Social Media and Hebrew Roots-A Warning to Discern Who’s Who in the Social Media Zoo
Most of us who are members of the True Faith Once Delivered, have one or more social media accounts. Many of us share our Faith convictions and or even minister on these platforms.
But Social Media, like Hebrew Roots, can be likened to the Americana images of the western states of the union that were once desribed as the wild-wild west. And because our Faith Community lacks true unity and a solid base of believers who stand for the truth of Scripture, one is very likely to run into a number of individuals who are not who they initially seem to be: that is Torah Observant Believers in Y’shua HaMashiyach.
In this post I share an experience I had on social media that exemplifies the inherent dangers of social media for those in our Faith who may not be firmly grounded in Truth.
What follows is a heart-felt warning to the Body of Mashiyach to discern who’s who in the social media zoo before engaging them.
Joining a Messianic/Hebrew Roots Facebook Group–Bad Mistake?
I recently had a very interesting experience. It centered around social media. Specifically it centered around a so-called Messianic/Hebrew Roots Facebook Group I had recently joined.
Steeped in Social Media
Facebook and Hebrew Roots
So, I use social media to promote “The Messianic Torah” each week. And I also use social media to interact with other like-minded Torah-observant believers in Y’shua Messiah.
The Invitation to Join
Within the last several months or so, I received a number of invitations to join what I believed were Hebrew Roots-based Facebook groups. At first I resisted those invitations. But then I thought about the potential increased exposure The Messianic Torah Observer would receive by interacting with members of these groups. So I relented—against my better judgment mind you—and joined a couple of the groups.
Before joining both of these groups, I checked out each group’s lean profile and felt that they were consistent with the Messianic-Hebraic principles of which I ascribed. And so, I signed up.
Well, to be honest, I did not involve myself in group discussions that often. There would be weeks between my visits to these groups. And when I did visit, I found some of the discussion to be somewhat off-putting.
Messianic Judaism vs. Hebrew Roots Group
What I mean by that is that some of the discussions that some of the members were engaged in seemed more geared towards Messianic Judaism, than towards Hebrew Roots. In fact, I rarely came across any discussions where Y’shua was even mentioned. And that sort of concerned me, but did not sway me at those times to leave the group.
A Multitude of Sects and Communities Under the Hebrew Roots Umbrella
Now, many within and without our Faith treat the mutually independent groups of Hebrew Roots, Messianic Judaism, Jews for Jesus or Christian Jews, the crossover groups like the Churches of God splinters, the Congregations of Yahweh, and I’m certain there are others that don’t readily come to mind–as being of the same Faith. But the truth of the matter is that these are NOT of the same faith.
You see, the problem with bundling all these sects (if you will) into one Faith Community is that, for the most part, each of these groups or sects are drastically different in their beliefs and outreach. Generally speaking, the only commonality between these groups is a varying degree of Torah-keeping and the acceptance of Yahoshua as Messiah.
The problem comes into play here, however, if one is not careful to discern the differences between these sects/groups, specifically when seeking to interact with members of these groups, he or she may find themselves in discussions or interactions that may not be good for one’s longterm spiritual wellbeing—so to speak.
Case in Point
Case in point. This past week I decided to enter into one of the two-Facebook Groups I was a member of and see what people were talking about at the time. Upon entering, I quickly came upon a rather interesting post in the form of a question that an apparent member of the Faith (note I said apparent) had posed to the entire Facebook group.
Her question was a simple, but very important one. She essentially said that she generally keeps Sabbath by joining into online fellowships and or availing herself to online teachings. She went on to say that she would, instead, much prefer to attend a fellowship consisting of like-minded brethren in person on the weekly Sabbaths. So she asked the group if anyone knew of a fellowship or congregation (what type of congregation she did not state) in which she might attend on the weekly Sabbath.
Well some fellow—I was unaware of his relationship with the person posing the question to the group—answered her question with a somewhat snide admonishment that she should not be online during Sabbath. And then he went on to suggest a congregation—I’m guessing a Messianic Jewish congregation in hindsight, that he felt would meet her needs.
Curious at this gentleman’s remark and suggestion that people of Faith aren’t supposed to be online during weekly Sabbaths, I opted into the conversation and responded to this gentleman’s statements. First I expressed my non-confrontational intent for asking the question I was about to ask. And then I simply asked him where I would find in scripture a prohibition against the use of the internet on Sabbaths.
Well, it wasn’t very long before I received a rather curt reply from the gentleman. The first thing he set out to do was berate me for my spelling of Sabbaths in my post. He asked what the hell the term even meant.
He then rather curtly pointed me to a Mishnaic or Talmudic reference for the prohibition against internet usage on the weekly Sabbath.
I then thanked him for his reply and stated that that forum or group was not a place I felt I should be. And after that, I unceremoniously opted out of both Facebook Groups with the expressed aim of not joining any more social media groups with the exception of the one paid group I’ve been a member of since 2014. That group by the way is a paid professional group.
