STATEMENT OF FAITH


WE BELIEVE:

The Creator of the universe is El Shaddai (God Almighty), One, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent.  "To us [there is but] one Elohim, the Father…" (1 Cor. 8:6)

The Ruach ha-Kodesh (Holy Spirit) is the outward working of Elohim in the hearts and lives of men (Is. 63:11; Luke 1:41; Luke 11:13.)

Yeshua (Jesus) of Nazareth is the Messiah (Mashiach, Hebrew for Anointed One; Christos, or "Christ" in Greek) of YHWH.  In the beginning, he was the Word - through which the universe was created.  He became flesh, born of a woman through the Ruach ha-Kodesh, to be called the son of God, to dwell among men, died at the hands of the Romans at the insistence of a faction of the Jewish leadership (John 11:47-53), was raised again to defeat death and the grave, becoming a sacrifice for the sins of man, and lives forevermore at the right hand of YHWH.  He WAS, during his time in the flesh on earth, a PROPHET, speaking forth the word of his Father.  He IS, during this present age, our HIGH PRIEST, as our mediator before the King of the universe.  When he returns on the clouds of glory, he WILL BE KING of kings and Master of masters.

The Bible is the inspired, infallible, authoritative word of YHWH in its original version (mostly Hebrew, of which there are none known to exist to this day), but not inerrant because of the hand of man in copying and translating.  It is as pertinent today as when it was originally written and is "given by inspiration of Elohim, profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of Elohim may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."  (2 Tim. 3:16-17)  Most of it was written in the Jews' language ( Hebrew, not Aramaic, the Syrians' language) by Jews, and to be understood properly, it must be interpreted from a Jewish background.


The Torah (Instruction) of YHWH is a commandment forever, and "good works" are a sign of the believer (Matt. 5:16; Eph. 2:10; 2 Tim. 3:17; Titus 2:7, 14; Heb. 10:24; 1 Pet. 2:12).

"The Kingdom of Elohim is at hand," (Matt. 10:7) which means now, as well as in the future.  It is "within" (Lk. 17:21) those who have responded to the Gospel message.  The Bible does not tell how to "go to heaven."  The Kingdom is entered by faith as of a little child (Mk 10:5), repenting of sin (Matt. 4:17), and doing the will (obeying the commands) of YHWH ( Matt. 7:21; Acts 5:32).  Salvation is by the faith of Yeshua, and we shall receive rewards according to our works. (Rev. 2:23)

Eternal life in "the world to come" (Hebrew: olam haba) has always been a belief of the Jews, and the righteous of all nations will have a place in the "world to come."  The "immortal soul" is not mentioned in the Bible but is an idea brought into Christianity by pagan doctrines.  "Salvation" in the Bible is never equated with "eternal life."  At death, "the dust return(s) to the earth as it was: and the spirit [breath; Hebrew ruach] shall return unto Elohim who gave it."  (Eccl. 12:7)  "The living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing."  (Eccl. 9:5 & 10)  Resurrection at the end of days awaits ALL, some to everlasting life and some to the "second death" (Rev. 2:11; 20:6, 14; 21:8).  Immortality is brought to light through the Gospel (2 Tim. 1:10) -- Therefore, it was not known prior to that.

YHWH's (not "the Jews'") Holy Days:
The seventh-day Sabbath [v. 3].  This is a weekly Sabbath "which the sons of Israel [R] shall observe . . . throughout their genereations."
These are the annual feasts and festivals/sabbaths:
1) The seven Days of Unleavened Bread (Yom ha-Matzot) begun with the Passover sacrifice (Pesach) [v. 5-6].  The Pesach is not a "day."  It is the sacrifice itself and the meal partaken on the evening which begins the 7 days of Unleavened Bread.
2) The Feast of Firstfruits (Yom ha-Bikkurim) [v. 10],
3) The Feast of Weeks (Shavu'ot [Pentecost]) [v. 15],
4) The Feast of Trumpets (Yom T'ruah [the day for blowing]) (wrongly called Rosh HaShanah, the New Year) [v. 24],
5) The Day of Atonement (Yom ha-Kippurim) [v. 27],
6) The Feast of Tabernacles (Chag ha-Sukkot) [v. 34], and
7) The Eighth Day (of Tabernacles) (Shmini Atseret, lit. the Eighth Assembly) [v. 36, 39]).  This may or may not be an extension of the week of Tabernacles, but it's also a separate Mo`ed (an appointed time) for rest, a sabbath.
and elsewhere in the Torah (Instruction - the books of Moses).  YHWH's people will observe these Holy Days.  The holidays of the Roman Catholic Church (Sunday "sabbath", Easter, Christmas, Lent, All Saints' Day, etc.) are not found in the biblical canon, and the traditions and practices associated with them were brought into Christianity by those enticed or coerced into becoming Christians from pagan religions.
These Holy Days are enumerated in Leviticus 23.

The doctrine of the "Trinity" was a belief of some early church fathers (IMPORTANT) and was instituted in the fourth century by what later became the Catholic Church.  It is supported, but not named, in the Bible only by eisegetical[E] assumptions which do not appear in the earliest known manuscripts.  Literally hundreds of verses mention both Elohim AND Yeshua.  It's not logical to think that they are the same person.  Nor is there a scripture that mentions Yeshua before creation.  IN/AT the beginning/creation, Elohim SPOKE, and the world was created THROUGH his WORD.  Yeshua himself said he was "the beginning of the creation of God."  Heaven and earth and we were created "through" him and "for" him (Rom. 1:20; 1 Cor. 8:6; Col 1:16.)


IMPORTANT: "No theologian in the first three Christian centuries was a trinitarian in the sense of a believing (sic) that the one God is tripersonal, containing equally divine 'persons', Father, Son, and Holy Spirit."
~~Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Return

[R] "Replacement theology" is an antisemitic invention of man and has no place in Christian doctrine.  "The Church" is not to displace the "Sons of Israel."  Christians are to be "grafted in" to the "rich root of the olive tree" (Rom. 11:17), and become "fellow citizens with the holy ones, and are of God's household" (Eph. 2:19). Return

[E] EISEGESIS: the process of interpreting text in such a way as to introduce one's own presuppositions, agendas or biases.  It is commonly referred to as reading into the text.  It is often done to "prove" a pre-held point of concern, and to provide confirmation bias corresponding with the pre-held agenda. Eisegesis.
Contrast Exegesis. Return

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6/13/13
Last update 13 Dec 23