Biblical Illiteracy Behind the Anti-Hebrew Roots Agenda
Is Biblical Illiteracy Behind the Anti-Hebrew Roots Agenda?
Is Biblical Illiteracy behind the Anti-Hebrew Roots Agenda these days. In this post I reflect upon a recent experience I had on Facebook that suggested to me that Biblical Illiteracy may, in part, be behind the animus Christians have towards our Hebrew Roots/Messianic Community.
I happened upon a Facebook page today, the sole purpose of which, was to demonstrate via the Holy Scriptures, just how dangerous Hebrew Roots is to the world.
Aside from the dozens of other religions and movements (both religious and secular) in existence throughout the world today that one would naturally reason are of an existential threat to mainstream Christianity, I found it quite unnerving that the Facebook page owner would focus his ire upon our small, but harmless community. I mean, it’s one thing to post an article or two about one or more things germane to Hebrew Roots that you take exception to, but it’s an entirely different level of disdain one would have towards Hebrew Roots in order for them to dedicate an entire Facebook page badmouthing our Community. The sad part to this is that the page’s owner did not provide his readers with any content that would help them live the life abundant. The only thing the page owner provided was a warning–over and over and throughout the whole of his very robust page–of how heretical our Faith Community is to the world.
Look, I get it: there are always going to be haters of the True Faith once delivered out there. Clearly, it would have been so much easier for me to ignore such content.
The problem I saw with this page, however, is not an innocuous one if you ask me. The problem is actually bigger problem than we might think it to be. The owner of the “hate on Hebrew Rooters” page went to great lengths to look up and use bible passages to spew his disdain towards our community; our lifestyle; and our beliefs. And after reading a handful of postings on his page, I could clearly see how millions of potential Christian readers would be misled and manipulated and be denied the Truth as a result of their own Biblical illiteracy.
As I’ve mentioned and written about quite extensively over the course of the last several years we’ve ministered to the Body of Messiah via this website, Biblical illiteracy is an epidemic in Christianity. People, such as the owner of this anti-Hebrew Roots Facebook page, are either wittingly or unwittingly leveraging the blight of Biblical illiteracy to their advantage. These individuals are counting on their readers to not have the wherewithal to conduct serious, Spirit-led and administered, in-depth study of the Holy Bible in order to make up their own minds as to what is Truth and what is not. Such individuals are, essentially, practicing witchcraft. Whenever you take something of value to individuals and manipulate it such that it has an effect that will get those individuals to do what you want to them to do, you are practicing witchcraft in my book.
The chasm that exists between our community and our cousins in Christianity is based in great part on Biblical illiteracy.
Case in point: the page owner’s most recent posting targeted our beliefs in the efficacy of the Torah-based food instructions (i.e., Laws). The writer used the passage in Mark 7 where it is recorded that Master defended Him and His disciples’ practices of not following the Rabbinic-based tradition of ceremonially washing one’s hands before they eat. In this particular incident, Master was going up against a handful of Rabbinic Jewish leaders. Master railed against the Rabbinic Jewish leaders in their adherence to Talmudic practices that they themselves help elevated to the level–even surpassing in many respects–Torah. Master summarized His position on such man-made traditions that carried the authority of Torah with them, by saying to the group that, washing one’s hands in accordance to any man-made manner as a requirement of the overall set of God-given instructions, does not in any way eliminate one from being inwardly defiled and unclean. Master went on to say that that which comes out of, or from within an individual is the very thing that actually defiles that individual–such as hatred, envy, strife, covetousness, anger, etc. Failure to ceremonially wash one’s hands as stipulated by the Rabbis of old would not in any regard cause one to be defiled. That defilement would come about only in the eyes of the Rabbinic traditionalists; certainly not in the eyes of YHVH.
Now, this passage, in effect, had nothing whatsoever to do with the consumption of food–be it YHVH sanctioned or non-sanctioned foods. It was all about traditions trumping the rule of Torah. The writer of the post using this passage of Mark, however, failed entirely to discuss and use this passage via its truest context. Instead, the writer misinterpreted the passage–either intentionally or unintentionally–I’d probably think it was unintentionally; the writer being another likely victim of Biblical illiteracy himself. Regardless, what the writer has done through his ignorance is mislead and manipulate individuals into hating on Hebrew Rooters. I would go even further and submit that this writer may have succeeded in creating a stumbling block for countless Truth-seekers in finally finding the True Faith once delivered to the first centuries saints.
I thought initially to just move on and not pay the page any mind. (Oh, by the way, the Facebook page is entitled Hebrew Roots Heresy. I don’t necessarily recommend you check it out for yourself. I only wish to put this point that I am about to make into its proper context by referencing the actual page, if you will.) But I felt led to respectfully and lovingly correct the false writings of the page’s owner. In so doing and upon reflection, as bought and paid-for Torah Observant Believers in Yahsohua Messiah, it falls to each of us to in some way correct the scourge of Biblical illiteracy in the world. We have been called to make disciples for Master Yeshua of the nation peoples of this world. In order to do that, we must work to end Biblical illiteracy. Failure to do so will result in a failure to complete our mandated roles in the Great Commission.
