However, since all this took place in a Messianic synagogue rather than an Orthodox one, I accept the right of my people not to accept me as their person. I've been rather surprised and gratified at how many do, particularly among my wife's extended family, but my love for and commitment to the Jews is not dependent on that love ever being returned.
The end result is that after many years of studying the issues, I've decided to go with Romans 14 and not make a huge issue out of the Sabbaths and Feasts to Gentiles. If a Christian can give a cogent argument as to why they don't observe the "Jewish" feastdays from the Scripture, then I still regard them as my brother in the Messiah, striving to keep the commandments of God to the best of their understanding out of faith. I believe that Isaiah 56 contains a Divine invitation to those non-Jews who wish to partake in Jewish cultural life to do so, but that the NT clarifies this to be an invitation, not a compulsion.
The only reason I'm picking on the tithe is because for a Christian to insist on it does require an inconsistant hermeneutic.
However, I reject the forced (or even socially pressured) Gentilization of Jewish Christians as being every bit as much a false gospel as the forced Judaizing of Christians.
Hopefully not TMI, but I think it's best to be open and honest on these issues to avoid misunderstanding.
Shalom.
Agreed on most points.. though you're more gentle in your response than I usually am. I do feel the obligation though to publicize what scriptures say about the sabbath and the feast days as part of that invitation...to have information ready when the one who God calls is ready to come to the party.
Romans 14 I think is misunderstood and in the context of the time and the chapter. My understanding is that it isn't giving carte blanche to not observe the days of the Lord and to observe others...it's referring to something else...tradition has made it into something it's not. But you can see it's an uphill struggle to share that viewpoint.
However, I reject the forced (or even socially pressured) Gentilization of Jewish Christians as being every bit as much a false gospel as the forced Judaizing of Christians.
Hopefully not TMI, but I think it's best to be open and honest on these issues to avoid misunderstanding.
No, it's all good though I don't consider that gentiles keeping the feasts of the Lord as being judaizing but rather as what God intended. Not sure if that's what you meant but thought I would cover it. As you can imagine being a sabbatarian who keeps the feast days I run into and communicate with many messianics. Glad to have you on the thread.