Why don't Messianic Jews just call themselves Christian?

Messianic Jews have altered their doctrine in recent years from one as Christians under Grace - to returning to living under the law.

Here's a reference site to better explain the current movement:

http://www.messianic-literary.com/

It's a complex site - but if you wander around, you will find many wonderful studies explaining things.

Peace.

I have some friends that are Messianic Jews.Back in Dainel (I think) He prayed for the harding of there hearts,that they would not Know Jesus,because they were so stubborn.Well that is now coming to an end,because there are more Jews converting to beleiving in Christ.I will try to get back to you on that again.The next time I get to talk to them.

No, I agree with you.

Especially since Messianic Jews were begun by people born and raised Christians who happend to have Jewish heritage but whose family converted somewhere down the line before they were born.

Most practicing Messianic Jews and Jews for Jesus were NOT people born practicing Judaism who accepted Jesus... they are people who were Christian, who "converted" to Judaism, and try to live by Jewish traditions while practicing Christianity.

I have 2 theories... one is that it is a scheme to try and make the world the Christian beliefs are right about the Jews all converting... the other is that some Christians are jealous of Jews being God's "chosen people" and they do this because they need to feel special somehow.

But I agree, to accept Jesus as the Messiah is violating the tenets of Judaism; people who accept Jesus should just consider themselves Christian and leave the Jews alone to decide their own religion.

Watch out--your question will be deleted soon: two recent questions I had about "Messianic Jews" were deleted because they don't want you to find out what they really are (They're Christians--oh my!).

Read the answers by Paperback Writer, Pajama_mama_01, and mr_rieux while you still can. They tell it like it is.

Edit: Make that 3 questions of mine that questioned the legitimacy of "Messianic Jews" that have now been deleted for "Violation Reason:Not a Question or Answer" The "Messianic Jews" show their true nature (telling lies) once again!

I'm not sure why they won't call themselves Christian, which it seems to be would be far more honest. I can't escape the conclusion that it's because they're trying to mislead people and convert Jews into believers in Jesus under a false flag.

Could someone who believes that Muhammad is the final prophet of Allah and that Jesus was only a prophet honestly call himself a Christian? Obviously not! If you believe Muhammad is the final prophet and Jesus is not divine, you're a Muslim, not a Christian.

Could someone who doesn't believe in the divinity of Jesus honestly call himself a Christian? Obviously not. By the same token, for someone who does believe in the divinity of Jesus to claim that he is practicing to Judaism is every bit as dishonest and deceptive.

Some appear to be arguing that since Jews are a people or a nation (Jews are *not* a race!) then it's okay to refer to themselves as Jews even though they've adopted another religion.

Well, it's true they might be Jews by descent, but calling themselves "Jewish" misleadingly gives others the incorrect impression that what they practice religiously is Judaism However, since they believe in Jesus' divinity, that is manifestly untrue. In addition, it appears that many of the members of these congregations were *not* born Jewish, which makes the deception and dishonesty even worse.

Just as non-Christians can't legitimately come up with some new definition of "Christian" that allows those who do not believe in Jesus' divinity to call themselves "Christian," non-Jews can't come up with some ersatz definition of Judaism that allows those who believe in Jesus' divinity to claim that they are practicing Judaism. Both are dishonest and deceptive.

Messianic Jews I know still deeply respect their Jewish heritage. I know that Jews are offended by the term, feeling that a Jew who converts to Christianity is no longer a Jew theologically, but Jewish converts want to retain their Jewish ethnicity. There's the problem with being Jewish. It is both a religion and a heritage. A Gentile converting to Judaism with be a Jew by religion, but not by ethnicity. A Jew converting to Christianity will still be an ethnic Jew. Since Christianity is based on the Jewish religion, these converts look at their religion in the same way the early Christians did. Those people were Jews who became disciples of Jesus but still were very much in their Jewish tradition. They didn't leave all that behind, but saw that Jesus was the Messiah sent to the House of Israel to fulfill the promise of God to them. <*)))><

I am not real familiar with the history, I guess that you have already gotten most of it from the answers that I have already read.

However I have met Jews that are born again, and I am talking about those Jews that were born into the Jewish nationality, I have also met A Messianic Jew, we spent the summer with one,

she was a camp host, in the campground next to the campground that we were camp host to.

while Jews for Jesus, are Jews that have come to the belief that Jesus is indeed the Messiah, they consider Messianic Jews to be a Cult. made up of mostly non Jews, who are trying to put us back under the laws of the old testament.

the one we met, was not born a Jew, but a convert of this sect.

and she spent a major part of her time trying to convert us.

the big push was to put us not only back under Jewish law, but convince us that the name of Jesus was a blasphemy.

that we should only pray to the Hebrew names.

Here's (partial) reprint from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messianic_Jews

on Messianic Judaism.

Looks to me Messianic Judaism is "Christian".

