Doctrinal Statement
- God: Scripture indicates that there is one God and one God alone (Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29; 1 Corinthians 8:6). The Bible also consistently testifies that the God of Israel is complex in His unity. The God of Israel consistently reveals His complexity in that He is the invisible, unseeable God of the universe yet He often comes near and reveals Himself in tangible ways to people (Genesis 3:8-9; Genesis 18; Isaiah 6). The ultimate self-revelation of God came when He sent forth the Messiah, His eternal Son, to intercede for the sins of mankind (2 Corinthians 4:6; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 2:17). Throughout Scripture, the nature of the one true God is expressed in three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Spirit.
- Yeshua: Yeshua (Jesus) of Nazareth is the Messiah of Israel and Redeemer for all mankind. Yeshua is a compassionate, sinless, and perfect High Priest and mediator which makes Him suitable to be the eternal and final sin bearer for all who will unite with Him by faith (Isaiah 53:12; Hebrews 4:15; Hebrews 10:10-14; 1 Timothy 2:5-6). Yeshua has always existed and His nature is divine (Isaiah 9:6-7; John 8:58-59; Hebrews 1:3). Yeshua came into the world miraculously through the womb of a virgin named Miriam (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23). In Yeshua the Messiah, God took on the form of man and the fullness of humanity to intercede for the sins of man (Isaiah 53:5-6; Philippians 2:6-8; Hebrews 2:17). Yeshua died, rose from the dead, and later ascended to the right hand of God where He presently dwells (1 Cor 15:3-8; Acts 1:9; Psalm 110:1; Hebrews 10:12). Yeshua the Messiah will return the same way in which He left – visibly to the Mount of Olives with the clouds of heaven – in order to usher in the final stage of God’s kingdom on earth (Daniel 7:13-14; Zechariah 14:3-4; Acts 1:6-12).
- The Spirit of God: The Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) is a distinct person within the complex oneness of the God of Israel. The Spirit of God was active in the creation of all things and continues to be so in providence (Genesis 1:2). God promised through the prophet Joel that in the end times He would pour out His Spirit on all mankind (Joel 2:28). With the breaking in of the kingdom of God on earth through the arrival of Yeshua the Messiah, the age that Joel spoke of has begun (Acts 2). The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8). The Holy Spirit regenerates, sanctifies, in-dwells, seals, keeps, illumines, guides, and bestows his gifts upon all who are believers in Yeshua the Messiah (Romans 8:9-11). God lives inside His people today through the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16).
- Scripture: God’s story is divided into two main parts. The first part is the Tenakh, which is a Hebrew acronym for the Law (Torah), Prophets (Neviim), and Writings (Ketuvim). This section of Scripture is also known as the Hebrew Scriptures or the Old Testament. The second part of God’s story is the B’rit Chadasha. This section of Scripture is also known as the New Covenant or the New Testament. All of God’s story, also known as His Word, is divinely inspired (2 Timothy 3:15). God’s Word is verbally and completely inerrant in the original writings. We treasure Scripture as the supreme and final authority in all matters of life and faith (Isaiah 40:8; Hebrews 4:12).
- Man: At creation, God created man perfectly in His image (Genesis 1:26-27). Shortly after creation, man (Adam) exercised his God-given free will to rebel against God’s protective instructions (Genesis 3). As the progenitor of the human race, this tragic choice by Adam had devastating consequences for the entire created order. Adam’s choice contaminated and broke the perfect and “very good” (Genesis 1:31) nature of all things that God created on earth. The chief consequence of this “fall” was that people would now be born with a nature that is broken and intent upon going their own way, as opposed to God’s way (Genesis 8:21). As King David said, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5). The words of Jeremiah the prophet are sad but true and evident everywhere we look: “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick…” (Jeremiah 17:9). At our core, all people are corrupt and in need of the repair and reconciliation that only God can provide. As King Solomon said, “There is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins” (Ecclesiastes 7:20). Understanding that we are people who are broken, corrupt, rebellious, and sinful is essential to seeing our desperate need for God’s redemption in our life. “Tikkun olam” (repairing the world) begins when we acknowledge that repairing the world starts with our own hearts.