The Dangers Social Media Poses to the Body of Messiah Evident in Social Media Groups
So what? What is the point I’m attempting make here?
Well, interestingly enough, what I experienced in that Facebook Group exchange indirectly plays into this week’s Torah Reading entitled “Balak.” And I’ll tie this incident into my discussion of this reading when we get to the main content of this post.
My concern over this incident is not over the pompous, arrogant attitude that this gentleman displayed towards me and the woman posing the question in the Facebook group. It’s part of life. We’re always going to run into rude, arrogant people like that, regardless the area of life we’re dealing with at the time.
My concern—and I hope that you as a Torah-loving, Disciple of Y’shua Messiah share my same concern—is the danger that such individuals pose to the Body of Messiah.
Judaizers Trolling Social Media
Truth be told, such individuals are nothing more than 21st-century Judaizers who seek to destroy or take captive the liberty Hebrew Roots/Messianic believers are supposed to have in Mashiyach.
Of these people, the Apostle Paul wrote:
“And that because of false brethren unawares bought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Messiah Yeshua, that they might bring us into bondage…” (Gal. 2:4).
Y’shua in his Revelation to the Apostle Yochanan (ie., John) described these folks in a much more sinister way. In addressing the Assembly of Messianic believers in Smyrna He said:
“I know your affliction and poverty, yet you are rich. I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan” (Rev. 2:9; cf. 3:9).
Folks, these are the very spiritual descendants of the 1st-century C.E. Judaizers that the Apostle Shaul (ie., Paul) contended with throughout his evangelical ministry. These were the folks that required the Gentles coming in to the Faith convert to Judaism before becoming official members of Assemblies of Messiah (reference Acts 15 and Galatians 2).
The Real Message of Modern Day Judaizers
Churchianity has put forth over the years that the Judaizers’ real message was one requiring that Gentles entering the Faith had to first keep Torah before becoming official members of the Body of Messiah. (If only that were true!) That doctrine cannot be further from the truth. Judaizers instead were requiring that newly inducted Gentiles in the Faith convert to Judaism.
Look: there’s a huge difference between keeping/living Torah and converting to Judaism. And sadly, churchianity has had an extremely difficult time over the centuries differentiating between the two.
Continuing on about these modern-day Judaizers trolling the Body of Messiah online: these seek to enslave the disciples of Mashiyach by underhandedly teaching their potential followers to deny the primacy of Torah over the lives of the Creator’s true people—the elect of the Most High. Again, it’s an attempt by such individuals to subject and subjugate the Body of Mashiyach to their religious government. Their religious government seeks to block out all biblical Truth from the eyes, hearts and minds of the true Faith’s members.
Like me, you may be wondering: how does an almost 2,000-year old set of writings like the Talmud and Mishnah deny any supposed member of the Faith the opportunity to utilize the internet on the Sabbath, for whatever purpose? Well, you and I both recognize that it can’t possibly do such a thing. The internet was not even conceived of back then. And that’s where the skill of hasatan to manipulate, alter, mislead and control the unknowing and new members of the Faith comes in. Unfortunately, many of us are not at a place in our walk with Mashiyach, spiritually, to challenge the lies, manipulations, alterations to Truth and control that these people seek to have over the Body of Messiah.
I contend that the actions and purpose of these modern-day Judaizers is tantamount to that of child-abuse. That is, these take the young and innocent of the Faith (ie., of the flock) and lead them down a path of destruction, religious enslavement, ignorance, spiritual blindness, hopelessness and lies.
A Word of Caution Regarding Hebrew Rooters Using Social Media
The other point I want to get across is simply that of a word of caution, especially for those who are either new to Faith or who are not firmly grounded in the Faith.
Social media is a pervasive element in most of our day-to-day lives. And it has become probably one of the most important and central elements for the expressing of our individual Faith convictions to one another and or to the world.
Unfortunately, social media is not the safest place for people of Faith to be at times. As I mentioned in one of my blog posts back in 2017, I have a love-hate relationship with social media. Why? Because I recognize the potential for good in social media. However, it’s often impossible to recognize just who’s who in the spiritual zoo of social media, if you will. Unless you personally know the individuals you enter into communications with one these mediums, you may be interacting with someone you thought was a true brother or sister in the Faith, with supposedly pure and mutual intentions for being there; only to find at some of the most inopportune times, that they weren’t at all who you thought they were.
And just like back during the first-century Assemblies of Messiah, we have a lot of wolves in sheep’s clothing prowling in and around the online Hebrew Roots/Messianic sheepfold community, seeking for themselves choice prey to ply their false and extremely dangerous doctrine. But Master Y’shua advised us to be wise as serpents, yet harmless as doves (Mat. 7:15; 10:16; Luk. 10:3).
Guard Your Heart and Spirit on Social Media
Please bear in mind that I am in no way suggesting that we of Faith abandon social media. I personally use social media very sparingly and cautiously, and I would advise you to do so as well. Be careful who you follow and befriend. Guard your heart and spirit at all times while navigating through the various forums.
