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This new Messianic movement of the first century following the death, burial, and resurrection of Yeshua (Jesus) faced a problem of the highest magnitude within twenty years after the Cross of Christ: "What are we going to do with these Gentiles who claim to be followers of Yeshua Meshichenu (Yeshua, our Jewish Messiah)? The solution: "We should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God." (Acts 15: 19-21). Yacov (James) and the head zakenim (elders) then proceeded to mention "4 abstentions" for these Gentiles who wished to be part of the Yeshua Movement:
To twentieth century Western people this list seems pretty
simple--the only abstention those in our society have to worry about is
#2--sexual immorality. So now it's clear sailing for all those Gentiles.
Thanks a lot for reading this article. But wait, that is not as simple as
the English makes it seem, for Yeshua is Jewish, and without a proper
understanding of the language of Hebrew, the Greek language from which the
Hebrew was translated, the history, and the culture of the first century,
you and I cannot be assured we have the correct understanding of this Acts
15 passage. Since God is the same
yesterday, today, and tomorrow, then let us never forget that obedience is
better than any sacrifice today as well as yesterday (first century
church).
As you read this article, as well as others I have researched and
prepared, you should have easily seen that reading the English often leads
us astray from the mind of Christ. You may say " You mean it's not
quite that easy and clear?" You may say "You mean to tell me
there may be more to understanding what James is telling the Gentiles than
meets the eye? Do you mean more information is assumed as "given"
in this situation than is normally understood by the normal Christian
nowadays?" That is exactly what I am telling you as you will shortly
understand. Let us investigate.
The historical situation in Acts 15 must be uncovered in order to understand the impact and importance of these 4 abstentions for Gentile believers in the first century, so we as good Christians and followers of "the Christ" can then apply that understanding of Biblical truth to today's circumstances. Add to this process the tragic observation that the vast majority of today's Gentile Christian congregations totally ignore these 4 simple instructions and it becomes clear that this decision by Yeshua's church from long ago which was intended for ALL GENTILE BELIEVERS has been blatantly misunderstood and or ignored for the past 19 centuries.
Today's Christians who understand Yeshua's words "why do you say you love me and not obey ye" should be open to repentance when in-depth Bible study recovers long-lost truth which never changed that both challenge and correct their religious belief system and conduct
We must, with a good conscience, apply these truths to our lives today, regardless if the seem different from what you have heard or weren't previously aware of or not. If today's Christians want to uncover these truths and their significance for their lives, it will be a difficult but not unfruitful task, but such is our test of the level of love we have for God and His son who died for us. Let us continue for our love for God is manifested through obedience and not mental faith which lacks righteous responses in obedience to "every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." This is of major importance if we truly love God, not to mention the rewards and treasure laid up in Heaven in our account that comes only in response to obedience.
It is important as we begin to understand who these Gentile believers were that were being spoken of by James. The overwhelming majority, if not all, of these Gentiles wanted to be accepted as full participants in this Jewish faith through the ministry of Yeshua. They were in a special category of believing Gentiles called "Godfearers." Whether you are aware of it or not, we as Christians are called "Godfearers" in the New Testament. Let's investigate these questions:
"Godfearers" in the technical sense of the word used by both Luke and Josephus (Sebomenoi and or Phoboumenoi in Greek) and refer to that special group of Gentiles who worshipped in synagogues and adopted a Jewish belief system and a Jewish life-style for themselves, stopping just short of formal conversion (failed to be circumcised) and becoming proselytes.
Answer for yourself: As Christians, have you accepted the God of Israel and worship Him in your churches?
Answer for yourself: As Christians, do you follow the Old and New Testament to the best of your ability and worship the God who brought you these revelations?
Answer for yourself: As Christians, can you see that you fit the "pattern" of the New Testament "Godfearer" in that you have not made conversion to Judaism and not become a proselyte to the Jewish faith?
