Tent of David, part 2

More quotes from Tent of David by Boaz Michael:

page 28

“I, like many others, am part of the emerging Messianic Jewish movement. I feel that my proper place of worship is a Messianic synagogue; if there were one close to where I live, I would attend. [They live in Marshfield, Missouri.] Yet, I have chosen to invest my time and energy at a local Baptist church. I support this church and attend services every week that I am able. Even if there were a Messianic synagogue nearby, I would still make the sacrifice to connect to the local church because I believe in the mission to bring reformation and change, and to help establish the church’s connection to Israel.

I have gotten to know the pastor and the people there and have found them to be devoted, God-fearing believers. In turn, because I respect and affirm what they are doing, they have begun to respect my point of view. I meet with the pastor weekly, and I can tell that even in the short time I have been involved with that church, the atmosphere has changed. More and more, the sermons reflect a theology that has rejected supersessionism. Additionally, I have not had to curtail my level of observance one iota - I remain a fully observant Jew.”

page 29

“The core message of the Jewish roots of the Christian faith is completely Biblical and it is supported by modern scholarship. It is good and necessary and has the potential to radically reform Christianity. But this will only happen if many of those who take hold of that message remain in the church and become advocates for it at both the congregational and the denominational level.”

page 43

“The root of Christianity’s blindness to the Torah is not antinomianism, or an antipathy toward laws and rules (though, as we will discuss in the next chapter, the extreme avoidance of “legalism” has sometimes resulted in overly permissive churches, a well recognized problem within Christianity.) In reality, the problem is totally different, and much deeper - it is tied with Christianity’s understanding of God’s covenants, specifically as they relate to the Jewish people - and how, by extension, Christianity fits into that covenant relationship. Christianity’s blind spot is not really “law” as such; instead it is God’s continuing covenant relationship with Israel, Jews, and Judaism. The Torah is an inextricable part of that relationship.”

page 47

“This is easy to verify by reading any systematic theology textbook for yourself. You will notice that theology is divided into several subdivisions; any theology of Israel or of the Jewish people is conspicuously absent. You will find bibliology, theology proper, Christology, pneumatology, eschatology. and ecclesiology - but never a concerted attempt to build a comprehensive theology of the Jewish people or the Torah. Supersessionism in theology is assumed, not really argued.”

Next time: Excerpts from the chapter: The Church Needs to Change