What We Believe

Olive-Tree

  • We believe that the BIBLE, consisting of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible / Holy Scriptures), and the later writings commonly known as the B'rit Chadashah (New Covenant), is the only infallible and authoritative word of God.

    We recognize the Bible's divine 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)

  • We believe that the Shema, "Hear 0 Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one" (Deut. 6:4), teaches that God is Echad, as so declared: the one and only God, an intensive plurality; 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)],

    We believe 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).

  • Calling God as "Our Father'', is not a new idea only seen in the B'rit Chadashah. It is a recurring depiction of the close relationship between the Creator and His people, commonly seen in the Tanakh. Yeshua and the first century writers did not invent this idea. Rather they built upon the thought of having such a loving Creator, who was willing to call His creation "His Children". Our Heavenly Father has not, and will not change. He has always seen the ones who love Him as Children, and His people have also understood their Creator to be a loving Father from ancient times.

    John 6:27b; I Cor 1:3; Gal. 1:1; Rev. 3:5, 21; Deut 32:6; Jer. 3:4, 19; 31:9; Isa 63:16, Isa 64:8; 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.

  • God does have a Son [Ps. 2; Prov. 30:4-6 (cf. Heb. 1); Luke 12:35-37; John 1:29-34, 49; 314-18].

    The Son, called Yeshua (Jesus), meaning salvation, came to this world born of a virgin [Isa. 7:14 (cf. Luke 1:30-35)].

     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 — worshiped 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

  • The Holy Spirit is introduced from the beginning in Gen. 1:2b.

     In the Tanakh, the Spirit of God came upon individuals during the times of our forefathers . Moses, David, (see II Sam. 23:1-3), and the Prophets, all experienced the influence of the Ruach HaKodesh for the specific purposes.

     In the New Testament, 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 i:8). He seals us [Eph. 1:13; 4:30 (see Jewish New Testament version)]. If we have not the Spirit, we are not His (Rom. 8:9). He leads us and teaches us (Rom. 8:14-17). His indwelling enables us to live a godly life. Acts 2:38 says, "Repent, be immersed, and receive the Holy Spirit."

  • Created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27), but:

     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; Isa. 64:6; Rom. 3:9-12, 23; 5:12).

     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).

  • 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).

  • The Scriptures promised two “comings” of the Messiah:

     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).

     Second Coming — Promised coming in the air to receive the believers to Himself (Thess. 4:13-18; John 14:1-6; | Cor. 15:51-57).

     The 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; 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].

  • We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person.

  • Out of respect for the Holy names of God we follow the traditional Jewish way by using HaShem (The Name) and ADONAI (My Master).

  • 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 THE MESSIAH-THE REDEEMER).

  • 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).

     We observe and celebrate the Feasts of the Lord according to Leviticus 23, given by God to Israel, with their fulfillment in and through the Messiah Yeshua. 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).

    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 together (I Cor. 12:13; Eph. 2:13-14).