The word Sebonenoi (with or without Theos) means "Godfearer" and is based on a parallel term for worshippers of pagan deities. Implicit in the term are the concepts that these people claim to worship the only true God, and that they worship Him with specific acts, not just with their "mental attitude." The Book of Acts mentions "Pheboumenos" five times, and mentions "sebonenos" six times with or without the addition word "Theos-god" to denoteGentile adherents to the Jewish faith who were NOT proselytes. In this context, these two terms are a "functional equivalent" of each other. Thus, these Godfearers were NOT merely well-intentioned Gentiles walking around worshipping the God of Israel in their own private non-structured way or in a way that leaned on their own understanding. Rather, there were certain requirements and Laws which must be adhered to and obeyed to be considered as a "Godfearer."
Answer for yourself: Has your church or Pastor instructed you in these Laws and requirements to be part of Yeshua's church in the same way both James and Paul commanded?
Emil Schurer quotes archeological inscriptions which point to "a defined category of Gentile Godfearers attached to the Jewish community" (Grafted into Israel as Paul describes in Romans). The Dictionary of the New Testament Theology adds that ''Sebonenos" was the regular term for non-Jews who attached (grafted into Israel) themselves the synagogue in this precise and specific way. The clear conclusion reached about both terms in Acts (i.e. phoboumenoi and sebomenoi) is that "with this concept...we are dealing with a technical term (to be distinguished from Theosebes (godliness) which specifically describes a defined category of Gentiles associated with the synagogue.
It cannot be emphasized too strongly that the first Gentile believers in Yeshua as Messiah mentioned in the Book of Acts are from this special and technical realm of Godfearers, as the Greek terms clearly indicate, and are NOT Gentiles who only felt warmth and attraction to the God of Israel. The Godfearers ALREADY had received considerable Jewish (understood as Biblical) training and had made a considerable Jewish (understood as Biblical) commitment as I am attempting to demonstrate through the continued teachings of Bet Emet Ministry. The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament sums up the situation: "Thus the first conversion of a Gentile under Peter in Acts 10 is strictly the winning of a marginal member of the Jewish community (Cornelius was ALREADY a worshipper of the true God of the Bible before the message of Yeshua was brought to him) for the Christian community." According to Schurer, John 12:20 probably reflects this group in describing "Greeks (Godfearers) who went up to worship (at the Temple) at the Festival (Passover) time". Again we see Greeks (Gentile Godfearers) keeping the Biblical Festivals such as Passover.
It is important to realize that these Gentile
Godfearers were integral parts of synagogues within Israel and
throughout the Diaspora (exile). And as noted above, Gentile
Godfearers worshipped God with specific Jewish (understood as Biblical)
acts after the cross of Christ, and not just with mental assent to a set
of beliefs or doctrines. These specific acts
required of Gentiles which are called "necessary
things" in Acts 15:28 PRIOR to being admitted
to Yeshua's Church following the Jerusalem Council
of 50 C.E. (which was headed by James and which wrote letters given to
Paul to be given to all of his Gentile churches in Asia Minor) included:
Answer for yourself: If this was required of Gentiles to be part of Yeshua's church, can we be a part of the church Yeshua is building (for I will build MY church) without obedience to these "necessary things" or are we members in good standing in man's church (the word "church" is understood as an "assembly"?
These Laws, as seen in Second Temple Judaism (Judaism during the era 100 B.C.E.--70 C.E.), is the bedrock of Jewish observance even today. Gentiles desiring to "imitate Yeshua" will do these things or else they as Christians are but a " poor shadow" of the real Yeshua.
Dear Christians please understand that ANY other Jewish observances beyond these "necessary things" (understood as the Laws of Noah) would have been a matter of personal choice (Isa 56). These Gentile Godfearers were encouraged by Jewish teachers within the synagogue structure to be circumcised, thus completing their "conversion" to Judaism; and according to G. F. Moore, "it was not uncommon for the next generation (their children) to be circumcised." But understood for "Godfearers" circumcision is optional and never commanded of them by God as was required of the Jew.