Messianic Judaism is a religious movement whose adherents believe that Jesus of Nazareth, whom they call by the Hebrew name Yeshua, is both the resurrected Jewish Messiah and their divine savior.

Edit: "Paperback Writer" is there a 'RASHI' on 'BRIT CHADASHA'? LOL :-)

Some Jews who believe Jesus is the Messiah, also call them selves Hebrew Christians (I leaned that from reading the Commentary on the Jewish New Testament).

I think one reason they do not just call themselves Christians, is because they are still observing certain laws that God gave to Israel as a law for all times.

Another reason is because of the bad reputation some people have given Christianity.

Another reason can be that they do not want to scare off possible new Jewish converts (the book told about one women who believed that Yeshua was the Messiah that the Jewish Bible (Old Testament) promised, but when she learned that Yeshua is Jesus of the New Testament she never came back).

Because a Christian is most often a Gentile, so they call themselves Messianic Jews to differentiate between the Gentile Christians and the Jewish Christians. A proclaimed Messianic Jew will have a better chance of witnessing to other Jews than a Christian would because he knows their culture better. Also, one of the best sermons I ever heard was from a Messianic Jew. He can explain some things in the scriptures so much better because he understands the Old Covenant and can relate it to the New Covenant in a more understandable way. Face it, there will be 144,000 Messianic Jews who will be witnesses to Israel through the Great Tribulation. I think it is good that they call themselves Messianic Jews, because even God has set them apart.

I can tell you:

The Christian evangelists, especially in America, realised they just weren't getting anywhere in their efforts to convert Jews.

So rather than refer to themselves as 'christian hebrews', which just wasn't working, they had the 'brilliant' idea of presenting themselves as being 'another' jewish sect: 'messianic jews'.

Interestingly, the VERY name they use reveals their ignorance of Judaism. All Judaism IS 'messianic' - we await our messiah and this is an important theme within Judaism.

What the Messianics do is precisely this:

In America they have members at almost every college campus. They present themselves as 'jews' and they befriend young, naive Jewish students, preferably those who are not religious and don't have much understanding of Jewish theology and Christianity.

They then invite that student to either a 'prayer meeting' or to a Friday night shabbat at their 'temple'

The 'temple' is a Church. It has been stripped of anything 'too Christian' and - yes, I know it sounds bizarre! - dressed up to seem 'jewish'.

But the highlight is the day when the naive Jew is presented with something very 'helpful' to study, something called the 'BRIT CHADASHA'.

These are Hebrew words.

Can you guess what they mean?

Answer: NEW TESTAMENT

The naive, unsuspecting Jewish student therefore ends up studying the CHRISTIAN BIBLE, which is given a Hebrew name so that the student doesn't even realise what they are reading!

This is happening across America, Canada, Australia.

The Messianics are spending MILLIONS.

******************** I NEED TO CLARIFY:

Messiancs are NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT people who were born Jewish and now 'just believe in Jesus'.

THAT IS NOT WHAT THEY ARE.

99% of Messianics were born to Christian families, have always practised Christianity, and are preaching Christianity.

Basic point:

A Jew who embraces Christianity = a Christian

Just as

A Christian who converts to Judaism = a Jew

or A Christian who converts to Islam = a Muslim

PROOF - the first and most aggressive Messianic group is 'jewsforjesus'. This group was founded by an ordained BAPTIST MINISTER!

His name is Martin Meyer. Now, what Jewish group would be led by a BAPTIST??????

It is nonsensical!

ALEVIN

No, don't be silly! I log on every day at work and when I have a few minutes, I answer posts. But yes, I will always do my utmost to answer anything on Messianics because I despite their bid to convert as many Jews as possible.

COMMENT FOR 'HE LIVES'

- do you even care that you are utterly wrong?

Firstly, Jews do not 'hate' anyone. But we have a right to resent evangelical Christians who LIE by using the name of our faith specifically to CONVERT naive Jews to Christianity.

Or are you going to now tell me that you deem this acceptable behaviour????

Oh, and by the way, we don't try and close ranks to 'outsiders'. Your ignorance is embarrassing. For you, that is.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!

HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO SAY IT???

Messianic 'jews' WERE NOT 'BORN JEWISH'.

99% OF THEM ARE FROM CHRISTIAN FAMILIES.

TO PSALM 27

*SIGH*

- JEWS ARE NOT A 'RACE'

- IF WE WERE HOW COULD ANYONE CONVERT TO OR FROM JUDAISM?

To be Jewish is to be part of a religion, a family and a tribe.

TIM

- had you bothered to actually READ a single post by any Jew here, you would KNOW that 'messianics' or 'hebrew christians' or whatever the hell they call themselves ARE NOT JEWISH.

Even if they are born Jewish, the SECOND they start to worship Christ, they renounce Judaism.

A person who worships Christ = CHRISTIAN