Keeping the OT law as Christians

[Joseph Scibbe]

I recently acquired a friend who is very much into following the Jewish law and festivals. I am not really sure what to think because he suggests that we follow the Saturday sabbath and the holy days in the Jewish calendar. Can anyone weigh in on this? I am not even sure what to ask for. It's just strange and totally new.

 

[Sviata Nich]

Is he Jewwish? He could be a messianic Jew.

 

[Joseph Scibbe]

No, he is not Messianic.

 

[TimV]

Probably one of the off shoots of the World Wide Church of God, i.e. Herbert W. and Garner Ted Armstrong. They published The Plain Truth magazine that was really wide spread in earlier decades.

 

[Dieter Schneider]

Press home the doctrine of justification by faith. Luther on Galatians ought to be read by all Bible-believing Christians. Hebrews teaches the end of Judaism.

 

[Joseph Scibbe]

Here is the website for the church: El Shaddai Ministries - Home Page

 

[TimV]

No, then. From the link they're not associated with the WWCOG. I found this interesting on their site:

Often you will hear us call him "Yeshua" or "Yeshua HaMoshiach" because we refer to the Messiah by the
name His mother gave Him. (Ha-Mosh-i-auk is Messiah in Hebrew) Well, as far as we can tell--Mary
didn't know English or Greek. She heard and obeyed the message given to her in a dream of what to
name Him: Yeshua. Separately, angels came to both Mary (Luke 1:31) and her future husband Joseph
(Matt 1:21) and told them what to call this coming child. In Hebrew, Yeshua actually means salvation. So,
the people in Israel who knew Him when He walked the earth called Him "Yeshua." Should we hear and
obey the same instructions or follow the habit of the world?

Did Mary know Hebrew? It seems as likely as Maria next door knowing Latin.

 

[JBaldwin]

Interesting, Tim, I never thought about what language Mary spoke.

As to those who celebrate Jewish holidays and Sabbath, I'm very familiar with that view. There is a family who we've known for several years who does not celebrate any holidays but those found in the OT. In fact, they are taking off in a few weeks for the feast of Booths. They worship on Saturdays as well. The people we know are fine people, though based on our conversatsion, I doubt that they are regenerate. Even so, we enjoy spending time with them, because we have come to an understanding about our Scriptural views, and their children know the Scriptures so well that they speak them as naturally as they breath. It's nice to be able to mention something from Scripture and not get a blank stare. I am praying they will come to really know God as well as they know what His word says.

 

[Scott1]

The civil law given Israel was for the unique Old Testament nation of Israel, centered as it was around land grants to tribes, priests and a central temple. Not applicable to any other nation, it expired with that nation.

The ceremonial laws were fulfilled in the true permanent sacrifice of our Lord. To continue them is to reject our Lord, really.

What you describe sounds like what the Judaizers in Galatians, and Philippians were doing, strongly condemned because it undermines the sufficiency of our Lord, and His preeminence.

 

[Andres]

The ceremonial laws were fulfilled in the true permanent sacrifice of our Lord. To continue them is to reject our Lord, really.

This. Why celebrate the shadows that pointed to Christ, when we now have Him?

 

[Pilgrim]

From what I understand, most of these modern-day Judaizers are of Gentile origin and are not ethnic Jews.

 

[elnwood]

Did Mary know Hebrew? It seems as likely as Maria next door knowing Latin.

Any Jew would know enough Hebrew to give their child a Hebrew name.

 

[JoannaV]

The website of the church will probably tell you what you want to know. You're reformed enough to be able to see the most obvious errors
But to know what he actually believes, you will have to have many conversations with him. (I could find you a whole room full of people who would each tell you a different story of what they believed back in the old days of the Worldwide Church of God. Just as you could find some in a Reformed congregation who believe things contrary to reformed teaching.) He may believe a false gospel, or he may be a true believer misled on certain issues.
The big issue is not the Sabbath and the holy days, but the belief that physical Israel continues. If you have the opportunity to converse with him about these things, I would try to focus on this and not get too sidetracked by other things.

 

[timmopussycat]

No, then. From the link they're not associated with the WWCOG. I found this interesting on their site:

Often you will hear us call him "Yeshua" or "Yeshua HaMoshiach" because we refer to the Messiah by the
name His mother gave Him. (Ha-Mosh-i-auk is Messiah in Hebrew) Well, as far as we can tell--Mary
didn't know English or Greek. She heard and obeyed the message given to her in a dream of what to
name Him: Yeshua. Separately, angels came to both Mary (Luke 1:31) and her future husband Joseph
(Matt 1:21) and told them what to call this coming child. In Hebrew, Yeshua actually means salvation. So,
the people in Israel who knew Him when He walked the earth called Him "Yeshua." Should we hear and
obey the same instructions or follow the habit of the world?

Did Mary know Hebrew? It seems as likely as Maria next door knowing Latin.

She would have spoken Aramaic day-to-day, with at least a smattering of Hebrew gleaned from synagogue services and Jerusalem visits. Living in Galilee she may have picked up some Greek.

 

[J. Dean]

Here's a very good treatment of the Sabbath by John MacArthur, one I wish somebody had shown to me and my mother a LONG time ago...

Is the Sabbath Binding on Christians Today?