Cornelius, the Gentile Godfearer mentioned in Acts 10, was a
centurion at Caesarea and serves as a good example of what a Godfearer did
religiously. First, he and his household were devout (the Greek word is
Eusebes) and Godfearing (Phoboumenos Ton Theon), which is a double
adjective referring to him and his family which shows their
exemplary lives characterized by Jewish norms and values.
Please understand when I say "Jewish norms and values" I
am not asserting conversion to Judaism, but
lets face it, Jewish values and norms happened to be expressions of
BIBLICAL VALUES AND NORMS! Luke also mentions that
Cornelius prayed constantly to God and gave alms liberally to people in
need (which the Rabbis call tzedekah). These two actions
(prayer and alms giving)
would be actions even beyond the call of "Jewish
duty," even more than the minimum for Jews. Interestingly enough, one
afternoon during his regular 3 o'clock prayer time ("ninth hour"
was a prescribed Temple prayer time which survives in synagogue practice
today and was the hour evening incense was offered in the Temple) an angel
came to Cornelius in Caesarea (a totally Gentile-built and Gentile-run
city), to tell him that his prayer that his alms "had come up for a
memorial" before God. That
means that Cornelius' (an uncircumcised Gentile believer in God who
followed the Laws of Noah and whom at that time knew nothing about Yeshua
as the Messiah) prayers and alms had been accepted by God in the same
way that the incense at the Temple and the smoke of a burnt offering "went
up" and were accepted by God on behalf of the Jews.
The same Greek word (snebenov) is used to translate in the Septuagint
(Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament) the Hebrew word for
offering: "olah"-literally, "an ascending" (understood
as smoke ascending to God in an acceptable sacrifice).
Answer for yourself: Was a Godfearer
who prayed continuously and gave alms acceptable to God prior to his
understanding about Yeshua? This may be hard for you to admit considering
what you have heard your whole life in the Christian Church, but the text
I just showed you, as well as Jewish history of their faith say otherwise.
Then the angel instructs Cornelius, to get in touch with Peter, who
was in Jaffa, and the rest, as they say, is history. But
note that what Cornelius did to deserve the commendation were Jewish
religious acts and not his faith (not just any old good deeds would do)
and that they (his righteous works) were accepted by the Jewish God using
Jewish terminology and concepts, even though Cornelius was "technically"
a Gentile. Let us never forget that there were more than just
this one man who was a Godfearer in that there was a whole groups of
Godfearers all around the Roman world who
totally identified themselves with the Jewish community, except for
circumcision which was the final step in commitment as a Jewish proselyte
in the process of conversion.
Many Gentiles, while not prepared to enter this Jewish community as
full proselytes through circumcision, were attracted by the simple
monotheism of Jewish synagogue worship and by the ethical standards of the
Jewish way of life. We may indeed say that Cornelius had every
qualification short of circumcision which could satisfy Jewish requirement
for full inclusion into Israel (grafted into Israel) with equal rights
(could own land, hold offices in synagogues, etc.). It would be such
Gentile Godfearers who would form the nucleus of the Christian communities
in one city after another throughout the nations of the world in the first
century follow the cross of Christ.
Obviously, as we have seen, Godfearers were more than "pagans"
or "foreigners" but less than proselytes. Let's examine now
these differing communities of people and their status in the eyes of the
Jewish community during Second Testament times.
Underlying the worldview of the Greco-Roman culture at the time is
an unsympathetic attitude towards Jews. In Greek and Roman literature of
the time the judgments about Jews are in general very derogatory. Seen in
its most militant state, during Seleucid rule, Greek culture felt that
Judaism was extremely old-fashioned and too highly nationalistic to fit in
with the concept of the modern Greek world. Roman culture, beginning in 70
B.C.E. in Israel under Pompey, tolerated Jewish belief as long as it
allowed for Rome to have the final governmental power. Rome tended to want
to keep peace in its provinces and allowed different groups under its rule
to have their own religious and cultural differences. Jewishness to Rome
was a "quaint," unattractive religion which served well to keep
the Jewish nation "unified" and serving Roman interest.
