* “Messianity” is a term first used by my wife describing Christian churches whose clergy and members describe themselves as Messianic without following G-d’s Torah. These churches provide their own bread (doctrine) that is not consistent with G-d’s Laws/instructions. These types of people are described in Isaiah 4:1.
A typical Christian approach today to gain coverts is, “Do you know Jesus or Jesus is the way to heaven or are you born again? They are told that they need to confess Jesus to have assurance that they will go to heaven when they die.” These are tried and true witnessing tools to bring new recruits into the fold. Or are they? If a sinner responds to the “Gospel of Profession” solely to gain assurance of Heaven, and not to flee from G-d’s wrath, which he should know he deserves, he becomes merely a caricature of a believer. Not only that, the wrong premise is being employed in witnessing for Yahshua told us to preach, to witness the Gospel of the Kingdom, and you can search the scriptures till the sun stops shining and you will find no instructions to witness a “gospel of profession.” The problem with this formula or format is that most converts don’t know what they are saved from nor do they don’t know the why of salvation or for that matter why they are a “Christian.” We must realize that the Gospel of the Kingdom is contrary to the “gospel of profession” because kingdom infers rules, regulations and laws, G-d’s Laws and standards. This reminds me of the scripture in Matthew 23:15, where Yahshua said, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.” Think not that this describes the “church” today? I’m afraid so!
What modern day witnesses fail to do is what great men of Christianity such as Finney, Wesley, Moody, Whitefield and Spurgeon always did, and that was advocating the Law (Torah) to prepare the way for the Gospel. They upheld the Torah as the only way by which a man/woman can find knowledge of sin and therefore find genuine repentance.
Unfortunately, our churches today do not teach the law so the harvest is bringing in only false converts that help even further to remove the church away from the Law or Torah of G-d. I especially take exception to this type of witnessing for anyone who identifies themselves as a Messianic assembly for it flies in the face of solid biblical teaching, and the Torah. Where I encounter it most within the “so-called” messianic community is by groups that my rebettzin coined as “messianity,” meaning Christian groups who have clothed themselves with a modicum of Messianic Judaism, but continue with the doctrines of Christianity that are contrary to true Messianic Judaism. Their leaders adopt the title of rabbi and they observe Jewish customs and meet on Shabbat, but they have not discarded false doctrines, and are unrecognizable from Christianity in their belief system. They have the trappings, but not the substance. In truth they hurt the cause of true Messianic Judaism, and the cause of Yahshua HaMashiach.
Messianity, and Christian Evangelism today have the order in reverse of the biblical model. The biblical model preaches repentance first, and then faith (Acts 20:21). The “only believe” message employed today by those witnessing is attractive because it has little offense, and it reaps a greater harvest. Albeit a false harvest. Those who don’t see the function of the Law fail to see the absolute necessity of repentance and therefore think the convert is saved, when he is not. He has had a spurious conversion if he has not repented (Luke 13:3). But who is to blame, not the convert because he hasn’t seen the necessity of repentance he is just told to believe. The fault lies with the groups and individuals that practice such spurious witnessing.
The truth is that a prospective convert cannot repent if he is not told what sin is, and the only means of knowing what sin is is the Torah or Law (Romans 7:7). Both the convert and the witness (be he a preacher or whomever) are deceived in thinking that the convert is saved. Mark 4:16 and Matthew 13:20 informs us that a convert who has a spiritual experience of a new life, joy, gladness and faith may actually be the experience of a false convert, the stony ground hearer. The Bible says that for a while the convert actually does “believe,” however he believes “in vain” (1 Cor. 15:5), so we see biblically, that there is a genuine false conversion experience.
Because the Law hasn’t been used to show sin in its true light, there is no understanding of the nature of sin and therefore no contrition. Why should there be if the convert has been told he merely has to believe? The convert settles down in false assurance of salvation. He has new friends, new principles to live by, a conquered drug or alcohol problem, a new life but he is still a false convert. Most people who think that all is well with modern evangelism are more likely to witness their faith, and such an approach to witnessing has filled the churches with “born again Christians” that still commit fornication, adultery and a whole cacophony of sins accounted for in G-d’s Torah. I prayerfully petition The Creator of Heaven that such will not be the case with Messianic Judaism, simply to gain converts, to fill the coffers, as we find in many churches. These converts, and those that witness as I’ve described, rest on their “conversion experience” to reassure themselves that they are saved. Such people have had a spurious conversion (Luke 13:3) and unfortunately never wake up to the fact because they are not taught G-d’s Torah.
