COVENANT MINDED MINISTRIES

Judaism Defined

Judaism is the monotheistic religion of the Jews, having its ethical, ceremonial, and legal foundation in the precepts of the Old Testament and in the teachings and commentaries of the rabbis as found chiefly in the Talmud.

TheTalmud is a collection of ancient Rabbinic writings consisting of the Mishnah and the Gemara, constituting the basis of religious authority in Orthodox Judaism.

Judaism traces its ancestry from the biblical patriarch Abraham through his son Issaac and in particular Jacob, Issac's son, as well as to those who subsequently joined them over the course of history as converts.

Judaism's Principles of Faith

Monotheism: Judaism is based on strict unitarian monotheism, the belief in one God. God is conceived of as eternal, the creator of the universe, and the source of morality.

God is one: The idea of God as a duality or trinity is heretical for Jews to hold; it is considered akin to polytheism. Interestingly, while Jews hold that such conceptions of God are incorrect, they generally are of the opinion that gentiles that hold such beliefs are not held culpable (guilty; to blame; meriting condemnation or blame, especially as wrong or harmful).

God is all powerful (omnipotent), as well as all knowing (omniscient). The different names of God are ways to express different aspects of God's presence in the world. 

God is non-physical, non-corporeal, and eternal. All statements in the Hebrew Bible and in rabbinic literature which use anthropomorphism are held to be linguistic conceits or metaphors, as it would otherwise be impossible to talk about God.

To God alone may one offer prayer. Any belief that an intermediary between man and God could be used, whether necessary or even optional, has traditionally been considered heretical.

The Torah (five books of Moses) is the primary text of Judaism.

Rabbinic Judaism holds that the Torah is the same one that was given to Moses by God on Mount Sinai.

Orthodox Jews believe that the Torah that we have today is exactly the same as it was when it was received from God by Moses with only minor scribal errors.

Most Non-orthodox Jews, due to advances in biblical scholarship, and archeological and linguistic research, reject this principle;

Instead, they may accept that the core of the Oral and Written Torah may have come from Moses, but the written Torah that we have today has been edited together from several documents.

The Hebrew Bible, and much of the beliefs described in the Mishnah and Talmud, are held to be the product of divine Revelation.

How Revelation works, and what precisely one means when one says that a book is "divine", has always been a matter of some dispute. Different understandings of this subject exist among Jews.

God chose the Jewish people to be in a unique covenant with God; the description of this covenant is the Torah itself.  

The words of the prophets are true.

Moses was the chief of all prophets.

God will reward those who observe His commandments, and punish those who violate them.

The soul is pure at birth. People are born with a yetzer ha'tov (a tendency to do good), and with a yetzer ha'ra, (a tendency to do bad). Thus, human beings have free will and can choose the path in life that they will take.

People can atone for sins. The liturgy of the Days of Awe (Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur) states that prayer, repentance and tzedakah (dutiful giving of charity) atone for sin.

The messianic age: There will be a moshiach (messiah), or perhaps a messianic era.

Jewish people do not simply say that "God chose the Jews;" Jews believe that they were chosen for a specific mission; to be a light unto the nations, and to have a covenant with God as described in the Torah.

Who or What makes one a Jew

Ethnic Jews include both Observant Jews (those who practice the biblical and rabbinic laws known as the mitzvot) Non-observant Jews (those not practicing Judaism as a religion, but still identifying themeslves as Jews in a cultural or ethical sense.

Jewish law considers someone born of a Jewish mother, or converted in accord with Jewish Law, Jewish.

Recently, American Reform and Reconstructionist Jewish people have included those born of Jewish fathers and gentile mothers if the children are raised following the Jewish religion.

A Jewish person who ceases practicing Judaism and becomes a non-practicing Jew is still regarded as Jewish.

A Jewish person who does not accept Jewish principles of faith and becomes an agnostic or an atheist is also still considered to be Jewish.

However, if a Jew converts to another religion, such as Buddhism or Christianity, that person loses standing as a member of the Jewish community and becomes known as an apostate.

Traditionally, his family and friends will mourn over him, for since he has left the religion, it is as if he has died;

However, while the person is outside the Jewish community and has non-Jewish views, that person is still Jewish by most authorities in Jewish law.

God's Promises to Abraham

Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. (Genesis 12:1)

I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. (Genesis 12:2)

I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:3)

Abraham Justified by Faith

What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? (Romans 4:1)

For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. (Romans 4:2)

For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” (Romans 4:3)

Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. (Romans 4:9)

and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised. (Romans 4:12)

For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. (Romans 4:13)

Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all (Romans 4:16)

Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. (Galatians 3:7)

And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” (Galatians 3:8)

So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham. (Galatians 3:9)

that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (Galatians 3:14)

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. (Hebrews 11:8)

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, (Hebrews 11:17)

Through Faith and not of Works

God's promises to Abraham were founded on his faith, so that it would be acknowledged that salvation is only through grace (God's Favor).

