The Messianic Hebrews Doctrine
The Messianic Hebrews accept the Holy Bible as their only creed and hold certain fundamental beliefs to be the teaching of the Meshichim Ivrim (Messianic Hebrew) Pentateuch. These beliefs, as set forth here, constitute the church’s understanding and expression of the teaching of Scripture. Revision of these statements can be expected at a General Conference session with the High Chief and High Counsel when the church is led by the Holy Spirit to a fuller understanding of Biblical truth or finds better language in which to express the teachings of the Word of Yahuah.
Holy Scriptures:
The Holy Scriptures, the Former and Later Testaments, are the written Word of Yahuah and Yahusha, given by divine inspiration through holy men of Yahuah who spoke and wrote as they were moved by Yahmenachem (the Holy Spirit). In this Word, Yahuah has committed to man the knowledge necessary for salvation. The Holy Pentateuch is the infallible revelation of His will. They are the standard of character, the test of experience, the authoritative revealer of doctrines, and the trustworthy record of Yahuah and Yahusha’s acts in history. (2 Peter 1:20, 21; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Ps. 119:105; Prov. 30:5, 6; Isa. 8:20; John 17:17; 1 Thess. 2:13; Heb. 4:12.)
Father:
Yahuah the eternal Father is the Creator, Source, Sustainer, and Sovereign of all creation. He is just and holy, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. The qualities and powers exhibited in Yahusha, the Son and Yahmenachem, the Holy Spirit are also revelations of the Father, Yahuah. (Gen. 1:1; Rev. 4:11; 1 Cor. 15:28; John 3:16; 1 John 4:8; 1 Tim. 1:17; Ex. 34:6, 7; John 14:9.)
Son:
Yahusha the eternal Son of Yahuah, being born on Tishri 15, circumcised and named on Tishri 23. Through Him all things were created, the character of Yahuah is revealed, the salvation of humanity is accomplished. Yahusha became truly man when He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the young woman, a virgin, Mary. He lived and experienced temptation as a human being proving to all believers that we can live the life style he prescribed for us to live. By the miracles He preformed manifested the power of Yahuah and was attested as Yahuah’s promised Messiah. He suffered and died voluntarily on the cross as our Passover lamb, was raised from the dead, and ascended to intercede in the heavenly sanctuary on our behalf. He will come again in glory for the final deliverance of His people and the restoration of all things. (John 1:1-3, 14; Col. 1:15-19; John 10:30; 14:9; Rom. 6:23; 2 Cor. 5:17-19; John 5:22; Luke 1:35; Phil. 2:5-11; Heb. 2:9-18; 1 Cor. 15:3, 4; Heb. 8:1, 2; John 14:1-3.)
Holy Spirit:
Yahmenachem (the Holy Spirit) inspired the writers of Scripture. He filled Yahusha’s life with power. He draws and convicts human beings; and those who respond He renews and transforms into the image of Yahuah. Sent by Yahuah, the Father and Yahusha, the Son to be always with His children, He extends spiritual gifts to the church, empowers it to bear witness to Yahusha, and in harmony with the Scriptures which leads us into all truth. (Gen. 1:1, 2; Luke 1:35; 4:18; Acts 10:38; 2 Peter 1:21; 2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 4:11, 12; Acts 1:8; John 14:16-18, 26; 15:26, 27; 16:7-13.)
Creation:
Yahuah is Creator of all things, and has revealed in the Torah the authentic account of His creative activity. In six days Yahuah made “the heaven and the earth” and all living things upon the earth, and rested on the seventh day of that first week. Thus He established the Sabbath as a perpetual memorial of His completed creative work. The first men and women were created in the image of Elohim as the crowning work of Creation, given dominion over the world, and charged with responsibility to care for it. When the world was finished it was “very good,” declaring the glory of Yahuah. After some time Yahuah decided He wanted a man to till the ground and as of that time all of mankind were monadic being hunters and gathers. Yahuah formed a man out of the dust of the ground and that man is known as Adam. Adam was the first man to till the ground. Unto Adam there was no acceptable mate therefore Yahuah caused a sleep to come on Adam and Yahuah took a side of the man and made the woman known as Eve. This side was not the mans right side, left side, back side or front side top side or bottom side rather Adams feminine side. (Gen. 1; 2; Ex. 20:8-11; Ps. 19:1-6; 33:6, 9; 104; Heb. 11:3.)