The Torah serves to show us the grace of G-d, and should bring us to the point of obedience to His Torah. The Torah also shows us how “wanting” we are. False believers trample the Grace and Work of YHVH beneath their feet. Yahshua, the true believer’s most precious pearl, and His blood becomes soiled by these false conversions. He himself said we are not to cast pearls before swine, lest they trample them with their feet. And turn and tear you in pieces (Matthew 7:6). These false converts become backsliders and gossipers. They are bitter and bad bedfellows for any G-d ordained assembly. If criticized they promote disunity and disharmony within the fellowship for they do not have a mind to learn. They make a profession of faith, but do not have a humble heart that the Torah produces, instead they claim to have the “experience of salvation,” which is a product of their receiving and preaching, “grace only.” They are a sinner who is proud, and in their own pride they trample the blood of the savior under their feet with their false profession. According to the true proverb, Peter states in 2 Peter 2:2 they will like the dog “be turned to his/her own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to his/her wallowing in the mire.”
This is a result of casting pearls before “dogs” and “swine” because of those that think they can preach a believe and repent gospel instead of the biblical order of repent and believe, which is based on G-d’s Torah.
The church needs to learn a lesson from ancient Israel. Many times Israel came under G-d’s anger because they forsook His Torah (Amos 2:4; Isaiah 30:9; Zephaniah 3:1). We need to study carefully the end result of Israel when they made void His Law as we find most of Christianity and messianity has done today. .
In Hosea 4: 6-15 we read: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge because they have forgotten the law of your G-d…they sinned against Me…they eat up the sin of my people; they set their heart on their iniquity. And it shall be: like people, like priest. So I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their deeds…Harlotry, wine and new wine enslave their hearts (takes away their understanding) for the spirit of harlotry has caused them to stray, and they have played the harlot against their G-d–therefore your daughters commit harlotry, and your brides commit adultery. I will not punish your daughters when they commit harlotry, nor your brides when they commit adultery; for the men themselves go apart with harlots, and offer sacrifices with a ritual harlot. Therefore people who do not understand will be trampled.” Is there any mystery why our children today have become corrupt and irreverent.
The reason Israel became a harlot was because she made void the Law. G-d said they would be destroyed through lack of knowledge of His Torah. Failure to heed the Law led them straight into harlotry. This same thing happens when the church and messianity sets aside G-d’s Torah. They preach they are saved by Grace through faith therefore the Law has no practical purpose. Yet, Sha’ul said we don’t do away with the Law through faith, we establish it (Romans 3:31).
The Law-less preachers produce lawless converts who are not established in the Law. He is not given the knowledge of sin, and therefore continues to sin against G-d–“like people, like priests.”
The spirit of the Harlot causes them to err. They join themselves to her as one flesh, and will be “trampled,” ground to power because of a lack of understanding. If on the other hand the Torah were preached to the church and messianity faithfully, it would have the effect of awakening the Harlot to her sin. There have been many in congregations that preached Torah that thought they were saved, repented, and come to Yahshua in light of their new revelation. Preaching the Torah helps to reveal the sheep from the goats while it is still the day of grace. Proclamation of the Law within the church or in “messianity” would help to purify it, and the false convert would either repent or leave the congregation. In Nehemiah 3:13 the Torah (Law) purged Israel and caused them to separate from the “mixed multitude.”
The Harlot church, and messianity says she loves the truth, but has pleasure in unrighteousness. She turns to the Grace of G-d in lasciviousness…she receives the grace of G-d in vain (2 Cor. 6:1). The Harlot church and messianity receives not the truth so G-d sends them strong delusion that they might be damned (2 Thess. 2:12). Sha’ul (Paul) of Tarsus had a heart thoroughly prepared for Grace, by the Law. He sat at the feet of Gamaliel, a respected teacher of the Law (Acts 5:34). Without Torah’s instruction he would not have know the Savior; that’s why he said he delighted in the Law of G-d. The sinner who has been “taught according to the perfect manners of the fathers” will be stopped on the road to damnation and like Sha’ul; he will be blinded to the things of this world.
We must experience death under the Law before we can experience resurrection into the new life of obedience to G-d’s Torah, which comes through the grace provided to us in Yahshua. A great preacher of the last century said, “When we preach the Law it is not to make men saints, but sinners. This drives us to the Grace of G-d and turns our lives around in obedience. When Sha’ul preached against idolatry in Ephesus (Acts 19:26) what do you suppose his reference was for their sin. It was the Torah of G-d. To the Thessalonians he rebuked them for their transgression of the 1st and 2 commandments (1 Thess. 1:9). The natural man experiences the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eye, which is part and parcel of unregenerate mankind. Those that love dancing and soulish behavior contrary to the study of Torah should be warned that their condition might be wanting. They may love darkness more than light. For that person to be born again, that adulterous and sin-loving nature must be surrendered and be crucified, it must be “nailed to the cross.” And the vehicle to advise him is G-d’s Torah, first, and then G-d’s grace through Yahshua.