Since the promise was not based on adherence to any law or performance of any ritual, such as, the law of circumcision, Abraham is the forefather of all who believe God (Genesis thru Revelation). 

All who depend on works of the law for their righteousness sin and fall short of the glory of God, and cannot inherit the kingdom of God.

Issac's birth to Abraham and Sarah came directly from the promise of God through faith; Shara was well beyond child-bearing age with a dead womb, and had never had children before; Abraham was also beyond child-bearing age and physically incapable of seeding to produce a child.

And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Ssrah's womb. (Romans 4:19)

He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, (Romans 4:20)

and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was able to perform. (Romans 4:21)

And therefore "It was accounted to him for righteousness." (Romans 4:22)

For when we were still without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6)

By Grace Through Faith Comes Salvation

The grace of God is the source of salvation, which is in Christ Jesus, who did all the work required to reconcile sinners back to God.

Faith is the channel through which a believer is enabled to connect to the source (the grace of God) through Jesus Christ, who did the work for our salvation on the Cross.

Salvation never has nor ever will originate in the efforts of people, as through religious rituals; it always arises out of the lovingkindness of God.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, (Ephesians 2:8)

not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Ephesians 2:9)

Working on church committees, such as pastoral aid and others, performing in the choir or on other auxiliaries, being on the deacon board or being a deaconess, mother, usher, mission worker, priest, apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher, devout Jew or every Sunday church goer,

Sunday School teacher, trustee, steward, program committee organizer/head, tither, large financial contributor, and the like accomplishes nothing toward salvation; being that, salvation is of faith.

The Remnant of Israel

The remnant of Israel consist of those coming to Christ in the present age as well as in the age to come (Christ's millennial reign). ???

It shall come to pass in that day That the Lord shall set His hand again the second time To recover the remnant of His people who are left, From Assyria and Egypt, From Pathros and Cush, From Elam and Shinar, From Hamath and the islands of the sea. (Isaiah 11:11)

“ For I will rise up against them,” says the LORD of hosts, “ And cut off from Babylon the name and remnant, And offspring and posterity,” says the LORD. (Isaiah 14:22)

When Jesus returns to the Earth at His Second Coming, He will keep His promises to the nation of Israel, just as He keeps it to the Church (body of believers).

Jesus will bring about restoration to national Israel as head of the nations during the Kingdom of God on Earth, where, there in Jerusalem, He will finally be received as Israel's King and Savior and will rule during the millennium.

A new temple will be built during the millennium and and the nations will come to Jerusalem to pay homage to the LORD God of Israel.

All nations will celebrate the feast of Sukkot (a harvest festival commemorating the booths in which the Israelites resided during their 40 years in the wilderness);

lasting for either 8 or 9 days and beginning on the eve of the 15th of Tishri (1st month of the Jewish calender) and those that refuse will be plagued with drought.

The prophecy of Zion's restoration has three (3) parts: (1) the Branch of the Lord will be glorious; the remnant will be sanctified; and (3) the Lord will provide a protective covering over Mount Zion.

The reign of Jesus the King of Creation will be marked by plenty of dazzling beauty, wherein, the earth will be released from its curse and produce all that God intended it to produce in the beginning.

In that day the Branch of the LORD shall be beautiful and glorious; And the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and appealing For those of Israel who have escaped. (Isaiah 4:2)

And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy—everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem. (Isaiah 4:3)

When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the blood of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning, (Isaiah 4:4)

then the LORD will create above every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and above her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night. For over all the glory there will be a covering. (Isaiah 4:5)

And there will be a tabernacle for shade in the daytime from the heat, for a place of refuge, and for a shelter from storm and rain. (Isaiah 4:6)

The Nations Worship the King

Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, And your spoil will be divided in your midst. (Zechariah 14:1)

For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; The city shall be taken, The houses rifled, And the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, But the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city. (Zechariah 14:2)

Then the LORD will go forth  And fight against those nations, As He fights in the day of battle. (Zechariah 14:3)

And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. (Zechariah 14:16)

And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, on them there will be no rain. (Zechariah 14:17)

If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the LORD strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. (Zechariah 14:18)

This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. (Zechariah 14:19)

In that day “HOLINESS TO THE LORD” shall be engraved on the bells of the horses. The pots in the LORD’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar. (Zechariah 14:20)

Yes, every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holiness to the LORD of hosts. Everyone who sacrifices shall come and take them and cook in them. In that day there shall no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts. (Zechariah 14:21)

Whose Children are You

Judaism has always had and continues to have the right God, as opposed to Islam, Buddaism, New Age Movement, New Thought Movement, Hinduism, Secular Humanism, Mormonism, Jehovah Witnesses, and the like.

