Summary Statement of Faith of the
Center for Messianic Learning
This summary statement does not begin to scratch the surface of what my doctrinal position entails. I have recently updated my 60-page doctrinal position paper which likewise does not address all of my beliefs.
Please note: If we were somehow able to clearly and definitively define “God” in terms we could actually understand, He couldn't possibly be the God of the Bible. If the Eternal can crate the entire universe from nothing by simply speaking it into existence, He can do anything He wants to, He can appear in any form that He chooses, and we are forever unable to comprehend the Infinite. Over the span of recorded history, He has appeared to mankind in many forms: as the Angel of ADONAI (יְהוָֹה), as the Captain of ADONAI’s armies, as a burning bush, as smoke, as cloud, as lightening, as thunder, as a pillar of fire, as a Man in a furnace (and elsewhere), as a dove, and finally as the God/Man Yeshua (see “Theophany”). When we discuss the “Persons” of the “Trinity,” it is important to understand that we aren’t anyshere close to the Reality that is HaShem. We are only attaching convenient “handles” to see if we can somehow begin to grasp His glory and His functions as related to humankind.
I stand by these basic Biblical truths:
The Triune God
I believe in only one true and living God as declared in the Sh’ma (Deut 6:4), Who is Echad (one, a compound unity), and Who eternally, simultaneously, and distinctly (though indivisibly) exists as God the Father (Abba), God the Son (HaBen Yeshua), and God the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) (Isa 48:16-17, Gen 1:1-2, Exod 3:6, Prov 30:4, Eph 4:4-6). [See also here]
Yeshua HaMashiach
I believe in Messiah Yeshua’s deity, in His role as Creator of the universe, everything that exists, both seen and unseen (Isa 9:6, John 1:1-4,10-14; Col 1:16-17; Heb 1:1-2) , His virgin birth (Isa 7:14), His sinless life (Heb 2:18; 4:15), His atoning death (Isa 53, Ps 22), His bodily resurrection (Matt 28:1-7), His ascension (Acts 1:9-11), and His future return (Acts 1:9-11) in power and glory to rule the world from the throne of his ancestor David. [See also here]
Origins and History[1]
The account of origins presented in Genesis 1–11 is a simple but factual presentation of actual events, and therefore, provides a reliable framework for scientific research into the question of the origin and history of life, mankind, the earth, and the universe.
The various original life forms (kinds), including mankind, were made by direct, supernatural, creative acts of God (i.e., not by natural, physical processes over millions of years). The living descendants of any of the original kinds (apart from man) may represent more than one species today, reflecting the genetic potential within each original kind. Only limited biological changes (including mutational deterioration) have occurred naturally within each kind since creation (i.e., one kind does not change over time into a different kind: Genesis 1:11–12, 1:21, 1:24–25, 30:37–42; 1 Corinthians 15:39).
The great flood of Genesis was an actual historic event, worldwide (global) in its extent and catastrophic in its effects. At one stage during the flood, the waters covered the entire surface of the whole globe with no land surface being exposed anywhere—the flood of Noah is not to be understood as any form of local or regional flood. The Noachian flood was a significant geological event, and most fossiliferous sediments were deposited at that time (Genesis 7:19–20; 2 Peter 3:5–7).
Scripture teaches a recent origin of man and the whole creation, with history spanning approximately 4,000 years from creation to Christ.
The days in Genesis do not correspond to geologic ages but are six consecutive, 24-hour days of creation; the first day began in Genesis 1:1, and the seventh day, which was also a normal 24-hour day, ended in Genesis 2:3 (Genesis 1:1–2:3; Exodus 20:8–11, 31:17; Hebrews 4:3–4).
The gap theory, progressive creation, day-age, framework hypothesis, theistic evolution (i.e., evolutionary creation), functionality–cosmic temple, analogical days, day-gap-day, and any other views that try to fit evolution or millions of years into Genesis are incompatible with Scripture.
The view, commonly used to evade the implications or the authority of biblical teaching, namely that knowledge and/or truth may be divided into secular and religious, is unbiblical and therefore should be rejected (1 Corinthians 10:31; Colossians 3:17; for more information, see here).
No apparent, perceived, or claimed evidence in any field of study, including science, history, and chronology, can be valid if it contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture obtained by historical-grammatical interpretation. Of primary importance is the fact that evidence is always subject to interpretation by fallible people who do not possess all information (Numbers 23:19; 2 Samuel 22:31; Psalm 18:30; Isaiah 46:9–10, 55:9; Romans 3:4; 2 Timothy 3:16).