Passages from writers of the time such as Josephus, Juvenal, and
Tertullian give us the impression that the Greco-Roman culture saw
Jewishness as quite ridiculous. Thus, becoming a Godfearing person was
not a popular action designed to move a person to a more influential
sphere, in fact, it would have quite the opposite effect.
Living within Israel itself at the time there were Godfearers,
exemplified by Cornelius and presumably also the Centurion in Luke 7 and
Matt. 10, but "making proselytes" in an active "missionary"
way was not common within Israel. As a rule, proselytes and Godfearers
were welcomed by the Jews and regarded very highly, but there was in
Palestine no active propaganda to further the cause of proselytism.
However, proselytism and Godfearers were very active in the Diaspora
(the Jewish communities outside of Israel). According to Josephus in
Antioch and Syria large numbers of Gentiles attended Jewish services. In
Damascus almost the whole female part of the population was devoted to
Judaism and it was quite often women of higher social standing who
followed this trend. Evidently these Jewish communities encouraged and
welcomed both Gentile proselytes and Godfearers.
Hellenistic Judaism developed an offensive against paganism. They
were eager to show up the immorality and senselessness of idolatry and
display the rationality and sublimity of Jewish monotheism. Hellenistic
Judaism had an apologetic ideology as there were many Godfearers who
accepted the one God of the Jews, but not all the Laws of the same God.
Hellenistic Judaism had almost succeeded in making Judaism a world
religion in the literal sense of the words. Early Christianity then won
the victory over paganism using Jewish customs, traditions, and teachings.
This knowledge of history sheds much light on James' closing remarks
to the zakenim (elders) and sh'likim (apostles) in Acts 15:21: "For
Moses (the Pentateuch) has been preached in every city (in the Diaspora)
from the earliest times (since 722B.C.E., over 700 years) and is read in
the synagogue on every Sabbath." In other words,
these
Gentile Godfearers who want to become full-fledged believers in God
through the ministry of Yeshua have ALREADY received Moses' instructions
concerning how people are to live (as taught in the Noachide and Sinatic
covenants since when Moses (Pentateuch-first 5 books of the Bible) is
taught, such teaching encompasses both the Laws of Noah and the Mosaic
Covenant).
Through
attending synagogues in their own cities where the Torah (Mosaic writings
were taught), Gentiles were ALREADY familiar with the basics of having a
relationship with the one true God of Israel.
Now please pay close attention to what comes next.
James,
the pastor of Yeshua's Church called the Messianic Movement within
Judaism, is REQUIRING these 4 further instructions for Gentiles who want
to be Messianists and a part of Yeshua's church.
Notice
Acts 15:28 states , that it seemed "good to them and the Holy Spirit"
to REQUIRE these adherences of Gentiles.
Answer for yourself: Since God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, and since it seemed good to the Holy Spirit (20 years after the death of Jesus) to require as "necessary" of Gentiles to be adherent to the Laws of Noah, to be adherent to the Sabbath requirements, and to be adherent to "clean/unclean" food laws to BE INCLUDED WITHIN JESUS' CHURCH, then does these "required things" apply to us today as well?
Answer for yourself? If these "necessary
things" [adherence to Laws of Noah, adherence to Sabbath requirement,
adherence to kosher] were required before Gentiles could be part of
Yeshua's Church as commanded by James, the Lord's brother and head of the
first Christian Church, then are we part of Yeshua's church if we neglect
or are ignorant of them in our lives?
This Apostolic decision was made to make sure that there is no
question as to what the "bottom line" of observance is by
Godfearing Gentiles: the Noachide commandments, the Sabbath and dietary
laws.