Judaism, unlike the above mentioned Christian and/or religious cults and the like, manifests a stubborn refusal and rejection of Jesus Christ; whereas

they (most of them) preach and teach another Jesus and a different Holy Spirit.

Judaism doesn't preach nor teach any Jesus because of the lie created by the High Priests and passed down through Jewish tradition.

The Lie of the Chief Priests

The Roman guards reported Jesus' resurrection to the chief priests because they had been assigned for duty to those religious authorities.

The chief priests bribed the Roman soldiers to lie concerning the actual events that took place at the sealed tomb of Jesus.

The lie "His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we were sleep," is a very weak and transparent explanation.

The stone sealing the entrance/exit to the tomb would have been impossible for Jesus' disciples to remove it with mere physical efforts.

Secondly, it may have been possible for one guard to have fallen asleep, but highly improbable that all of them slept at the same time.

Thirdly, if all of them were asleep, they could not have witnessed what actually had happened; such testimonies in a court of law would have been dismissed with prejudice.

Sleep people do not make good witnesses, especially and particularly in a as matter as important as this one.

The Bible's Account of the Lie

Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. (Matthew 28:11)

When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, (Matthew 28:12)

saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ (Matthew 28:13)

And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.” (Matthew 28:14)

So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day. (Matthew 28:15)

His Resurrection is a Reality

Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, (1st Corinthians 15:1)

by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. (1st Corinthians 15:2)

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,(1st Corinthians 15:3)

and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, (1st Corinthians 15:4)

and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. (1st Corinthians 15:5)

After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. (1st Corinthians 15:6)

After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. (1st Corinthians 15:7)

Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time. (1st Corinthians 15:8)

For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. (1st Corinthians 15:9)

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. (1st Corinthians 15:10)

Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. (1st Corinthians 15:11)

Spiritual not Physical Descendant

Salvation does not come by being a physical descendant of Abraham, but by being a spiritual descendant of Abraham.

A physical descendant is of the flesh (seed); a spiritual descendant is of the Spirit (faith).

Whoever is a spiritual descendant obtains this membership by means of personal belief and confession; it is not an automatically inherited possession because of who you're a descendant.

All who are spiritual descendants of Abraham have received salvation from God because they've believed on the name of His Son Jesus Christ.

Salvation is not of "Seed," but of "Faith."  Ancestry is not an automatic entitlement to salvation.  Whoever you might be the offspring of doesn't give you an advantage to salvation. 

Who your parents are or who you might think they are or have been makes no difference at all; it's all about your faith in Jesus Christ.

God loves Israel and will provide and protect Israel as He has promised.  A remnant (a small surviving group) of Israelites will be save, but not all will come to Christ.

But as a nation, she will come to glorify the Son of God, the LORD Jesus Christ and they shall be His people and He shall be their God, and Savior.

Facing and Accepting the Truth

Truth is that which is in full correspondence with reality, which cannot be known through theory, but must be experienced by putting the reality of Jesus' words into practice. 

The truth about anything can only be adequately and positively obtained by being a disciple and holding firmly to Jesus' teaching and putting His words into practice. 

This is the whole truth and nothing but the truth; all other things are imitations that generate confusion and division.

The truthful lip shall be established forever, But a lying tongue is but for a moment. (Proverbs 12:19)

As He (Jesus) spoke these words, many believed in Him. (John 8:30)

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. (John 8:31)

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32)

Spiritual Slavery

Spiritual slavery is a state of being confused and lost in a world of illusion, separated from God and doomed, as were the Pharisses who attempted to test and to correct Jesus.

The chief priests (Pharisees) and all others who reject Jesus have no contact with spiritual reality, leaving them sinning and confined to spiritual slavery.

The person who has no contact with spiritual reality is lost, separated from God, and doomed unless he or she turns to Christ for salvation. 

All who choose to reject Christ are bound by invisible chains and self-condemned.

But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1st Corinthians 2:14)

We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. (1st John 5:19)

For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. (1st Corinthians 14:33)

Only when one chooses to listen to Jesus' words and put them into practice can one be set free from spiritual slavery.

All who refuse to listen to Jesus, regardless of ancestory or physical descend (whether Jew or Gentile), are in the spiritual linage of Satan, and not God.