- The Good News of the Messiah: Scripture says that the good news “is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek [Gentile]” (Romans 1:16). It is incredibly good news that despite our broken and helpless condition, God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were still sinners, the Messiah died for us (Romans 5:8). History bears out the fact that people continually stray from God (Genesis 8:21; Ecclesiastes 7:20; Romans 3:23). Even the greatest spiritual leaders of Israel were way off track at times (Micah 3). Thus we are continually amazed by this good news that Yeshua did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many by laying down His life for His sheep (Mark 10:45; John 10:11). This good news, or gospel, that Yeshua lived, died, and rose from the dead for the forgiveness of sins is of first importance (1 Corinthians 15:3) and is available to all people who will unite with Yeshua by faith (Romans 3:28). The purity and centrality of the gospel should be protected and maintained at all costs (Galatians 1:6-9).
- Atonement: Throughout Scripture, God’s formula for atonement is consistent: Blood sacrifices plus a heart of repentance (teshuvah) and faith (emunah) = Atonement. In other words, there must be a sacrifice and there must be a right heart in order for an individual to obtain atonement. Leviticus 17:11, and the entire Torah, make it explicit that blood must be shed in order for God’s justice to be satisfied and for sins to be wiped away (see also Leviticus 16). However, a sacrifice means nothing if it is not coupled with a heart that is broken over sin and is trusting God for mercy and forgiveness (Isaiah 1; Hosea 6:6; Micah 6; Acts 3:19). As promised, God sent forth the Messiah, His eternal son, to be the final sacrifice and atonement for sins so that people can experience forgiveness and fellowship with God once and for all (Jeremiah 31:34; Isaiah 53; Hebrews 10:11-14). People obtain justification before God by uniting in faith with the atoning work of Yeshua the Messiah (Romans 5:1-2). This is the one way that God has provided for salvation and it is available to all people (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy 2:4). We rejoice over the words of Rabbi Paul: “For we maintain that a man is justified by faith, apart from works of the Torah” (Romans 3:28). Those who have genuinely experienced God’s salvation in the Messiah will persevere and not turn away from the faith (John 10:28-29).
- The Body of Messiah: The Body of Messiah is comprised of Jews and Gentiles who have been reconciled to God through the atoning work of Yeshua the Messiah (Ephesians 2:14-19). This united congregation, also known as the church (Greek – ecclesia) is lead by Yeshua the Messiah (Ephesians 2:20-22; Colossians 1:18). That Jews and Gentiles would unite to worship and follow the God of Israel is a fulfillment of God’s prophetic plan (Genesis 12:3; Daniel 7:13-14; Isaiah 2:3). God’s will for the Body of Messiah is that there be unity, while respecting diversity (John 17:23; 1 Corinthians 7:18-20).
- Israel: Israel (the Jewish people worldwide) remains a covenant people today (Romans 9:3-4). Yeshua rose from the dead first for the Jewish people (Acts 3:26) and there continues to be a present priority in bringing the good news of Yeshua to the Jewish people (Romans 1:16). Tragically, Israel continues to oppose the gospel (Romans 11:28). One day, the nation will embrace Yeshua on a massive scale (Romans 11:26) which will lead to unprecedented blessings for both Israel and all the nations (Romans 11:12, 15). Israel is God’s firstborn son (Exodus 4:22). God does not have a partial love for Israel (Romans 2:10). God has given Israel a unique role for the glory of His name. Israel therefore possesses unique responsibilities and privileges that God holds the nation accountable for (Romans 2:9-10; Romans 3:1).
- Immersion in Water (Baptism): Immersion in water is an ancient Jewish practice. The Torah records multiple instances and laws where immersion in water was utilized for purification purposes (Exodus 19:10; Leviticus 8:6; 16:4; Numbers 19 and 31:21-24). These examples formed the basis for the Jewish mikveh laws. Early Jewish tradition also utilized immersion in a mikveh for Gentile converts to Judaism. This is still done today in conversion ceremonies to Judaism. Shortly before the time of Yeshua, Yochanan ben Zechariah (also known as John the Baptist) utilized immersion in water as a symbolic act of cleansing and consecration to God in anticipation of the Messiah who would shortly arrive (Mark 1:4; Luke 3:16;Acts 19:4). Once Yeshua arrived, then died and rose from the dead, immersion in water came to symbolize a person’s public identification with the life, death, and resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah (Romans 6:3-5). All people who have identified with Yeshua by faith should follow His instructions to be immersed in water in order to publicly identify with the new life that they have received from God (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 8:12).