I’ve said many times on this program, Hebrew Roots is like the wild wild west. For our Faith Community has a lot of individuals with varying levels of understanding, ideas, beliefs, experiences, etc. Etc. And when you throw social media into that existing confusion, you’re really putting yourself in spiritual harm’s way if you’re not properly prepared.
So many of the men and women of Faith you’re prone to meet on social media believe they’ve got it all down and that they’ve spiritually arrived if you will. These will often attempt to tell you the latest and greatest Truth (at least what they believe to be Truth) that they embraced. And often they demand that you too embrace that Truth; that is, if you want to be on the right side of the Faith. Thus these have the great potential of leading those of us who are not in the know (ie., those of us who may be new to Faith or simply not firmly grounded in the Faith), astray, and even down a road that can lead to spiritual destruction.
Distinct Difference Between Messianic Judaism and Hebrew Roots
Now, beyond the answer that gentleman gave the woman in the Facebook Group that day, I know nothing about the woman who asked the question. I pray that she is led down the proper road and is not led astray by way of man-made religion, such as was being expressed to her by the gentleman in question.
Which leads me to another point.
Just so we’re clear: Despite the title of this podcast show being the Messianic Torah Observer, we are a Hebrew Roots ministry. We are in no way associated with Messianic Judaism. I don’t seek to villainize Messianic Judaism; I only seek to put forth the Truth of the Hebraic Roots of Faith: Yeshua-centric Torah Living.
What is Messianic Judaism?
What I do want to say about Messianic Judaism in relation to Hebrew Roots is the following:
Messianic Judaism, for all intents and purposes, is repurposed and repackaged orthodox Judaism. The only difference between Messianic Judaism and Orthodox Judaism, for the most part, is the members of Messianic Judaism accept Y’shua as their Messiah. Beyond that, Messianic Jews revere and generally follow the traditions and teachings and tenets of Messianic Judaism. (Note I say generally.) These generally congregate in a Messianic Jewish synagogue and are led by a Messianic Jewish Rabbi. They’re primary focus is not Y’shua-centric Torah Living. Their primary focus instead is Talmudic/Mishnaic-based living. You’ll rarely ever hear their members mention Y’shua in their discussions and teachings. Additionally, many—not all—Messianic Jews are of Jewish lineage and background. Unfortunately, Messianic Jews tend to deny the authority of Scripture over their lives, but choose to walk according to Rabbinic standards, which is what Master Y’shua railed against during His earthly ministry. This is the same religion that Paul and the other apostles had to contend with in their administration and teaching of the Gospel that Y’shua passed on to us.
What is Hebrew Roots?
Hebrew Rooters, on the other hand, for all intents and purposes, recognize the centrality of Y’shua to a believer’s Torah-based life. We keep, of course, the food, Sabbath and Feast Laws; as well as the moral laws of Torah. I believe Hebrew Roots is the most scripturally correct version of the True Faith once delivered to the first-century Faith. In short, she’s the real deal.
It does not matter where one comes from as it relates to becoming a member of Hebrew Roots. But like Hebrew Roots teacher Paul Nisan has brilliantly proclaimed, Hebrew Rooters have a firm understanding and sense of where they’re going. We don’t dwell on who we were; our lineage; or our past. We live in accordance to the teachings of Y’shua Mashiyach. He is our Master. Torah is our constitution. The Ruach haKodesh empowers and guides us. We reject man-made teaching and spiritual authority over our lives. Central to our devotion to the Faith is the sacrifice of Y’shua Messiah which atoned for our sins once and for all. We keep Torah, not to earn our salvation or to curry favor with YHVH. Instead, we keep Torah because we choose to please our heavenly Father and because our Master kept Torah. Most importantly, we choose to keep Torah because it is the right thing to do.
And there are, of course, other Hebrew Roots/Messianic affiliated sects that span the spiritual gulf that exists between Hebrew Roots and Messianic Judaism.
What’s a Person of Faith to do on Social Media These Day?
So what’s a person of Faith to do regarding social media?
For me, I’ve become more and more distant from social media for some of the reasons I’ve outline in this post. Nevertheless, I would not presume to dissuade any brother or sister of Faith from engaging or using social media to the fullest extent possible. Even those pesky Facebook Groups. If that’s your thing and you feel Father has you there for a purpose, or whatever, then I say Yah bless you. Go forth and conquer in the Name of YHVH.
I would simply say to you, however, use social media wisely and carefully, especially when dealing with things of the Faith. Let Yah’s Ruach (ie., His Spirit) guide your journeys there. Avoid controversial and pointless debates and arguments. Always refer to Scripture as the basis of your understanding. I would also screen those whom you befriend or follow. Do your best to determine who’s who in the zoo before you get too chummy with those who would seem to be the real deal. You may never know who is really behind that Hebrew name.
Faithfully.