avraham part of traditional Christianity?
We recognize our historical, cultural, and modern lineage
from, and connection to the entities and people of
both Judaism and Christianity. However, we are not
directly associated with any mainstream denomination
or institution, although we maintain solid, accountable
relationships with many in the greater body of Messiah
and have many wonderful roots in various denominational
backgrounds. We regard ourselves as part of the protestant
tradition of the reformation of the Christian faith.
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6. What version of the Bible does B'nei Avraham use?
We primarily use the New American Standard (NAS) Updated
Edition based upon its literal translation of the
original texts. In addition, this version has indicated,
by use of italics, words that are not found in the
original texts that can confuse the reader. However,
several of our members do use the NIV version primarily
for its readability and its popular nature. Also,
there are many who use the Complete Jewish Bible.
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7. What do you mean by Jewish or Hebraic roots?
This terminology is not found in the Scriptures, but
rather birthed from the concept found in Romans 11
of the olive tree. Speaking of the olive tree as
an analogy of life in the Messiah where grafted in
branches are broken off, re-grafted in, or wild olive
branches are grafted into the life of God. All trees
are nourished by roots. The concept behind this terminology
is that our modern faith is being nourished by the
deep, ancient roots of the Hebraic faith.
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8. Why does it seem that there is more of an emphasis
on Torah rather than the other sections of Scripture?
We can understand how this may be perceived. As we
stated in our mission statement one of the primary
purposes of B'nei Avraham is to instruct, declare, and proclaim
the value of the Torah and how it relates to our lives.
It is not that we believe the other sections of Scripture
are not equally as inspired or authoritative as the
Torah, it is simply the mission of this organization
to connect people with the proper understanding of
the Torah.
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9. Do you feel like the rest of Scripture is not
as inspired as the Torah?
No. 2 Timothy 3:16 states that all Scripture is, “profitable
for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in
righteousness.” Isaiah 55:11 says that God’s
word “will not return to Me empty.” His
word will do all that it is commanded to do.
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10. Is the Old Testament still valid for today?
It had better be! The majority of our Christian faith
depends upon this fundamental historical and theological
foundation. See Psalm 119:105.
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11. What is Torah?
Torah is from a Hebrew root word, an archery term meaning “to
take aim, to shoot” — as in shooting an
arrow to hit a target. In his book, Our Father Abraham,
Dr. Marvin Wilson explains, “The word torah,
commonly translated ‘law’ derives from
the verb yarah, ‘to cast, throw, shoot.’” The
essence of the word Torah is to “hit the mark.” In
the context of its usage, teaching or instruction is
a better definition for Torah than "law." The
Torah is specifically the first five books of the Bible,
but because of its definition (teaching or instruction)
can be applied to the entire Bible. Moses and Law of
Moses are also used as a synonym for the Torah. See
Mark 1:44; Mark 12:26.
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12. By keeping the Torah, am I
not going directly against Paul’s admonition
to me in the book of Galatians?
B'nei Avraham is not saying that one needs to keep
Torah in order to earn or keep favor with God in regards
to one’s
salvation. B'nei Avraham is saying, “Once we are saved
by grace, through our faith, we have become a new creation
set free from the law of sin and death. And are now
a people that are free to be obedient for the very
first time.” What was taking place in Galatia
was that non-believing Jewish people were telling believers
they must do Torah in order to gain right standing
with God. This is not what B'nei Avraham teaches. See Romans
8:2; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:8–9.
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13. Paul says in 2 Corinthians
3, that Moses’ ministry
brought death and condemnation whereas Paul’s
ministry brought life and Spirit? Why would I want
to follow the Torah?
