New Members Class “Messianic Foundations”

Eric Rinehart

Chapter Questions

1. Describe three aspects/attributes of G-d's everlasting love (including scripture references):

Personal

G-d's love is Personal. G-d is not an impersonal "force of the universe" nor a tyrant. He cares for His chosen people, and for His entire creation. He loves us enough to correct us and enough to make sacrifices for our benefit.

For G-d so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. -John 3:16

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. - 2 Peter 3:9

Perpetual

G-d's love is Perpetual. G-d is eternal. G-d does not change. So if G-d loves us, He has always loved us, and always will.

The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you." - Jeremiah 31:3

"Come near to Me, hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; From the time that it was, I was there. And now the Lord GOD and His Spirit Have sent Me." - Isaiah 48:16

G-d's love does not change. He does not get "fed up" with us.

I say then, has G-d cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. G-d has not cast away His people whom He foreknew.… - Romans 11:1-2

Powerful

G-d's love is Powerful. His love saves us, spiritually and physically.

"And because He loved your fathers, therefore He chose their descendants after them; and He brought you out of Egypt with His Presence, with His mighty power, - Deuteronomy 4:37

For G-d so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. -John 3:16

2. To the Jew First…

Define "to the Jew first" in context of G-d's Word (i.e., what does this phrase mean)

"To the Jew first" means primarily to the Jew, and not first chronologically. The Jewish people are first in G-d's priority, as G-d's chosen people.

Explain why this directive is still applicable/necessary to demonstrate G-d's faithfulness.

The directive "to the Jew first" is necessary as testimony of G-d's faithfulness and constancy. G-d has not nullified nor forgotten His promises to the Jewish people. The Good News of Messiah "to the Jew first" is testimony that He keeps His promises. He did not change his mind and remove His covenant.

I liked the idea of G-d's promises being "irreducably complex". Either ALL of His promises are true, or none of it is true.

3. Explain why Messianic Congregations are a necessary testimony of G-d (faithful, effective, and fulfilling).

Messianic Congregations are an expression of God's faithfulness. If God was not faithful, the Jews might not be God's chosen people any more. However, God has kept His people with His faithfulness and power. God wants His chosen people to remain Jewish in Messiah. Messianic Congregations are a demonstration that God's chosen people are still extant and still relevant, and that the Gentiles' salvation is through the Jews.

Messianic Congregations are effective, not in the sense of adding to the number of people converted or saved, but in the communication of God's plan to Jews and Gentiles. God keeps a remnant for His testimony of faithfulness.

Psalm 137:5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, Let my right hand forget its skill!

Romans 15:25-27 God's program: "To the Jew first..." But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. For it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem. It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things.

Messianic are a fulfillment of God’s Great Commission in Matthew 8:18-28. Your faith in Messiah Yeshua saves you. Discipleship doesn’t save you, but faithfulness is a result of discipleship. Discipleship makes you functional in faithfulness.

4. Describe at least three characteristics of Biblical faith.

Faith is RELIANCE upon God’s promises

Faith is reliance upon God’s promises alone. Faith is based on God’s will, not your will. Faith is based on what God wants, not what you want. Faith is based on what God does, not what you do. Faith is not based on your understanding.

Faith is RECKONED by God’s perspective

God judges your faith. It is not a matter of your own judgment or how you feel about God or about yourself.

When you accept Yeshua as Messiah, God attributes that you you as faith and righteousness.

Faith is RIGHTEOUSNESS as God’s provision

Faith in Yeshua is imputed to the believer in Him as righteousness. Righteousness is provided to you by God by faith in Messiah Yeshua.

5. Discuss how faith relates to salvation.

No one can achieve salvation on their own.

Faith in Messiah Yeshua is the only way to "heaven" and to eternal life. Romans 3:21-31

The Law only shows our sin and contrasts it with God's righteousness. It cannot save us.

Pride and Boasting are opposite to faith: Trusting in yourself and your own works.

Romans 1:17: Torah is a Torah of faith. Torah didn't save anyone. Sacrifices and confessions pointed to a need for salvation, humility to ask for it, and faith in the righteous, loving God.

Romans 3:29-30

6. What is the Gentile calling and how is it practically accomplished?

The Gentile calling is to make the Jews jealous of the Gentiles’ relationship with God in Messiah Yeshua, in order to bring the Jews to Him.

Rom 11:11 NKJV - I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation [has come] to the Gentiles.

Rom 11:14 NKJV - if by any means I may provoke to jealousy [those who are] my flesh and save some of them.

There must be two witnesses of God’s faithfulness: Jew and Gentile. The Jews are called to be a blessing to the Nations in Messiah’s name. The Gentiles are called to be a blessing to Israel.

The calling of the Gentiles is accomplished through their acceptance through faith in Messiah and their testimony and service.

7. Describe the symbolic elements of the "olive tree" (e.g., roots, natural branches, wild branches, and pruned/cut-off branches) and explain the redemptive purpose of the Gentiles in G-d's plan, as shown symbolically with the olive tree.

The Olive Tree is a picture of our Future Service. The Root of the Tree is the promises made to the Fathers.

Israel is the Natural Branches. The Natural Branches broken off means that they are removed from service.

The Gentiles are the “Wild Branches” grafted in AMONG the Natural Branches, not INSTEAD of the Natural Branches.

The Gentiles are meant to provoke the National Redemption of Israel by making Israel jealous of their position in the Tree and their relationship with Messiah.