But first,. we must eliminate Biblical illiteracy in our own Community, which seems to be a bigger problem than one might ever concede. The reason we have so much variation in our Faith Community today is because so many of our members refuse to read their Bibles. Many members elect to glob on to so-called Hebrew Roots teachers who feed them “processed content” that these bad teachers have taken and manipulated for their own purposes in many cases. If the the True Body of Messiah is well versed in their Bibles and are in alignment with the Holy Spirit that is operating within them, they will not fall victim to the inaccurate and false teachings that are unfortunately circulating throughout our Faith Community.
I have a love and passion for the lost and truth seekers of this world. In general, these are the individuals that we have been called to serve. Thus, I pledge to take on this mantle and work towards reducing the scourge of Biblical illiteracy in this world. The first place to start, of course, is to accurately put out through this blog and podcast program, that which Master Yahoshua taught and modeled for us. To that end, we can then begin to move forward to helping remove the blinders that the enemy has placed over the eyes and minds of the peoples of this world to the True Gospel Message and the benefits of an abundant life of Torah Living. It’s going to take fervent prayer, fasting and a major move of the Holy Spirit to effectively tackle this beast.
I invite you to join with me in this effort by seeking Father’s will for your life in this endeavor. Thus, I encourage you to seek of Father how you will serve His kingdom and fulfill your role in Master’s Great Commission.
Let us with great zeal and leading of the Holy Spirit (i.e., the Ruach haKodesh) go forth and do that which Father has given us to do.
Faithfully Submitted,
Shalom
God Prohibits His People from Badmouthing Government Leaders—Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 61
Shabbat Shalom beloved. In this Thoughts and Reflections of Torah Reading 61, we will examine a number of themes and concepts that fall within the realm of loving Yah and loving one’s neighbor as one would love themselves. I’ve taken the liberty of breaking this...
Dealing with Difficult Relationships-Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 60
Shabbat Shalom saints of the Most High. May you, your families, and your fellowships be well and blessed in the perilous times we’re living. Central Themes and Life Lessons of Torah Reading 60 I’ve entitled this reading study: Dealing with Difficult...
The Fox in the Hen House–The LGBTQ Infiltration of Judeo-Christianity
Shalom beloved. I pray that this installment of The Messianic Torah Observer Journal finds you, your families, and your fellowships well and blessed. They Say that Curiosity Kills the Cat True to form, Hilary and I canvassed portions of YouTube to augment our worship...
We’re Getting Married in the Morning–Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 59
Shabbat Shalom Saints of the Most High. Welcome to the second post of our The Messianic Torah Observer Journal. Today is a special day of sorts. It’s not only the Sabbath, but it is also the start of the 9th Biblical Month. Rosh Chodesh. There are no mandated Feasts...
Learning to Lean on Yeshua Messiah–Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 58
Shabbat shalom beloved. We pray that you, your families, and your fellowships are well and blessed during these perilous times. Despite these being perilous times, beloved, we who are the redeemed of Yah through Yeshua Messiah, can find refuge and shalom in our...
We were Baptized into Moses in the Red Sea
Our Baptism in the Red Sea Was Illustrative of our Transformation into the People of God So, in our departure from Mitsrayim/Egypt, which was representative of a would-be child of Yah coming into a covenant relationship with Yah through the Person and Ministry of...
Walking in God’s Divine Guidance and Protection
Introduction This week’s Torah Portion/Parshah/Reading is the 56th Reading in our 3-year Torah Reading Cycle. And it is contained in the Cepher of Exodus/Shemot 13:21-15:18. It is a continuation of last week’s reading which I entitled “The Key to Knowing...
The Key to Knowing God: Remembering and Obeying
In the past two readings, which we did not cover because we were on hiatus for the Fall Feasts, Yisrael experienced or witnessed the inauguration of Pesach in the midst of the final tenth plague that resulted in the death of every Egyptian/Mitsri firstborn and the...
The Thirst-Quenching Waters of Sukkot-The Feast of Tabernacles 2022
Sukkot-The Feast of Tabernacles is the Season of our Joy True joy is an offshoot of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit or the Ruach HaQodesh in each of us. Our joy, especially as expressed through Yah's Feasts, is incomplete without the Ruach HaQodesh's influence....
Getting to the Heart of Yom Kippur–Day of Atonement 2022
Yom Kippur Just a Day of Fasting? What did Yah truly mean by His people afflicting their souls on Yom Kippur? Was He commanded us to engage in just a fast? Turns out that Abba requires more from us on Yom HaKippurim than just a full day of not eating and drinking....
0 Comments