Paul is not saying that the Torah is bad. Paul was
faithful to the Torah and taught others to be faithful
as well (See Acts 21:20–26; Romans 7:12). What
he is doing is comparing the effect of Moses’ ministry
with his own. Moses’ work was wrought with frustration,
anger, rebellion, and doubt. Throughout the 40 years
of Israel’s wandering in the desert, out of the
millions that left Egypt, only two people (Joshua and
Caleb) entered the Promised Land, because they lived
a life of pure faith in the God of Israel. The rest
were buried in the desert. Paul’s ministry, on
the other hand, brought the salvation that God always
wanted. People believed, obeyed, and were joyful in
all that God provided them.
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14. Are we not free from the Law in Christ Jesus?
This is a complicated question. In typical Jewish fashion,
we will answer your question with a question: what
were we bound to before we were in Christ Jesus?
When were we ever bound to the “Law” per
se? When were we ever forced to eat certain kinds
of food? When were we compelled, like a prisoner,
to keeping the sabbath and not doing work? The answer
is we were not. We were never “bound to the
law” prior to Christ, so what are we now free
from? This is found in Romans 8:1 that we were set
free from the law of sin and death. It’s not
the Law, i.e. the Torah; it’s the law of sin
and death. We are free from the law of sin and death
that has trapped and bound us to being disobedient
to His word (Romans 8:7). Now that we are in Christ,
we are a people who are governed by His Spirit to
be displayers of His will and glory here on Earth.
In a sense, as Paul says in Romans 6:16–23,
we are bound to the Torah.
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15. If I have the Torah written on my heart, why do
I need to do the old law?
If I am married to my wife, why do I need a picture
of her on my wall, or wear my wedding ring? The Torah
serves the purpose of reminding us who we are. James
calls the Torah a “mirror” which lets us
see what we look like in Christ Jesus. See James 1:22–25.
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16. Did Jesus not demonstrate love and mercy compared
to the harshness of the law to the woman at the well?
How do you resolve this conflict?
Jesus did show love and mercy to the woman at the well;
by rebuking her sin and bringing conviction to her
heart which led to repentance (turning from sin to
righteousness defined by the Torah). These are functions
of Torah; to convict of sin and lead to Messiah. The
Torah has always been a tool to point away from sin
and towards righteousness. Jesus said that it pointed
to Him in John 5:39 and Luke 24:27. Jesus is also called
the Word made flesh. In Jewish thought “word” refers
to the Torah. So Jesus is the walking and talking version
of the Torah, He is the one who shows us what Torah
looks like when it is lived out in the fullest. Jesus
did not come to do away with the Torah, but to help
us understand it. And as we live the Torah out in the
fullness of it, the way Jesus did, we will look like
Him. See 1 John 4:17.
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17. Was not the Torah nailed to the cross with Christ?
A surface reading of Colossians 2:13–14 would
appear to say that, but this is not the case. What
Paul is saying is that the certificates of debts, consisting
of decrees against us for our sins, were being cancelled.
It was the record of our sins being nailed to the cross—our
debt owed to God for sinning against Him. But Jesus
paid our debt through His work on the cross, and we
owe God nothing.
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18. Did not Jesus just say we had to love one another
and that would fulfill the law?
Yes He did, however taking that statement out of context
allows the reader to misunderstand the fullness of
what Jesus was saying. We recommend that you read Ascend
Volume 1, number 1 (from First Fruits of Zion, www.ffoz.org).
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19. Are you telling me that my parents and friends
that do not keep Torah do not love God?
Absolutely not. While there is a great deal of anti-Torah
theology that causes an aversion to the Torah, most
Christians would be shocked and surprised to learn
how much of their Christian faith is declared and founded
in the Torah itself. A great example is “love
your neighbor as yourself.” This command is originally
found in Leviticus 19:18, but was repeated and emphasized
by Jesus, Paul, John, and James. But most people think
that this is a new command given by the New Testament
writers comparing it with the harshness of the Old
Testament legal system. So, if Christians are fulfilling
the command stated above, they are fulfilling the Torah.
We simply want to transform peoples perspective that
the Torah has been done away with, and to correct improper
understanding of the Torah so that they can see their
faith from this perspective which will open up a whole
new world understanding.
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20. What is the difference between legalism and the
Torah?