The Jewish religious concepts of the Second Temple period understood that the other nations of the world who did not follow the one true God were Godless (goyim-at least without the true God) and or pagan. However, for purposes of God's judgment of other nations (including his right to judge them), the Sinaitic covenant did not apply to these "goyim," having been given exclusively to Israel (Israel must be understood as a mixed multitude of Jews and Gentiles as well who accepted God's Covenant as Sinai). Don't get tripped up by failing to understand that WITHIN THE MOSAIC COVENANT AND LAWS IS CONTAINED ALL THE LAWS IN THE COVENANT OF NOAH. Conversely, there were many Laws contained in the Mosaic Covenant that were not included in the Covenant of Noah (Gentiles were not given all of the Mosaic Laws). Instead the rabbis felt, as seems clear from the passage in Gen. 9:1-18, there is a covenant for all the children of Noah (i.e. the whole world), including not only people but all living creatures (see v.10). Based on this section of Scripture, the rabbis found 7 major requirements incumbent for all nations:
To these generally agreed tenants some rabbis added others such as
taking blood from a living animal. Several also mention prohibitions
against witchcraft and other spiritual sorcery such as found in Dt.
18:10-11.
These then are the major categories by which God would judge all nations. To the rabbis it was clear that although God loved all His creatures and His creation, the goyim (Gentiles) had turned away from Him and would not even follow the Noachide commandments. Again if the children of Noah could not abide and observe the 7 commandments which were enjoined upon them, how much less could they have accepted and fulfilled all the commandments of the Sinaitic Law of Moses?
The identifying terms used by the rabbis at this time for these
goyim (Gentiles who are not Godfearers and who do not practice the Laws of
Noah, kosher, and Sabbath) include:
idolaters, the wicked, the enemies of Israel, the enemies of God, and the
others. There was a different category, however, for
those goyim who did abide by the Noachide covenant. They were called
foreigners or aliens. Any Gentile who lived in the land
of Israel and among Israelites was enjoined, at the very least, to keep
the Noachide covenant. Keeping the Noachide Laws was their "bottom
line" and if they did not, they were to be expelled. If they did keep
the Laws of Noah, they were no longer called goyim, but gerim. The Talmud
delineates them further by the new term
ger toshev. These (ger toshev) were foreigners living in the land of
Israel who were keeping the 7 Noachide commandments. By
the time of the Septuagint (about 200 B.C.E.) the translators used the
term "fearers"
for the righteous Gentiles outside of natural Israel in contrast to the
term proselytes,
those righteous Gentiles who formally identified with Israel through
conversion which included circumcision, sacrifice, and mikveh (baptism).
The first "gerim" are mentioned in the Exodus narrative.
Among the Jews who left Egypt there were Egyptians who also left their
homes in Egypt and crossed the Red Sea, becoming part of the people of
Israel [grafted into Israel] (Ex. 12:38). Although they were known as "aliens-gerim"
(simply meaning that they were not physical descendants of Jacob), they
could be circumcised, thus formally converting to this very early form of
Judaism, then partake of the Passover meal with the rest of Israel (at
this point, Passover was the only Jewish festival). Note
the differentiation between "foreigner" in Ex.
12:43 and the "alien who lives among
you." The foreigner may NOT eat the
Passover (he is not circumcised and therefore not Jewish-Ex. 12:48), but
the alien who is circumcised along with his/her
household (converted to Judaism and had become proselytes) MAY EAT
the Passover (they are considered Jewish).
Verse 49 indicates that the proselyte was to
have the same rights and privileges as the native-born Jews:
"The same law applies
to the native-born and alien." According to
Ex. 12:19, the community of
Israel is made up of aliens (believers/converts/proselytes who are
circumcised) and native-born Jews. Consequently, these "gerim
toshevim" who wanted to
fully convert always could do so by
becoming circumcised and then continuing to follow the Jewish
(Biblical) way of life, which then adopted and followed the covenant at
Mt. Sinai (Ex. 24) and the attending Laws. Note also
that Sabbath observance was technically commanded BEFORE the acceptance of
the Sinaitic code (Ex. 20:10 and 23:12). Then although they (Ger Toshevim")
were recognized by outward appearances as "aliens," they were
now "Jews" in that they had left behind their old country and
family and now were subsequently circumcised in order to be "part of
the Jewish community." Likewise they had been "adopted" by
the native-born Jews as "their own." The rabbis' term for these
Ger Toshevim who became circumcised ("proselytes") was
ger hazedek (righteous foreigners). How many proselytes
there were down through the centuries is impossible to determine, but the
rabbis are clear about the proselyte's relationship to the rest of Israel:
"A proselyte is like a newborn
child."
