HEBREW SCRIPTURES VALIDATE JUDAISM, NOT CHRISTIANITY

What you find in the Hebrew Bible are verses that show personal salvation and life eternal is obtained through Judaism. The missionary is unwilling to see this, for if he did his whole goal of soul salvation for the Jew would crumble. But, the Holy Bible is replete with passages which prove personal salvation is secured through Judaism. Moreover, Jesus also said this in the New Testament itself. God is shown in the Holy Bible to have a special relationship, a Covenant, with the people of Judaism, which is perfect, unbreakable, and eternal.

Hebrew messiah is not Christ, the Jesus - The Bible describes the Messiah and the Messianic Era. The Hebrew Messiah and the Christ of Christianity have absolutely nothing in common. Jesus did not fulfill the Messianic expectations for the Messiah at all. Christianity's Christ is supposed to have a second coming to accomplish the expectations. However, there is nothing in the Hebrew Scriptures about a second coming. Jesus' followers waited for his immediate return, during their lifetime, to accomplish his supposed Messianic role. This, of course, did not happen, and Christianity has had to explain this nonoccurrence in its own terms. But, their explanation still leaves the Hebrew Messiah awaited.

Judeo-Christianity has become a common phrase. However, that is an impossibility.

Some missionaries to the Jews use the "Jews for Jesus" subterfuge to attract Jews to Christianity. A synthesis between Judaism and Christianity is a impossible. A person can be a devoted Jew or a devoted Christian, each of whom sincerely seeks God, but he can never be a Judeo-Christian. Wearing a yarmulka or tallit, lighting Friday night Sabbath candles, or reading prayers in Hebrew do not make a Jew, not if the message of the cross is believed. There is a seeking of justice, goodness, peace, and love under the guidance of God our Father in both religions. Nevertheless, there cannot be a blending of belief and observance because there are fundamental differences that are inherent, unalterable, and important between Judaism and Christianity. Our beliefs are incompatible. A Jew cannot accept Jesus as the Messiah or the only Son of God, and certainly he cannot accept Jesus as God the Son of the Trinity. For, if he does, he no longer is a Jew, but a convert to Christianity. Those Jews who emotionally refuse to be labeled apostates and assert they aren't leaving Judaism when they embrace the cross are both confused and in error. Many Christian leaders agree that Jews for Jesus is a misnomer, which perverts our two faiths.

Monotheism or Trinitarian - Judaism is strictly monotheistic, with God being "one" and not divisible or being of multi-essence. Although Judaism meditates on God's being, He is left unknowable. Except for the assertion of His "oneness" and belief that God has no bodily form, being uniquely spiritual, Judaism leaves the understanding of God's basic nature to God alone. Yes, God is humanized so that He is brought nearer to man's understanding, but He is never corporeal. On the other hand, Christianity worships a triune God, in God the Father (as in Judaism), God the Son (God incarnate as Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Ghost (Spirit of God). Truly, we share Him, but He is who He is to each.

Personal or vicarious atonement - Judaism's and Christianity's atonement methods differ dramatically and are in opposition to each other. Judaism is optimistic about man's efforts being capable of earning God's approval. Man is considered able to fulfill God's desires for man's conduct. Just as God made man with faults, with a capacity for sin, He also made man with a pure nature. God planned that man must choose life through good conduct or death through bad conduct. God planned it this way.

Righteousness is within mankind's reach. To follow God's Torah and make life's moments holy is sufficient for atonement. Effort is what is required, not perfection of achievement. Each human being is responsible for his own personal salvation in Judaism. On the other hand, Christianity teaches vicarious atonement, belief that man is unable to attain God's approval through good deeds and needs help beyond himself. Mankind is considered hopelessly sinful through "original sin." However, salvation is obtained by belief that Jesus Christ made vicarious atonement for man's sinfulness through his sacrificial death. His resurrection offers hope of salvation to all believing Christians. Efforts to goodness are auxiliary to belief and not essential for salvation.

Sinfulness or original sin - Sin, the transgression against God, is a deeply divergent idea in our religions. Judaism says man's soul is pure and transgression is the result of error or weakness and inclination to wrong doing, rather than basic depravity and incapacity for righteousness. Our free will choice to follow God's laws maintains our harmony with God. Following our good impulses allows man to rule over sin. On the other hand, Christianity teaches that man has the profound guilt of original sin from which he cannot escape by himself. He is blemished with a corrupt nature which good behavior cannot overcome. He needs an intercessor, Jesus Christ, to take away his sinfulness.

Seeking happiness, as necessary to appreciate the majesty of God's creation, is encouraged in Judaism. The bodily desires are God-given, to be used in purity. The human vessel, created by God, is to be piously employed and appreciated. On the other hand, Christianity asks for a passing through this life in denial of the flesh in order to obtain piety. The body's desires are evils to be suppressed and overcome.

Laws of Moses or Laws of New Covenant - The Holy Torah's laws are the path to righteousness for Jews, for they guide man in doing God's will. God and man meet in the performance of the laws. The Torah brings holiness to every part of our life and is spiritually fulfilling because of the sacredness of duty to God. The immutable Covenant is connected to the duties of Torah observance, which are a certain bond to God for the Jew. On the other hand, Christianity denies the value of the laws and instead substitutes its own laws which must be fulfilled. It presumes that Judaism's Torah is of no value and that Christianity possesses a New Covenant, which replaces the original.

Can Jews be for Jesus the Jew? We have shown why Jews cannot be for Jesus, the Christ of Christianity. How about being for Jesus the Jew? Jews cannot be for Jesus as a prophet, because Hebrew prophets justified their pronouncements on God's Holy Torah. Jesus, in contrast, used his personal authority for justification of his teachings.

Also, Jews cannot be for Jesus as an inspired rabbi, because rabbis expound and preserve the laws, while Jesus did not. Perhaps Jews might be for Jesus' teachings of goodness and morality.

But, if so, we would simply be admiring Judaism's own ethical background in which Jesus was deeply rooted. In short, Jesus has no place in Jewish belief in any context!

Perhaps, in time – there will be Christians for Jews, in which they convert in masses.

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