These words are often confused when discussing the
relevancy of Torah with other believers. Legalism is
anything we do to try and earn the love, acceptance,
and salvation of God. Whereas Torah itself serves many
purposes. First and foremost, as sinners, it tells
us that we are not living up to God’s standards.
It is essentially a measuring stick. However, after
we become believers we are now free from the law of
sin and death. Sin is no longer our identity, righteousness
is—we are accountable for our actions. We hope
that through B'nei Avraham people will choose to be obedient
to the Torah—and all of God’s Word. See
Romans 7:7; 8:2; 1 John 3:4; 2:3–6.
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21. Is there a difference between Torah and Law?
Technically yes. The difference lies in understanding.
It is more than a set of laws, although the Torah
itself does contain laws. The Torah is God’s
teachings. Law, at times, has a negative connotation
that implies a list of rules, a list of “do’s” and “don’ts.” When
we follow God’s teachings, His Torah, we experience
great life and blessing. We are able to be a people
that display His name and character to this world.
See Deuteronomy 4:6; 32:46–47.
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22. What is the difference between
the Torah that B'nei Avraham espouses as God’s
definition of a righteous life, compared to the Torah
of greater Judaism and the Jewish people?
This answer is quite simple. B'nei Avraham only ascribes
to the written authority of the first five books of
the Bible as being God’s Torah (in the strictest definition
of Torah, but not excluding the remaining books of
the Bible). Greater Judaism has a history of 3000–4000
years of traditions that are built around the Torah
(called Oral Torah), but at times allow the Jewish
worshipper to govern their mind by a list of man-made
rules and regulations that are not specifically proscribed
in the Torah itself. This is not what we are propagating.
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23. What is the difference between the written and
oral Torah?
The written Torah is the first five books of the Bible
given to Moses by God on Mt. Sinai. This is what we
call the covenant of Torah. Many Christians call this
the Pentateuch. The oral Torah is what the rabbis say
was given to Moses at the same time as the written
and passed down through verbal communication. Although
we recognize that oral tradition did exist and Yeshua
did participate in some of the oral tradition of the
day we do not think that the oral Torah is authoritative
where we believe the written Torah is.
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24. I have visited several Messianic Congregations
and they appeared to be very Jewish in their expression.
Do I have to become a Jew or look Jewish in order to
live a Torah lifestyle?
The answer to this is no. While the Torah was handed
to the Jewish people and preserved by them, it does
not mean that you have to become a Jew, or look Jewish,
to take an active part in the Torah. There is ample
provision in the Scriptures for non-Jews to partake
of the blessings of Torah. All of God’s children
are held to the same standard. But as you learn Torah
and begin to apply it to your life you may appear to
be Jewish to others because of the close association
between the Torah and the Jewish people. See Numbers
15:16; Acts 15:21; Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 2:15;
James 1:25.
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25. What is important about this time in history regarding
the restoration of the Torah to the Body of Christ?
Peter asks us in 2 Peter 3:11–12, “what
sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and
godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of
the day of God?” God is calling His bride, Israel,
to be pure and spotless; holy, as we allow ourselves
to be defined by God’s Word to be prepared for
His soon return.
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26. I am afraid that if I follow Torah I am going
to lose my salvation. What do you say about that?
Following Torah has nothing to do with salvation. If
following the Torah was to put us under the law, or
deny the grace of Christ, then everyone we read about
in the New Testament would not be saved. It is clear
that all of Jesus’ disciples, James, Paul, Peter
kept Torah. At the same time they were commanded and
exhorted to share the Torah with the world. See Matthew
5:17–18; 28:19–20; Acts 21:20; Romans 7:12;
James 1:25; 1 Peter 1:15–16.
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27. This is interesting teaching, but how does it
affect my daily life now?