The Bible
I believe that the whole Bible (the so-called “Protestant Canon”) is but a single unit, consisting of both the TaNaKh (the Torak, Nevi'im, and Kieuvim, or so-called “Hebrew Scriptures”) and the Ketuvei Shalichim (Apostolic Scriptures), and that it is the one and only inspired, infallible, and authoritative Word of God (Ps 119:89, Prov 30:5-6, 2Tim 3:16-17). No other writings are authoritative for the Believer in Yeshua HaMashiach (Deut 12:32; Prov 30:6). I believe the only two pages in the entire Bible which are not inspired by God are the one that says “Old Testament” and the one that says “New Testament.” [See also here]
Torah
Though God progressively revealed His will to mankind from exod 24:4
to the end of the Apostolic Age (i.e., the death of the Shliach (Apostle) Yochanan (John), ca 90 C.E.), I believe that He has now, and has always had, but one Torah (divine instruction) (Exod 24:4) for all people of all time (Num 15:16), and that it is the singular standard of righteousness by which all mankind will be judged.
Talmud
I believe the Scriptures when they say that Moshe RabbeinuMoses our teacher “wrote down all the words of ADONAI” (Exod 24:4). According to Jewish tradition, after Moshe appointed the first 70 Elders of Israel, when a question of Torah arose that Moshe had not previously explained, and the Elders asked him for further explanation, what he explained to them became the “Oral Tradition” or “Oral Torah” and was eventually compiled as the Mishnah, which in Jewish jurisprudence is the equivalent to “case law” in American jurisprudence. I therefore believe that the writings of the Sages (Talmud, Mishnah, etc.), while valuable for our understanding and application of the Torah to our daily walk, do not constitute a “Second Torah” or “Oral Torah,” and that they were not divinely inspired but are the product of men. They therefore do not have the authority of Torah (Prov 30:6, Deut 12:32). See “Takanot.”
Mankind[2]
Mankind, consisting of two genders (male and female), is created in the image of God. Each of these two distinct, complementary genders reflects the image of God (Genesis 1:26–27, 5:2, 9:6; Matthew 19:4–6; Mark 10:6; 1 Corinthians 11:7; James 3:9–10).
The special and unique creation of Adam from dust and Eve from Adam’s rib was supernatural and immediate. Adam and Eve did not originate from any other preexisting lifeforms (Genesis 2:7, 2:21–23, 3:19; 1 Corinthians 11:8–12, 15:47–49).
All human life is sacred and begins at conception (defined as the moment of fertilization). Each unborn child is a unique, living human being, created in the image of God, and must be respected and protected both before and after birth. The abortion of an unborn child or the active, intentional taking of human life through euthanasia or assisted suicide constitutes a violation of the sanctity of human life and is a crime against God and man (Genesis 9:6; Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17; Psalm 51:5; 1 Corinthians 15:49; James 2:11).
There is only one race of mankind—the human race or Adam’s race. Adam and Eve were the first two humans. All people alive today are the descendants of Adam and Eve and subsequently Noah (Genesis 1:26–27, 3:20, 10:1, 10:32; 1 Corinthians 15:45–47; Luke 17:27; Hebrews 11:7; 1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:5).
Since all humans are made in the image of God, all humans have equal dignity and value regardless of age (including the unborn), intelligence, gender, physical ability, shade of skin tone, religion, ethnicity, or any other characteristic (Genesis 1:26–27, 3:20, 11:9; Acts 17:26–28).
The concepts of “social justice,” “intersectionality,” and “critical race theory” as defined in modern terminology are anti-biblical and destructive to human flourishing (Ezekiel 18:1–20; James 2:8–9).
Parents are responsible to instruct their children in biblical faith and conduct, to set before them godly and consistent examples of the same, and in every way to “bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 6:6–9; Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 6:4).
The only legitimate marriage, based on the creation ordinance in Genesis 1 and 2, sanctioned by God is the joining of one naturally born man and one naturally born woman in a single, exclusive union as delineated in Scripture. God intends sexual intimacy to only occur between a man and a woman who are married to each other and has commanded that no sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. Any form of sexual immorality, such as adultery, fornication, prostitution, homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, pornography, abuse, or any attempt to change one’s gender, or disagreement with one’s biological gender, is sinful and offensive to God (Genesis 1:27–28, 2:24; Matthew 5:27–30, 19:4-5; Mark 10:2–9; 1 Corinthians 6:9–11; 1 Thessalonians 4:3–7; Hebrews 13:4).
Gender and biological sex are equivalent and cannot be separated. A person’s gender is determined at conception (fertilization), coded in the DNA, and cannot be changed by drugs, hormones, or surgery. Rejection of one’s biological sex (gender) or identifying oneself by the opposite sex is a sinful rejection of the way God made that person. These truths must be communicated with compassion, love, kindness, and respect, pointing everyone to the truth that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking his mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ (Genesis 1:26–28, 5:1–2; Psalm 51:5, 139:13–16; Jeremiah 1:5; Matthew 1:20–21, 19:4–6; Mark 10:6; Luke 1:31; Acts 3:19–21; Romans 10:9–10; 1 Corinthians 6:9–11; Galatians 3:28).