The spiritual linage of Abraham by faith are those that make up the universal body of Christ, whether Jew or Gentile.

Accepting Jesus on His Terms

Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. (Luke 9:23)

A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire;He rages against all wise judgment. (Proverbs 18:1)

Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. (Proverbs 26:12)

For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. (1st Corinthians 1:26)

All who do not accept Jesus on His own terms reject Him, as in the case of the chief priests, the furious leaders of the Jews who charge Jesus of being demon-possessed. 

Refusing to receive and accept Him as the Son of God, they pick up stones to stone Him for what they identified among themselves in their self-righteousness as blasphemy.

Jesus identified Himself to them as "I Am," ("Yahweh") of the Old Testament, and they resented Him the more.

Their non-connection to spiritual reality, kept them blind to the truth and rebellious, just as their spiritual father, the devil. 

If they had been the spiritual children of Abraham, they would have known Him and would not have been trying to kill Him.

These religious leaders (chief priests) were liars and sought to conceal the truth at any cost, and oh what a cost they've paid and continue to pay.

The Plot to Kill Jesus

Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that He said to His disciples, (Matthew 26:1)

“You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” (Matthew 26:2)

Then the chief priests, the scribes,and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, (Matthew 26:3)

and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him. (Matthew 26:4)

But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.”  (Matthew 26:5)

Despite what despicable people plan or attempt to do against you, remember that God still sovereignly controls all events; praise and glory to His name.

Jesus' first Jewish trial was before Annas, who was not the actual high priest, but was a powerful influence on the high priest's office.

Jesus' second Jewish trial was before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin Council, which had been hastily called together in anticipation of passing a speedy judgment on Jesus.

The Lord Jesus was subjected to six (6) trials, three (3) Jewish and three (3) Gentile trials.

His Blood be on Us and our Children

But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. (Matthew 27:20)

The governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?”  They said, “Barabbas!” (Matthew 27:21)

Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?”
They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!” (Matthew 27:22)

Then the governor said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!” (Matthew 27:23)

When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.” (Matthew 27:24)

And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children.” (Matthew 27:25)

Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified. (Matthew 27:26)

The tenure (term of office) of Pilate had been rocked by conflicts with the chief priests and elders from the beginning.

These religious authorities utilized a tumult (turbulent uprising of the crowd) to accomplish their evil objective.

Pilate, not wanting conflict with again with the religious authorities reflected on his record, he vainly attempted to cleanse himself from what he knew was wrong.

Pilate pronounced Jesus' innocence and washed his hands to rid himself of the guilt of condemning an innocent man to death, so he thought.

Pilate thought more of his career than he thought of doing what he knew to be right.

Pilate's wife had warned him that he should have nothing to do with the just Man Jesus, because she had suffered many things in a dream today because of Him, but Pilate did heed to her advice.

For he (Pilate) knew that they had handed Him over because of envy. (Matthew 27:18)

While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.” (Matthew 27:19)

You, however, can today make the right choice for what you know to be right, and that's Jesus, as Lord and Savior.

Not of "Seed" but of "Faith"

I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. (John 8:37)

I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.” (John 8:38)

They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.  (John 8:39)

But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41 You do the deeds of your father.” (John 8:40)

Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God.”  (John 8:41)

Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. (John 8:42)

Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. (John 8:43)

You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. (John 8:44)

But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. (John 8:45)

Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? (John 8:46)

He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.” (John 8:47)

Whosoever Will Let Him Come Now!

God the Father will seek Christ's glory and judge those who dishonor Him.  Your eternal destiny depends on what you do with Jesus' message.  Do not be like the chief priests and elders, who dishonored Jesus and led others to do the same.

The curse of Jesus' blood being on their hand and their children children hands that the chief priests and elders and Jews assembled pronounced can be lifted from you individually as you so repent and receive Christ.  Don't be deceived any longer, your freedom is at hand!

The obvious is true, however, we can see spiritual truth only if we are willing to accept it.  There is nothing we might possibly lose that compares with what we gain in Christ Jesus.  The Pharisees rejection was not of ignorance, but was deliberate rebellion, which made them guilty of the most terrible of all sins.

Until you have received Jesus, you're in the same state as the chief priests, elders, and all the Jews who said: "Let Him be crucified!" "His blood be on us and on our children!"

Freedom in Christ Jesus

Freedom in Christ Jesus is not unrestrained indulgence in any thing we want to do when we want, as having a license to sin without any repercussions; but rather, being who we really are, creatures shaped by God for fellowship with Him who find joy and fulfillment only in loving and serving Him; it is the freedom to be who we were intended to be from the beginning, which is marked out by the words of Jesus Christ.