Welcome
All over the world today, Christians are fasting and praying for a revival of the Church.Our hearts cry out for the brand of Christianity the Apostles knew--a Christianity with the power to heal the sick, win the lost and set the captives free. That's the Christianity the early church had. It was a force no pagan ideology or philosophy could stand against.
Over the last century, as beleivers have prayed and sought the L-RD G-d, He has graciously restored much of what the early church possessed. Sadly, however, the church today remains very different from the churches the Talmidem established.
When did the Church lose the power and effectiveness that Characterized its Beginnings? As one studies Church history, it is evident that most of this change took place between the fourth and seventh century. During this time period, a concious effort was made to change the very nature of what the Church was by it's institutional hierarchy.
Prior to the fourth century, the Church was a very "Jewish" institution. It's teachings were based on the Torah. It's cornerstone was the Jewish Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus). For most of the first century, it's bible was the Tenach or the Torah. The worship was base on the Psalms, with much singing, dancing and celebration. The Church celebrated the Jewish feasts as commanded by YHWH (Jehoveh). As had Yeshua and his Talmedim.
The early believers in fact, viewed themselves as "Messianic Gentiles" (the word Christian literally means "Messianic"--a follower of the Jewish Messiah). They viewed themselves not as separate from Israel, and not as replacing Israel, but as branches grafted into the root of the Olive tree that is Israel through the blood of Yeshua. They, who at one time had been "aliens from the commonwelth of Israel" were now brought near and made fellow citizens (Eph. 2:11-19). This colored their whole understanding of what Christianity was, and of how they related to HaShem.
Beginning in the fourth century, however, Church leaders, enamored with the pagan Greek philosophy of the day, attempted to purge the Church of it's Jewish roots. Repeatedly, councils condemed the observance of the Biblical feasts. In their place the substituted "Christianized" versions of pagan Greek feasts. For example, instead of celebrating Messiah's death and ressurection in the context of the Passover as the Talmedim had, they used the feast of the pagan fertility goddes, Ishtar--thus the orgination of the name Easter.
The asceticism of the pagan philospphers killed the joyful exuberance of Davidic worship and established in its place monasticism and the solemn rituals of medieval Christian Worship. In the process of these changes, the Church abandoned its Torah foundation, and was rebuilt on the foundation of Greek philosophy and culture.
I believe the Church will never be fully restored until we see Christianity in its Jewish context as the New Testament Church did. Now, I'm not talking here about Judaizing. Judaizing was a rejection of G-d's grace in favor of the legalism of the Torah. We must stand in the grace and freedom that our Messiah purchased for us!
The truths and pictures inherent in the Jewish roots of Christianity are not some foreign elements imported from a different religion. These elements were given by G-d for our benefit. They were designed by G-d to give us a better understanding of our relationship with him. Anyone who has studied the Bible knows that we cannot understand the New Testament apart from the Old. When John the Baptist announced, "Behold the Lamb of G-d," he was speaking in the context of the Jewish sacrificial system. We cannot understand John's statement, or indeed, the work of Yeshua, apart from that Old Testament revelation. Likewise, we can't fully understand the events in Acts 2 without understanding the work of the Spirit described in passages such as Numbers 11 or Joel 2.
As we learn about the Jewish roots of our faith, we find passage after passage coming into clearer focus, with long-hidden truths revealed. Passages that made little sense suddenly spring to life. We gain a deeper understanding of our Covenant rights, and of how G-d desires to relate to us.
Jews who come to know their Messiah are sometimes refered to as "completed" Jews. That's a good description. But also when a Gentile Christian comes to know the Jewish roots of his faith, he becomes a "completed" Gentile!
Yeshua s not only the Savior of the world, but the Messiah of Israel--and our Messiah. By his grace, we have been made felow citizens in Israel. The more we know of that heritage the more complete we will be.
Awake O Zion
Contact
Kenneth Gallaher P.O. Box 172
Dumaguete City,6200 Negros Oriental Philippines
Phone 09266688266
email-gallkr1@gmail.com