The Torah teaches us that sin is vertical not horizontal. When we sin, we sin against G-d. When David sinned against G-d with Bathsheba he broke all the Ten Commandments when he coveted his neighbor’s wife, lived a lie, stole her, committed adultery, murdered her husband, and dishonored his parents. He lamented to G-d “Against You, and You only have I sinned and done this evil in Your sight.” How can a man repent before G-d, if he doesn’t see that he has sinned against G-d? Paul preached “repentance towards G-d (Acts 20:21). This was also Joseph’s theology when tempted to sin by committing adultery with Potifer’s wife. He said, “How can I do this thing, and sin against G-d.” The prodigal son also had this revelation, and cried, “I have sinned against Heaven.” Those who come to the Messiah in that spirit will reproduce of their own kind, and begin to bring about the ruin of the Harlot church and emerging messianity system that can’t bring itself to shed false doctrines inculcated by centuries of false teaching.
If sinners come to the Messiah under the law they would repent entirely and not “give place to the devil.” Christians who give place to the devil because they have spurious conversions can trace all their problems back to the transgression of G-d’ Torah. Believers who have respect for the Law of G-d make the devil sick. They submit to G-d in obedience and there is not place for the devil when there is no lawlessness in the Believer. But those who don’t submit to G-d’s Torah will find that wolves will devour them.
Let me remind you of the context of the passages about resisting the devil (HaSatan).
James 4:4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward G-d? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of G-d.
James 4:5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?
James 4:6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “G-d opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to G-d. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:8 Come near to G-d and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
James 4:9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.
James 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
James 4:11 Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. (NIV James 4:4-11)
It would seem from the context of that scripture that it is being addressed to the Adulterers; those who are the “enemy of G-d;” to the proud, to those that have not drawn near to G-d, to sinners with unclean hands and impure hearts, who look on sin lightly, with joy and laughter. These are the ones addressed, the ones who dwell within the church and messianity who haven’t humbled their hearts, nor submitted to G-d and His Torah. They judge Torah and are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment of it. This Harlot church and messianity may be sitting within the body of the Church or profess they are believers, but in truth they are without, being used by the enemy to tie up the laborers and wear out the saints; the true believers who trust in the faithfulness of Yahshua and guard and do the commandments of G-d, His Torah.
G-d doesn’t repeat much in Scripture, but he saw fit to give us Torah twice (Exodus 20, Deu. 5); and He also instructed us twice about teaching His Torah to our children (Deu. 6:4-8, 11:18-21. Have you ever wondered why?
Hosea 5: 4 says “they do not direct their deeds towards turning to their G-d, for the spirit of harlotry is in their midst, and they know not the Lord.” And the only way we can truly know the Lord is through His instructions to us as found in His Torah. If the church and messianity would quit playing the devil’s pimp to bring customers for the Harlot, who is unclean and therefore in debt to the Law of G-d, she would no longer be exposed in her shame of adultery. If not, she will be destroyed through lack of knowledge of the Law. And, if she was never given that knowledge on whom does the guilt lie?
If the Law, G-d’s Torah, is allowed to awaken them, then perhaps they may hear the Word of G-d. 1 John 3:4 informs us that sin is the transgression of the Law. If you find that you are a member of a harlot church or messianity you should follow Isaiah’s advice.
“Depart! Depart! Go out from there, touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of her, be clean, you who bear the vessels of the Lord” (Isaiah 52:11)
In closing, let me leave you with this thought. Yahshua (Jesus) is the manifested Word. The Manifested Law, all synonyms of the Hebrew word “Torah” the Word of G-d. Doesn’t it stand to reason that if you really want to know Him, who, and what He is then you should read, study, internalize and live Torah for it is in there that He is truly revealed. He is the Living Torah. If Torah was good enough for Yahshua (Jesus) it should be good enough for us.
Baruch haba b’Shem Adonai
Amein, Amein
Rabbi Davis-Hart
This message was originally delivered by Rabbi Phil Davis (Milchamah ben David,blessed be his memory), and is as accurate today as it was when written. May we all take heed of the consistent and eternal words of G-d’s Torah as we continue our wilderness journey on Earth.