Romans 11:14 NKJV - if by any means I may provoke to jealousy [those who are] my flesh and save some of them.

8. The Fullness of the Gentiles

a. Explain what is meant by “the fullness of the Gentiles” (Romans 11:25)

The “fullness of the Gentiles” means the Gentiles completing their own ministry. Gentiles’ fullness is their faithfulness to enter a ministry of service to Israel.

b. Explain how it relates to faithfulness

Faithfulness of Gentile believers obediently ministering to Israel. To Faithfully do God’s will in making Israel jealous.

c. Explain how it is accomplished

The fullness of the Gentiles is accomplished by the Gentile's receiving the blessings of God through faith, and in turn letting His blessings bless Israel.

John 7:37-38 NKJV - On the last day, that great [day] of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."

9. Does our Messianic unity equate to uniformity? Please explain your answer.

Jews’ and Gentiles’ unity in Messiah does not equate to uniformity. Our unity in Messiah is in our common goal: To glorify God in Messiah.

However, we are not uniform because Jews and Gentiles have separate and complementary missions and roles.

The Jews’ mission to Gentiles is in the blessing of Messiah coming through Messiah.

Rom 15:12 NKJV - And again, Isaiah says: “There shall be a root of Jesse; And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, In Him the Gentiles shall hope.”

The Gentiles’ mission to Jews is to make Israel jealous of their relationship with God, to bring them to Messiah.

Rom 11:11 NKJV - I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation [has come] to the Gentiles.

Romans 11:14 NKJV - if by any means I may provoke to jealousy [those who are] my flesh and save some of them.

10. “The Commonwealth of Israel”

How Are Gentiles Included in “The Commonwealth of Israel”?

Since Gentiles have been grafted in to the Olive Tree, Gentiles are involved in “the well-being of the community” of Israel. Jews and Gentiles in Messiah Yeshua share the same rights, values, and relationship with the living God. Jews and Gentiles in Messiah Yeshua share in fellowship, a common set of values, and way of life.

Eph 2:14-15 NKJV - For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, [that is], the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man [from] the two, [thus] making peace

Eph 2:19 NKJV - Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God

How Does This Relate to the Body of Messiah Becoming G-d’s Holy Residence?

Eph 2:20-22 NKJV - having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner[stone], in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

11. New Covenant Orientation

Summarize G-d's purpose for:

The Mosaic Covenant

To demonstrate God's holiness, our need to repent, and our need for God's grace and forgiveness.

The New Covenant

Unity:

This is the fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant that brings the blessing of the seed of Abraham to all nations: Genesis 12:3, Ephesians 2:15
This is a new unity that is not based on ethnicity, but the Spirit: Galatians 6:15

Messianic Foundations, page 161

Describe how these Covenants are different from each other.

The New Covenant is a NEW covenant, not a renewal of the Mosaic covenant.

The Mosaic Covenant

The Mosaic Covenant did not set up Israel for failure in a covenant that God knew they couldn't keep. Israel already had their promise through the Abrahamic covenant. The Mosaic Covenant was a demonstration of our need for God's grace.

The New Covenant

12. Summarize each of the three provisions (internal, miraculous, and universal) promised in the New Covenant.

An Eternal God makes Eternal Covenants. Each covenant is determined by its commandments/instructions/torah. The Adamic Covenant had one law, which Adam broke. The Abrahamic Covenant didn't have too many laws. Abraham kept the Abrahamic Covenant.

Deuteronomy 5:3: The Mosaic Covenant was not made with Abraham, Jacob, Isaac. Different Covenants, Different Commandments.

Yeshua set up the New Covenant at His last Pesach: “New Covenant in My blood.”

The Law has jurisdiction over you as long as you live. However, in Yeshua, you died and are a New Creation. Therefore, we are under New Jurisdiction.
“…new way of the Ruach, and not in the old way of the letter.” - Romans 7:6

All Scripture Has Been Made Profitable By the New Covenant

In the Mosaic Covenant, Holiness was a command. In the New Covenant, “You SHALL be holy” is a promise.

13. The Law

a. Explain the impact of faith (in Yeshua) on the Law's Parameters, Authority, and Glory.

Faith Establishes the Law’s Parameters. By our faith in Yeshua, we acknowledge our need for salvation. We don’t need salvation from the Law, but salvation from sin. The Law demonstrates our sin. Faith in Yeshua establishes us in our responsibilities, obligations, and commitments.

The Law’s Authority is Nullified by Faith.

We were “married” to the Law, so we were under its jurisdiction and authority. We died to the Mosaic Torah, and now we are the bride of Messiah Yeshua, so we are under the jurisdiction and authority of the New Covenant in Messiah’s blood.

The Law’s Glory is Nullified by Faith.

b. Also, describe how Messianic believers might fall into the trap of “legalism”

A Messianic believer might fall into legalism in one of two ways.

A Messianic believer might believe that he is under the authority of the Mosaic Covenant, and that keeping the Mosaic Torah will save him.

A Messianic believer might also believe that Yeshua “did away with the Law”, and rebel against it as a demonstration of the liberty Yeshua provides.

c. Explain how we can avoid legalism to live a heavenly life here on Earth.

We don’t follow Torah to gain God’s acceptance, but we follow Torah because we ARE accepted by God. We want to identify with Him and follow the guidelines He gave us, but it doesn’t save us.