Beliefs

I grew up a Christian. I was born and bred baptist up until 1999. I found that there was more denouncing Christmas and Easter than being for it in Scripture. So, I started voicing that, when I had kids, they would not be celebrating these obviously pagan holidays…

What I got was incredible backlash: “Atheist!” “If you don’t celebrate his birthday, you don’t believe in God!”

What the??

WHEN did I say that?

I turned off alot of people. People that were defending and ready to die for the sanctity of Christmas. *smh*

From 1999 to 2002, I considered myself a Christian, but had no affiliation to any denomination. I learned, in New York, about the Sabbath. I felt that I should be observing the Sabbath but I was hesitant to visit any SDA churches that were in my part of Crown Heights, Brooklyn.

Then I met Cepha, my husband. He didn’t eat pork. Didnt’ go to church on Sundays. He said that he called God by His Name, and said His name was Yahweh. He said he didn’t call the Messiah Jesus, but that he called Him Yahshua, because that was His real name.

My spirit, deep within, reacted to these names. Yahweh. Yahshua. Yes, hadn’t I heard that before? Now, I am not so sure, maybe I had. But I knew he was right.

Cepha took me to meet his mother, who is also named Rebecca. She and I sat and talked and we talked about biblical stuff. I found that the majority of their beliefs was stuff that I already believed. I was shocked. I was like “Well, what do you CALL yourselves, then?”

She tells me “Messianic.”

I say “Then I am Messianic, as well.” I align myself with them, and drop my Christian beliefs. I became Ivriyt, or “cross over”. This word also means HEBREW.

It has been quite a journey. I have learned so much.

We observe the Sabbath. It amazes me how many people do not observe the Sabbath, when it is Commandment #4 on their list of 10 commandments. So they won’t observe the Sabbath, but they’ll speak against homosexuality, when homosexuality isn’t even on their list of 10 commandments. Trust me, I continue to be miffed.

We observe the feasts that Yahweh put forth for His people in the Old Testament. The ones we observe usually end with a verse that says that it’s supposed to be done “from generation to generation, perpetually” or something to that effect.

We do not eat pork. This is another often ignored verse — although it is not in their list of 10 commandments, it seems to be as important to Yahweh as the homosexuality verse. He says you are not to even TOUCH a pig.

Those are typically the big things. We believe in circumcision too, but it seems that, in this country, circumcising your son is a given.

We believe that men are to wear tzitzit. Do we believe that the blue dye that is needed to create tzitzit is still in existence — or that it has been discovered again? No, not yet. Not really. We have a mock-set of tzitzit but my husband rarely wears them. We are of the belief that every part of the tzitzit must be right in order to be used. So… jury’s still out on that one.

We believe there should be mezuzot on the doorposts of your house. Do we have them? No, not yet. But it is something we want to purchase and attach. (this is Deut 6:9)

We do not believe in marrying outside of our faith. People of our ilk are far and few in between but either a person can convert or we will find mates for our children.

We do not believe that the Messiah has ever been named Jesus. We will not call Him “Jesus”. We will not do it to relate to you or anyone else. We believe that the diety of Jesus is the false Messiah spoken of. (Jn. 5:43 – “I have come in my Father’s Name and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him.”) The name Jesus is not Hebrew, nor is it Greek or Latin. NOR is it English! When translated you can’t come up with anything. When transLITERATED, you come up with things like Horse in hebrew and Hail Zeus in Greek. Neither of these constitute an actual meaning. Why would I call my Messiah a “nothing name”? No, this Jesus person came in his OWN name. The name Yahshua not only has a portion of His Father’s Name in it (Yahweh), but it means Salvation — and the scriptures also say that Salvation can come from no other name!

Finally, we also believe that the New Testament and the Old Testament are saying the SAME THINGS. We firmly stand and believe that the New Testament does NOT denounce Torah, nor does the Messiah denounce observance of Torah. He says so Himself in Matt. 5:17-20 — “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

There is so much more, but I think this’ll do for now.

May Yahweh bless the reader and hearer of His word. Amen; HalleluYahweh.