Answer for yourself: Does the above "newborn child" remind you of the term "born again" and historically could this term mean the conversion of the non-Jew to Judaism? This brings a whole new meaning to John 4 and Jesus and Nicodemus. More on that later in the website.
Let us examine being "born again" as understood as
becoming a "new creature":
The Apostle Paul instructs Gentiles in Corinth that is they accept
God through Yeshua, thus being in Christ, then God will consider these
pagan Gentiles as "new creatures" whereby their old sinful
life-styles pass away in repentance as they come to knowledge and
obedience of God's will for their lives.
2 Cor 5:17
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a
new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all
things are become new.
The Greek word for "creature" is Strong's # 2937 ktisis
which is understood in Greek as:
the act of founding, establishing,
building, etc.
Answer for yourself: Do you see for yourself that when the Apostle Paul instructs Gentiles in Corinth to come to God through Yeshua he intends them to become "new creatures" by leaving their idolatry and convert to Judaism and not Catholic or Protestant Christianity as we know it today?
Answer for yourself: As a Christian
you consider yourself a "new creature," and although you or
others call yourself a "new creature" are you really a "new
creature" as defined by the words of your Bible, and as understood by
the Apostle Paul if you neglect or are ignorant of the Laws of Noah,
kosher, Sabbath, and Biblical Festivals such as Passover (Pesach), First
Fruits (Bikkurim), Unleavened Bread (Hag HaMatzah), Pentecost (Shavuot),
Rosh HaShannah, Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah), Day of Atonement (Yom
Kippur), Tabernacles (Sukkoth), etc?
Answer for yourself: What will you do having been a Christian you whole life, having done precious study on you own and relied on preaching for Biblical truths (and there are over 22,000 different denominations and varieties of disunity and preaching to choose from), and one day die and find out that you were never a "new creature" in the Biblical sense of the inspired word as understood by Paul, James, the Apostles, and the Yeshua's church which followed Yeshua's command to take this information to Gentiles worldwide?
Answer for yourself: Do you now see a
much deeper meaning than believing in Yeshua as a condition for being
considered by Paul and Yeshua as a "new creature"? I surely hope
so!
The proselyte is,
however, required and expected to be as strictly observant as the
native-born Jew, including paying the Temple tax (this
is he funds demanded of God to build buildings of worship and not as is
done today with the misappropriation of the Tithe). The book of Ruth, of
course, portrays the most beautiful example of how God can highly honor a
proselyte, by choosing her as the great-grandmother of David.
After the building of the Second Temple there was a recognized
procedure for proselytes. For men, there was circumcision, followed by
immersion (mikveh/baptism), then offering a sacrifice at the Temple. For
women there was just the mikveh and Temple sacrifice. For Diaspora
proselytes (outside the land of Israel) the Temple sacrifice was probably
waived, or at least postponed, because of the great distance involved and
its attendant difficulty to achieve..
As previously noted, the Godfearers'
observance of the Law was located between the full proselyte (circumcised)
and the gerim toshev (non circumcised).
Answer for yourself: Can you better
understand now that this is where the Christian should stand today in
faith and obedience since the matter was legislated by Yeshua's hand
picked Pastor as well as the Apostle Paul who were in agreement on the
matter?