Excellent question! As we submit our lives to Torah,
we are submitting to God’s standard for life
and we are changed. Deuteronomy 28–29 talk of
the blessings and curses for Israel dependent upon
their faithfulness, or unfaithfulness, to God’s
Torah. We have found many blessings in our personal
lives for practicing the Torah. We have seen it take
deep root in our children’s lives by giving them
convictions that give them discernment and wisdom when
making decisions. They are given a sense of direction
for life that is defined by the Scriptures. Torah itself
teaches and trains us what holiness looks like, how
we can be holy, and gives us strength and ability.
Through continual practice it becomes easier to say
no to the things of this world. See Psalm 19:7; Leviticus
19:2; Deuteronomy 6:4–6; Leviticus 19:18.
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28. How do I begin to make transitions to have
my life more in line with the Word?
You need to realize that this is a life-long process.
If you are beginning to understand the Scriptures in
a new perspective and want to apply them to your life
be very prayerful and considerate of those around you
as you make these transitions.
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29. Can I be Torah observant and still go to church?
Yes, and we encourage you to stay connected in your
church. However, you will find over the long term
that Torah can not be lived out when it is outside
the context of community. Meaning that your walk
in Torah will be hampered without like-minded fellowship
and encouragement.
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30. Why should I consider keeping the 7th day Sabbath?
Because it is a commandment found in Exodus 20:8-11.
It is part of the 10 Commandments. It is a matter
of submission to God’s will for us. By identifying
with the 7th day Shabbat, we’re identifying
with what God modeled before us in His creation,
but we also identify with what the Scriptures say
is a covenantal sign between us and God. See Genesis
2:2–3; Exodus 31:16; Ezekiel 20:12, 20. In
a practical sense, by keeping the Shabbat, we have
an opportunity to teach and train our family what
rest looks like. This is both spiritual (using the
7th day Shabbat to teach the complete rest that we
have in Jesus) and practical by seeing physical rest
in this life. While the world is spinning around
us we have a full day of time dedicated to improving
our relationships with God, family, and our community.
See Hebrews 4.
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31. Can I not worship on any day of the week?
Yes. You can worship on any day of the week. Nothing
in Scripture prohibits us from worshipping God at
any time we choose. However, it is biblically incorrect
to call Sunday, or any other day of the week other
than the seventh day, “Shabbat.” The
7th day Shabbat is a special day given to us by our
Creator as holy time to spend with Him, and should
not be replaced with a day of our choosing.
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32. If the Sabbath is valid for Christians today why
is not the 4th commandment taught in the New Testament?
Much of Torah life was so fundamental to the early
believers that questions such as days of worship, foods,
and sacrifice and services at the temple were never
a question that entered their mind. As we see the dialogue
and discourse that takes place amongst the New Testament
writings fundamental B'nei Avrahamects are not reiterated.
However we do see the Sabbath spoken of and honored
by the Messiah and His followers (Mark 1:21; Luke 23:56;
Acts 13:42–44; 15:21). Another point to be made
is if we are going to use the hermeneutic of repetition
in the New Testament as grounds for obedience, then
we need to realize that many of our fundamental beliefs
and practices have no direct teaching in the New Testament,
but are established in the writings of the Old Testament,
especially the Torah.
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33. What value is it to a Christian
to keep the “Jewish” festivals?
Leviticus 23 tells us about the festivals for God’s
people. In that chapter they are not called “Jewish
festivals”, they are called mo’adim—appointed
times. These are appointments that God has made with
His people to come and meet with Him in a special way
to spend time with Him and one another. He does not
exclude anyone from these appointed times by limiting
it to one ethnic group. He wants to meet with all of
His children, Jew and non-Jew alike. Should not we
all be at these appointments to meet with our God and
Maker?
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34. You mean to tell me I cannot
eat pork? Are not all foods clean by Jesus’ burial
and resurrection?