Israel
I believe in God’s eternal covenant with Avraham, Yitz’chak (Isaac), and Ya'akov (Jacob), and with Ya'akov’s descendants forever. I therefore unconditionally stand with and support the Jewish people and the State of Israel, and hold fast to the Biblical heritage of our forefathers. [See also here]
The Holy Community
I insist that the “Body of Messiah” is composed of both Jews and Non-Jews who have received Yeshua the Messiah as the Promised Redeemer and trust in Him alone for their eternal destiny. The “middle wall of partition” has been broken down and now we worship the God of Israel together (1Cor 12:13; Eph 2:13-14, John 17:20-21; Gal 3:28-29), united as one Holy and Called-Out People in Messiah Yeshua. I categorically reject any and all teaching that “the Church” has replaced Israel in God’s plan or covenants. However, I believe that Jews and non-Jews serve different roles within the Body of Messiah, just as the Priests and Levites served different roles, or as elders and deacons serve different roles, or as men and women serve different roles in God’s economy. [See also here]
Conversion
I recognize that all Jewish people — physical descendants of Avraham (Abraham) through Yitz'chak (Isaac) and Ya'akov (Jacob), whether through the mother’s or the father’s bloodline — 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 adopted sons and daughters of Avraham (Gal 3:28-29) and full and equal citizens of the Commonwealth of Israel, partaking equally with the natural-born children of Avraham, Yitz'chak, and Ya'akov in the Torah, the Covenants, and the Land of Israel, as well as in the in the rights and responsibilities of that citizenship. I therefore specifically reject the idea taught by some that it is beneficial in any way for non-Jewish people to submit to any formal “conversion process” to become full partakers in the Commonwealth of Israel. Furthermore, I hold that any such “conversion process” for the concerns of salvation is totally contrary to the clear teaching of the Scriptures, and only serves to rebuild and re-affirm the “middle wall of partition” between Jew and Gentile. I agree, however, that “conversion” is beneficial for unifying mixed (Jewish and non-Jewish) marriages or as qualification for becoming a citizen of the State of Israel. [See also here]
Moadim
I observe and celebrate the Holy Days which are the “appointed times of ADONAI” given by God to Israel, with their fulfillment in and through Messiah Yeshua. I believe that true “Biblical Judaism,” the faith of first century Messianic Believers which I 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. I believe that salvation has always been “by faith,” and that works of law, or righteous acts, have never saved anyone (Gen 15:6; Rom 4:2-6; Eph 2:8-9; Heb 11:6, 39). I believe that the Scriptures clearly teach that the seventh day Shabbat is the day that God has established as the weekly day for Him to meet with His people (Exod 20:8-11; Ex 31:14-16; Ex 35:2; Lev 23:3; Deut 5:12-15; Matt 12:8). Messiah Himself honored the seventh-day Shabbat (Luke 4:16; Luke 4:31; Luke 6:6; Luke 13:10), and the Apostles expected the Messianic Believers (both ethnically Jewish and non-Jewish) to continue honoring Shabbat (Acts 15:21; Heb 4:9). I believe that Sunday worship (honoring Sol Invictus, the Roman sun god), “Christmas” (which is the Roman feast Saturnalia, honoring the Roman god Saturn), and “Easter” (the pagan feast of the Babylonian fertility goddess Ishtar, who is also known as Astarte, Venus, Diana, Aphrodite, and several other names) are totally pagan in origin and totally inappropriate to be observed by anyone who claims to follow Yeshua HaMashiach. Yeshua was born on the first day of Sukkot, was crucified on Pesach (Passover), and resurrected on Firstfruits. HaShem has sanctified these days as His designated times. To replace them with pagan holidays is to spit in the face of the Almighty! [See also here]
Future
I further believe that the Messianic Restoration Movement is the beginning of the fulfillment of the Biblical prophecies concerning the Restoration of Israel that will be completely fulfilled in the Messianic Age, when HaMelech (the King) Yeshua HaMashiach will reign physically on earth from His throne in Jerusalem, and that it is also the beginning of the fulfillment of the prophecies in Zech 6 and Zech 9 concerning the Gentiles who will worship alongside the Jews in the Temple of HaShem (see especially Zech 8:20-23), which will also be completely fulfilled in the Messianic Age. [See also here]
For another summary of my beliefs, please refer to What I Believe: the Basics. For a more complete discussion of my beliefs, read my Doctrinal Position Paper plus everything in the Theology section.
1. Source: https://answersingenesis.org/about/faith/ accessed 11/08/23. [BACK]
2. Ibid. [BACK]
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ANXIOUSLY WATCHING FOR MASHIACH’S RETURN,
SPEEDILY AND IN OUR DAY. MARANA, TA!