Circumcised Ger toshevm were known as ger
hashair (foreigners of the gate). To the Godfearer's observance of the
Noachide covenant they added Sabbath and dietary Law observance. It seem
that Godfearers stopped just short of circumcision which would mean
total and formal conversion, thus no longer being
considered a Godfearer but Ger hashair or proselyte in full conversion to
Judaism (a good example is Cornelius who lacked circumcision). Today in
America with male babies being circumcised as a matter of routine without
any religious significance by all but the Jewish people, then circumcision
would not apply and would not mean that Christians who study, understand,
and accept the Laws of Noah, kosher, and Sabbaths would be considered as
if they had made full conversion to Judaism which they have not, and
rightfully so since as Gentiles we need to be an accurate expression of
Gentiles who worship God in Spirit and in Truth. If every Christian
Gentile converted to Judaism, or if every Jew converted to Christianity
then there would not be in the earth the witness of "two olive
branches" or the "two candlesticks" whom are to have the
same witness of God to non believers. The reasons for Godfearers in the
first century not formally joining Judaism are not clear to us twentieth
century people. Some scholars, like Bruce, maintain that circumcision was
both painful and shameful for men in that culture (since Gentile pagans
had practiced a form of sexual immorality as a form of false religion, let
alone risky considering health factors, where 8 day of babies have a
double immunity (grown men do not) against infection for 6 months of their
early lives and can better withstand the dangers of circumcision. Some
also might have been fearful of anti-Semitism. At
any rate, we do know that these Gentile believers in God through Yeshua,
called Godfearers in the New Testament, were every bit as Jewishly
observant as their Jewish friends as they had been undergoing discipling
and instruction in their local synagogues. These people (Godfearers) were
not just well-intentioned "Gentiles," but Jewishly educated and
committed to the Jewish way of life which was the pattern given to Israel
(consisting of a mixed multitude of Gentiles and Jews at Sinai).
It was "this pattern of obedience" which was spoken orally
by God in 70 languages to the 70 nations of the world at Sinai, for God
called all men everywhere to repent and follow His will which was spoken
orally and surrounded the whole world at the giving of the Torah
(teaching, instruction, Law in Hebrew) at Sinai. Only Israel, a mixture of
Jews and Gentiles at Sinai, responded with a "yes" as seen in
their memorial statement "we will do all that You say!" To this
commitment God would in response call them (a mixture of Jews and
Gentiles) a "holy people and a holy nation and a royal priesthood"
which was to equip the nation of Israel to function as a mediator between
God and rest of mankind. Israel's (Judaism as well as Messianic Judaism as
seen in a distorted fashion in most of Christianity today) function is
still to bring the Gentiles to God for as Romans 9 states.
Thus, Godfearing Gentiles, like our example of Cornelius, probably
were more deeply devoted to Judaism than many native-born Jews.
In summary, let us tabulate our results from our search so far:
The vision related to Peter in Acts 10 and his subsequent experience
with Cornelius and his household proved to Peter [also later to the
zakenim (elders) and sh'likim (apostles)] that is was NOT
NECESSARY for these "gerim" to proceed with full conversion to
Judaism in order to receive God's provision of atonement through the faith
of Yeshua. They could come as they were……Godfearing
Gentiles. There were only 4 further abstentions they needed to be clear
about which actually delineated more clearly their already fully Jewish
commitment.
No. These former Gentile pagans who were now known as Godfearers
were already practicing the Torah in their household, where as most
Christians today do not or at least are unknowledgeable about Torah.
These Godfearers were accepted within
Messianic Judaism WITHOUT CIRCUMCISION [which was unheard of in
Yeshua's day] as being a branch among "Messianic Judaism"
once they accepted Israel's Messiah (or should I say that only that part
of Judaism influenced by the death, burial, and resurrection of Yeshua
which had repented of their hatred toward Gentiles [such hatred seen in
forced circumcision for acceptance of Gentiles among Jews] and accepted
these Gentile believes in as equals in God WITHOUT CIRCUMCISION when
normative Judaism would not. Understand that the Great Commission
only emanated from the Messianic branch of Judaism and not Judaism proper
in the first century. It was understood that these Gentile Godfearers
would continue to study in the local synagogue and follow God Jewishly
(understood as Biblical). By this time this included also following the 4
abstentions from Acts 15
(read the chapter for yourself for these Laws of Noah are mentioned twice
in this chapter and are called "necessary things which seemed good to
the Apostles and the Holy Spirit as well). But as we
have seen, these abstentions were based on guidelines they were already
following anyway.