We believe that the traditional interpretations of
Mark 7 and Acts 10 make the instructions of Leviticus
11 of no effect. God gave us laws of clean and unclean
to serve as reminders that we are a holy people and
we are not to be like the nations. He also gave them
for our good, because in His infinite wisdom He knew
that things we can eat, such as pork and lobster, are
bad for our bodies which are the temple of God. Let’s
take this thinking to the nth degree in terms of being
free in Christ to eat what we will because of His work:
Does that mean that we can eat another human being
if we choose, or our pet dogs or cats. In our minds
we instantly realize that these things are not food.
In the Hebraic mind it is the same; pork, lobster and
unclean meats were never considered foods. The Jewish
people understood that God made them for a purpose
other than to eat.
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35. What is so important about the modern state of
Israel and its establishment?
It is declared in the Torah that all of heaven and
earth will testify that God is covenantally faithful
(Deuteronomy 30:19). The modern state of Israel is
a fulfillment of God’s promise to bring His people
back to their land. By keeping our focus on, and praying
for the people of Israel, God is displayed through
His faithfulness to His people. At the same time, in
a practical sense, more media outlets and news bureaus
are established in Israel than any other country in
the world. In our opinion, it seems that the world
is simply waiting to see the fulfillment of God’s
faithfulness.
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36. What is replacement theology?
It is the idea that the Jewish people rejected God’s
law, killed the Messiah, and as a result God forgot
them because they were a stiff-necked people. To replace
unfaithful Israel, which He divorced, he took the Church
(which is called the “new Israel”), and
gave to her all of the blessings and promises that
once belonged to the Jews.
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37. Where’s the Spirit in
all of this?
The Spirit leads us to God’s truth founded in
His Torah (See John 16:13). The Torah has been denigrated,
devalued, maligned, and completely ignored by many
that proudly declare connection to the God of Israel
and the Messiah of Israel—Yeshua. The Torah is
truth and is the historic and prophetic voice of Adonai
that testifies of Yeshua and proclaims Him as Messiah
to the world. The Torah teaches the requirement of
righteousness and makes known the need for justice
and holiness. The Spirit of God leads us to the importance
of revering, searching, and listening to the written
Word and appreciating the beauty of the Holy Scriptures.
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38. What about the fruit that
I see from my local church; souls being saved, people’s
lives being helped? They are not keeping Torah and
it seems like the Spirit is moving amongst them. What
do you say about this?
Paul says in Philippians 1:18 that whether Christ is
preached from pretense or truth, He is still proclaimed,
and in that Paul rejoiced. We all have shortcomings
and failures. Yet, God and His Messiah can work through
us in spite of our human frailties and misguided efforts.
But this does not release us from the responsibility
of following and keeping all of God’s word, individually
and corporately.
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39. It seems that in your writings you lift up the
Scriptures above the Spirit. Does not the Spirit teach
us and lead us according to the stipulations of the
New Testament?
In the context of Jeremiah 31:31–34, yes. This
is true. The Spirit will never contradict the Word,
and the Word will never contradict the Spirit. It is
the Spirit that writes the Word (specifically the Torah)
on our hearts. It is impossible for them to disagree.
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40. Do you believe in the gifts of the Spirit?
Yes, we believe in all of the gifts as listed in 1
Corinthians 12.
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41. My pastor told me I am going back under the law.
Is that true? What do I say to him?
You’re welcome
to have your pastor contact us. We would be happy to
dialogue with him. But again, we do not believe that
living a life defined by God’s
Word is going back under the law. That terminology
is used to refer to people who are seeking righteousness
from works, not faith. B'nei Avraham is not endorsing
this kind of practice, but are encouraging submission
out of a heart of thankful love for what the Savior
has accomplished for our salvation.
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42. What must I do to be saved?
“And a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test,
saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal
life?" And He said to him, "What is written
in the Law? How does it read to you?" And he answered, "YOU
SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND
WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND
WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." And
He said to him, "You have answered correctly;
DO THIS AND YOU WILL LIVE." Luke 10:25-28
“For by grace you have been saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians
2:8-9
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be
saved, you and your household." Acts 16:31
“Therefore, be sure that it is those who are
of faith who are sons of Abraham.” Galatians
3:7
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