- The New Covenant: The death of Yeshua inaugurated the New Covenant that the prophets of Israel spoke of (Jeremiah 31:31-36; Luke 22:20). The ground of the New Covenant promise is the forgiveness of sins for the nation of Israel (Jeremiah 31:34). Yeshua’s death and resurrection provided forgiveness of sins and serves as the basis from which the remainder of the New Covenant blessings will ultimately come to fruition (Luke 17:24-25; Hebrews 9:15). Jews and Gentiles can now become beneficiaries of the blessings of the New Covenant by uniting with the Messiah Yeshua by faith (Romans 11:17-19). When we take the matzah (bread) and the cup, which is also known as the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:20-34), we remember that God’s promised New Covenant, which was sealed on Passover, brought freedom from sin and death. This is the ultimate freedom for our lives (Hebrews 10).
- Torah: The Torah of Moses reflects God’s perfect standard and character and is therefore good and spiritual (Romans 7:12, 14). The New Covenant makes it clear that there is no problem with the Torah, rather the problem is with human sin (Romans 7:13; Hebrews 8:7-8a). Yeshua came not to destroy the Torah, but to bring it to its fullness (Matthew 5:17-18). The goal at which the Torah aims is the Messiah (Romans 10:4). The Torah is our tutor to lead us to the Messiah (Galatians 3:24). Therefore, the fullness of God’s “torah” for believers in Yeshua today is to live in light of the completeness of God’s torah revelation to us in the Messiah. As believers in Messiah, our focus is to be on the life of Yeshua the Messiah and to obey His instructions (Matthew 28:19-20; John 15:10-11). As we live His life and follow His words, we are truly following the fullness of God’s “torah” for today. It is Yeshua’s life and words that define “torah observance” in this age. Believers in Yeshua are free to identify with the applicable aspects of the Torah of Moses today as they are led by God to do so (1 Corinthians 9:20-21). But they are under no obligation to follow the Torah of Moses as the required rule of life (Galatians 3:25).
- Tradition: Yeshua gave us plenty of instructions to keep us busy and focused when He came! Therefore, we keep our eyes fixed on Scripture as we discern what to do and how to live. We guard against any practice that may create distractions or confusion in our pursuit of holiness in the Messiah. We value our Jewish heritage and appreciate the beauty and wisdom that can be found in Jewish tradition. However, we do not believe that Jewish tradition or the rabbinic Halakah (traditional Jewish law) has an authoritative or binding role in dictating our life as individual believers or as a congregation. The Messiah Yeshua is our Rabbi, the Spirit of God is our guide, and the Scriptures are our source of truth and nourishment. We feel the freedom to selectively incorporate traditional Jewish concepts into our congregational life as we sense such practices will encourage holiness in the Messiah. It is clear that Yeshua utilized certain traditional practices for the purpose of encouraging godliness and communicating lasting truth to His followers. For example, at the Passover Seder, Yeshua utilized traditional (non – Biblical) elements (the cups, the basin, and the order) to communicate deep truths that would have lasting significance. We also note that Yeshua expressed warnings about how to relate to tradition (Mark 7). Our approach is to let Yeshua define our Jewish identity in every way.
- The End Times: We believe in the literal interpretation of the prophecies which foretell and assure Israel’s future regeneration and restoration as a nation (Isaiah 62; Amos 9:11-15; Zephaniah 3). We are firmly premillenial in that we believe that Yeshua will physically return to the earth and set up His kingdom on earth. Yeshua will return in the clouds of heaven, to Jerusalem, on the Mount of Olives, and will rule the earth for a thousand years (Daniel 7:13; Zechariah 14:4; Acts 1:6-12; Revelation 20:1-7). Our primary focus as believers today is to be alert, sober, and prepared for Yeshua’s return (Matthew 25:1-13; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6).
- The Resurrection of the Dead: We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust (Daniel 12:2), the everlasting blessedness of all who believe in Yeshua and the everlasting conscious punishment of those who reject Him (Isaiah 66:24; Rev 20:6, 14-15).
