Posted on 04/07/2003 8:17:34 PM PDT by ComtedeMaistre
Rabbi warns: Some Christians are attempting to convert Jews
Speaker says congregations should watch out for Southern Baptists, Assemblies of God
April 1, 2003
By SARAH OKESON of the Journal Star
PEORIA - Jews believing in Jesus as savior, says Rabbi Michael Cook, makes about as much sense as an International Society of Vegetarians for Meat.
"How can you eat meat and still be a vegetarian?" Cook asked.
Cook, perhaps the only rabbi in the United States with a Ph.D. in the New Testament, talked to about 60 people Monday at the synagogue shared by the two Jewish congregations in Peoria.
Cook, a professor at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, said some Christian denominations have stepped up their efforts to convert Jews in the belief it will help bring about the second coming of Christ.
"They believe the only way that glorious end of the world can happen is if enough Jews move to Israel first or accept Jesus," Cook said.
He predicted Jews have about three more decades of strenuous conversion efforts to suffer through because the last time this happened - after the first millennium - efforts to convert Jews didn’t die out until 1035.
"We have 32 years of missionary fervor to get through," Cook said.
In the meantime, Cook ran through a list of believers to watch out for including Southern Baptists, Assemblies of God, Jews for Jesus and Messianic Jews.
He said Southern Baptist and Assemblies of God are sometimes misleading in their efforts to convert Jews and that Jews for Jesus was founded by a Baptist minister.
"Their big desire is to convert Jews without Jews knowing they are leaving the Jewish fold," Cook said of Jews for Jesus.
The rabbi said Catholics and liberal Protestants stopped trying to convert Jews after the Holocaust and said Jews had a convenant with God and didn’t need to worry about being saved.
I dont' think your point was relevant. My point was that you would not like others pushing their religion on you. Would you?
LOL. This reminds me... The JWs came to my door a couple of weeks ago - I haven't seen 'em in years - and I simply told them politely, "Oh thank you, but I am not interested in your program". That always works. They smiled and graciously retreated. Then I got on the phone to warn a couple of neighbors down the road!
Sure, I'd rather not have them come to my door, but I have never found them to be threatening. Now if they had hooks for hands and a missing eye, I would have been a tad leery. :-)
This whole business of being "saved", like it's some kind of magic wand formula, is ridiculous. Jews are certainly smarter than that, knowing that is the "walk" with God that counts. It's the direction in which one chooses to walk on a daily basis, halacha as it were. Enoch "walked" with God, etc. Why should the Jews find their Messiah on TBN, for example, when he's not there? Now if you are looking for tacky Love Gifts, then TBN is certainly "good news", yikes.
And I am reminded of another thing... a lot of Christians insist that the Jews are the chosen people. Like the word "testament" = covenant, the word "chosen" = elect. Just like Jerusalem is the city chosen (elected) by God as the place where He put His name. Therefore, it's no surprise that when Jesus spoke from the Mount of Olives in Matthew 24, he told his disciples about false messiahs and prophets:
Matthew 24:24-25 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before.
Jews = elect (chosen) people, that's what many of these Christians say! `:-D
Meanwhile...
Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted...
What you are talking about is Antinomism...(eating it too)
Calvinists take the word of God at it's word..He (Christ is the author and finisher of our faith.
We do not believe "once saved always saved" (that once saved you can do anything without fear of "losing your salvation" That would be a heresy)
We believe in the preservation of the saints..that is what we can not do ourselves ( grow in grace and persevere till the end) Gods grace can and will do as he is faithful and HE will not lose one that the father has given Him
Like it says in Ezekiel . . .
"Though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness."
Certainly not at the point of a gun. Or is it a gun they're using?
Perhaps you actually live in a different country other than the U.S??
Look, if someone is being obnoxious, and invading your personal space, and insisting you hear their spiel (much like telemarketers, eh?), you can either, cut 'em off immediately, politely decline, or punch 'em in the nose.
If you want to make a U.S. federal case out of it, contact your congress-critter, or the ACLU, and try getting the issue go to the Supreme Court.
Post #1 set the tone of this thread for me. Read it.
Oh, really? Enlighten us.
Many Christians know that they are already among the descendents of Abraham.
Iowa?
To this date I have still been unable to get rid of her. Easy kill? So far yes since I dont have the backbone to tell her where to go (not very Christian is that.) I think the practice is extremely deceptive and prideful to boot. Why couldnt she have been honest and said "Do you want to start a weekly Bible Study with me." I could have said "No" and gotten on with my life. I have no idea if her weasely ways are her own or her churches. As it is I hate Tuesdays right now. Its hard because she really is a nice older lady, a concentration camp survivor for an idea of how old, if you can look past her serpentine methods, and she really does stay for only about 15 minutes.
I have no idea how to get out of this mess. When we restarted homeschool after Christmas break I thought the "oh well be busy with school" would work- no. I tried again another week with "Well Tuesday really isnt such a good day" - "Okay then what woudl be a good day" . Another time I used "Im really to busy to have this commitment every week" - "Well we could do it every other week then. The children enjoy it so much" (I didnt mention my children are part of thsi Bible Study with that gold colored Bible Story book they give out.) Slippery I tell you, that one is just too slippery for me.
First of all ... this is not just the old woman's style ... this is what JW's are trained and required to do. What seems unusual is that she is alone in her visits, or so I gather from your post. JW's usually work in two's.
Next time she comes to visit, tell her that you have done some research on her group of believers (Jehovah's Witnesses), ... and have discovered that the leaders of the group have made a number of prophesies that haven't come true (i.e. JESUS returning in 1914, the end of the world in 1975, etc.).
Tell her that the Bible says that God's people are not supposed to continue to listen to those who make false prophecies, and, therefore ... you cannot continue to study with her.
Follow that up with statements about how it probably would be good if she left the Jehovah's Witnesses as well ... then begin to tell her about your church and invite her to visit some upcoming Sunday.
Usually, this results in a quick departure and a check next to your name (on their door-to-door canvasing schedule) saying ... DO NOT VISIT THIS ADDRESS!
If this doesn't work ... become more proactive in the study times. Share verses with her. Refuse to allow her to monpolize your study times. There is a particular path that she wants to bring you along. If you don't cooperate with that (even in a friendly enthusiastic way), she will ultimately be forced to drop you as a likely recruit.
Oh ... and God bless!
IT was read, along with your subsequent posts.
Exactly which point(s) made by post #1 provoked your hostility?
BTW -- are you an American citizen,an Israeli citizen, OR do you hold dual citizenship?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.