A good example of
a congregation that failed even in these basic instructions is Corinth.
It is noteworthy that Rav Shaul (the Apostle Paul) has to deal with
several areas in which the Corinthian Gentile believers have failed to
uphold the Acts 15 stipulations for inclusion into the Messianic
Community: e.g. sexual immorality (one man sleeping
with his father's wife, some congregates sleeping with prostitutes), and
eating meat sacrificed to idols, etc.
Answer for yourself: Why all these
problems with these new Gentile believers in Corinth?
These Gentile believers in the Church of Corinth are so uninformed
of their Jewish roots that they use the occasion of the 4 Passover cups at
the "Lord's Supper" to get drunk!
The Godfearing guidelines for the congregation have already been lost
and the people are in disarray.
Answer for yourself: Does your
Christian Church or your Pastor teach and adhere to these "necessary
things" which seemed good to the Holy Spirit and required by Yeshua's
church and its leadership for Gentile believes to be considered a part of
Yeshua's Church?
Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, I have studied diligently for
years and discovered these little know, and mostly forgotten FACTS which
should serve as a clear warning to those Gentile congregations who are
unknowledgeable of or openly flout the Acts 15 requirements which Yeshua
through the Holy Spirit intended all Gentiles of the world to know,
understand, adhere to, and observe.
The Gentile Godfearers in Acts who formed a large share of the core
of the congregations founded by Rav Shaul (the Apostle Paul) were not
practicing pagans who were converted overnight. They were of
a special class of Gentiles who
had PREVIOUSLY been taught and nurtured in their local synagogues first,
worshipping the God of Israel in Spirit and in Truth through specific
Jewish acts and deeds as "new creatures" who turned from
idolatry to Judaism. The "bottom line" of observance for
Gentiles in the Jewish world of Second Temple Judaism and which were
commanded to be taken in letters to strengthen Gentile churches throughout
the world following the Acts 15 council would have been the 7 Noachide
commandments (of which only 4 are mentioned in Acts 15).
Godfearing Gentiles,
however, went even further "by choosing those things that please the
Father" (Isa 56), observing the Sabbath, keeping the dietary laws,
plus other Jewish observances that they had been taught by their local
Jewish church leaders. Thus their life-style already
identified them as Jews, even if the final ritual of formal conversion had
not yet taken place. Acts 15 describes the full acceptance of these
Godfearers by the leadership of Messianic Judaism in Jerusalem. The
leaders of Yeshua's church reemphasized 4 of the 7 guidelines contained in
the Laws of Noah, which is a Covenant with Noah for all Gentiles of the
world prior to progressive revelations and Covenants with the Jewish
people which we discover were already what the Godfearers were already
practicing. If they maintained their Torah based practices, they would
have congregations and practices co-equal with that of their Jewish
brothers and sisters. If they failed to maintain their Godfearing
life-styles and educational programs, they would fall into the traps of
sin that were disrupting as seen in the Corinthian congregation.
It should be very plain by now that Christian Gentiles are intended
to maintain Torah practices like those seen in the Biblical Godfearing
Gentiles of Yeshua's Church in Acts 15 and Paul's Churches throughout the
Book of Acts and following. Such obedient Gentile Christians to the Gospel
of Christ and Apostolic Doctrines, instead of adherence to "other
Gospels" from denominational and non-denominational creeds and
doctrines, which either contradict or neglect such Apostolic teachings,
are to be desired by the Christian today who is honest with himself and
his God.
More to follow in article 3. Shalom.
Bennoah1@airmail.net