Hello,
I need some help figuring out why I feel I'm being led somewhere I'm not sure I want to go.
I was raised in the Jewish faith (until the age of twelve). Married a gentile, raised two children in the Methodist church. I was fine with a non-denominational marriage until recently.
I've started going to church, met wonderful people and feel a push to learn more about Jesus. BUT, my roots keep pulling me back! My roots tell me "you can't really believe that, can you?"
Can anyone help?
gmann
gmann you came to the right place! I hope you (as hundreds of thousands of Jewish people before you) discover the Jewishness of Christianity and the truth that Yeshua (Jesus) is indeed the Jewish Messiah promised by Moses and the Prophets.
Christianity (Christ means Messiah) was started by Jews for Jews. Jesus, Paul, etc all proclaim that the good news of the Messiah's coming to bring salvation was first to the Jews and then to the Greeks (Gentiles). All the first believers were Jews, in fact they had to have a council to decide whether or not to allow Gentiles to join! Since then the demographics have changed and have become predominantly Gentile because Israel as a nation did not accept her Messiah (as predicted in passages like Isaiah 52:13-53:12) - just like most all of the prophets were rejected at first (Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, etc). But one day she will (Romans 11, Jeremiah 31, Ezekial 36, Zechariah 12:10, etc). One day she will complete her wilderness wanderings and will be brought into the promised land - by faith in her redeemer!
Welcome to the forum -you have a lot of reading to do! But more importantly than reading the forums, read the Scriptures - read what the Tanach and the new covenant Scriptures have to say about the Anointed one (Messiah) - his role, how he will be rejected at first, will be embraced with the Gentiles (Isaiah 49), but ultimately reconciled to Israel (as with Joseph and his brothers in the later chapters of Genesis).
Blessings in Messiah!
http://www.realmessiah.org
http://www.hopeofisrael.info
Are you a good person?
http://www.wayofthemaster.com/goodperson.shtml
I imagine that when you say that your roots are pulling you back, you are referring to teachings when you were a child telling you that Jews don't believe in Jesus. That is incorrect simply because, not only were Jesus and his apostles Jews, but at least the first 10,000 people who believed in Jesus were Jews and many of those were temple priests. That is recorded in the book of Acts.
I always direct people to the Bible, rather than to a specific church. I am not a Methodist, but I agree with you that there are some wonderful people in that church, and Methodist meetings are often simple affairs of singing and Bible studying with less trappings than a typical synagogue. However, wonderful people are not always right about everything, so get your Bible and start reading, claiming the promise of Jeremiah 33:3. And don't let the Jews against Jesus that are on this forum give you grief that you are losing your Jewish soul. Based on the Bible, Jesus is the most Jewish Jew that ever was.
I am so glad you are with us here at JFJ. Jesus is not just for gentiles, on the contrary, I think He was first for the Jews, but since few accepted Him, He came to us instead. Please dont be afraid of Gds plan of salvation for ALL mankind trrough Jesus. Your Jewish fathers taught you how to serve Gd now do it. Your faith is more valuable than following the person in front of you without understanding why or if you want to, study for yourself and make that adult choice to know your Gd and to let Him get to know you and grow in the Lord. This site will help you do just that. Once you have decided to follow Gd just ask Him to show you how you are to believe and honor Gds only son Jesus and to show you how you can incorporated your faith in Gd and Jesus into your service without diminishing your heritage and your roots. I know He will show you.