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-----Original Message----- Shalom Friends, It is never my intention in these letters to offend. Though, clearly, many have taken offense and have asked to be removed from my list. It is impossible to "give" offence; one can only "take" offense. You are certainly free to disagree with any opinion that I may express. I only offer them as an alternative perspective. I offer this warning in advance because I am not "pulling any punches" in this letter. Have you noticed that there is a certain level of inconsistency among most two-house teachers? In order to hold on to many of their "Christian" ideas, they must explain that "Israel" actually means "the Jews" in some negative passages in the New Testament. All of these teachers deny Zechariah 8:23 and claim that it is the Jews who must learn from the Christians because "the Jews" are blinded. But the New Testament text clearly says that "Israel" is blinded until they (the fullness of the Gentiles) come back to G-d (Romans 11:25). Paul is very deliberate in his usage of the terms "Jew," "Gentile" and "Israel." Jew = House of Judah; Israel = House of Israel; Gentile = one who is of neither house. These teachers MUST teach these inconsistencies in order to support their concept of salvation. As I have explained before, Christian salvation has to do with a ticket to the afterlife. Biblical salvation, on the other hand, has to do with the redemption and ingathering of Israel (and the afterlife is a separate issue which does not require any "extraordinary salvation"). As I explained in previous letters, the Gentiles do not need to be saved. This is a really hard concept for Christians to grasp because they created their own definitions of redemption, salvation, sin, sinner, etc. Christian salvation requires "works," but Jewish salvation does not. Let me explain: The Jews teach and believe that salvation is by the grace of G-d. They do not keep the laws of G-d to be saved -- but, rather, they keep the laws of G-d because they are saved. Christians, on the other hand, believe that you must do something to be saved. Christians believe that you must accept Jesus as your Messiah (or savior) to be saved. Therefore, Christians believe that you are saved by your works. Where is this concept found in the Tanakh? The Tanakh does not list acceptance of a Messiah as a prerequisite to salvation ANYWHERE!!! (As I implied in my letter on the "inerrancy" of the New Testament, any passage in the New Testament that contradicts the Tanakh must be ignored because of the hundreds of thousands variations among the NT codices.) Jews believe in a loving G-d who will save His people in spite of their sins. Jews believe that ALL "basically good" human beings will have a place in the Olam Haba (the world to come -- i.e. eternity). Christians believe in a vengeful G-d who will torment (for eternity) all those who do not accept Jesus as their Messiah. Christians believe that only those who have the same list of beliefs that they do will have a place in the world to come. Christians believe that forgiveness can only occur though a blood sacrifice. Jews believe (and the Tanakh teaches) that forgiveness only requires a humble and repentant heart. Those who are truly saved will be orienting their lives to live by EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF G-D (Deuteronomy 8:3). Christians believe that only SOME of the words of G-d are applicable in spite of the fact that Jesus, himself, quoted the above verse (Matthew 4:4 & Luke 4:4) Salvation is not by works; but, rather, works are the evidence of salvation. For the Christian, "works" are a prerequisite to salvation. For the Jew, "works" are evidence of salvation.
Kol tov, P.S. A very important website for more study: http://www.messiahtruth.com/response.html (scroll down and read the article). Though this site totally ignores the fact that the Talmud teaches of two messiahs, it does have some very good information on Christian mythology. [Personal Note: The proof of Rabbi Joshua's (Jesus') messiahship is not in the New Testament, but it is in the fact that the House of Israel is awakening.]
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