Nature of Man:
Men and women are made in the image of Yahuah with individuality, the power and freedom to think and to create. Though created free beings, each is an indivisible unity of body, mind, and spirit, dependent upon Yahuah for life and breath and all else. When our first parents disobeyed Yahuah, they denied their dependence upon Him and fell from their high position under Yahuah. The image of Yahuah in them was marred and they became subject to death. Their descendants share this fallen nature and its consequences. They are born with weaknesses and tendencies to evil. But Yahuah in Yahusha reconciled the world to Him self and by His Spirit restores in penitent mortals the image of their Maker. Created for the glory of Yahuah, they are called to love Him and one another, and to care for their environment. (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:7; Ps. 8:4-8; Acts 17:24-28; Gen. 3; Ps. 51:5; Rom. 5:12-17; 2 Cor. 5:19, 20; Ps. 51:10; 1 John 4:7, 8, 11, 20; Gen. 2:15.)
Great Controversy:
All humanity is now involved in a great controversy between Yahuah and Lucifer regarding the character of Yahuah, His law/commandments, and His sovereignty over the universe. This conflict originated in heaven when a created being, endowed with freedom of choice, in self-exaltation became HaSatan, Yahuah’s adversary, and led into rebellion a portion of the angels. He introduced the spirit of rebellion into this world when he led Adam and Eve into sin. This human sin resulted in the distortion of the image of Yahuah in humanity, the disordering of the created world, and its eventual devastation at the time of the worldwide flood. Observed by the whole creation, this world became the arena of the universal conflict, out of which Yahuah an Elohim of love will ultimately be vindicated. To assist His people in this controversy, Yahusha sends Yahmenachem (the Holy Spirit) and the loyal angels to guide, protect, and sustain them in the way of salvation. (Rev. 12:4-9; Isa. 14:12-14; Eze. 28:12-18; Gen. 3; Rom. 1:19-32; 5:12-21; 8:19-22; Gen. 6-8; 2 Peter 3:6; 1 Cor. 4:9; Heb. 1:14.)
Life, Death, and Resurrection of Yahusha:
In Yahusha’s life of perfect obedience to the will of Yahuah, His suffering, death, and resurrection, Yahuah provided the only means of atonement for human sin, so that those who by faith accept this atonement may have eternal life, and the whole creation may better understand the infinite and holy love of Yahuah the Creator. This perfect atonement vindicates the righteousness of the law of Yahuah and the graciousness of His character; for it both condemns our sin and provides for our forgiveness. The death of Yahusha is our Passover Lamb whos blood will cover our sins when we stand before Yahuah to be judged and provided we have accepted Yahusha as our saviour and obeyed His commandments the very best as we possibly can, and eternal death will pass over us. The resurrection of Yahusha proclaims the triumph of Yahuah over the forces of evil, and for those who accept the atonement assures their final victory over sin and death. It declares Yahusha the Messiah, before whom every knee in heaven and on earth will bow. (John 3:16; Isa. 53; 1 Peter 2:21, 22; 1 Cor. 15:3, 4, 20-22; 2 Cor. 5:14, 15, 19-21; Rom. 1:4; 3:25; 4:25; 8:3, 4; 1 John 2:2; 4:10; Col. 2:15; Phil. 2:6-11.)
Experience of Salvation:
In infinite love and mercy Yahuah made Yahusha, who knew no sin, so that through Him we might be made the righteousness of Yahuah. Led by the Holy Spirit we sense our need, acknowledge our sinfulness, repent of our transgressions, and exercise faith in Yahusha Hamashiach, as an Example. This faith which receives salvation comes through the divine power of the Word and is the gift of the grace of Yahuah. Through Yahusha Hamashiach we are justified, adopted as the sons and daughters of Yahuah, and delivered from sin. Through the Spirit we are born again and sanctified; the Spirit renews our minds, writes the law of Yahuah in our hearts, and we are given the power to live a Holy life. Abiding in Yahusha Hamashiach we become partakers of the divine nature and have the assurance of salvation at the judgment. (2 Cor. 5:17-21; John 3:16; Gal. 1:4; 4:4-7; Titus 3:3-7; John 16:8; Gal. 3:13, 14; 1 Peter 2:21, 22; Rom. 10:17; Luke 17:5; Mark 9:23, 24; Eph. 2:5-10; Rom. 3:21-26; Col. 1:13, 14; Rom. 8:14-17; Gal. 3:26; John 3:3-8; 1 Peter 1:23; Rom. 12:2; Heb. 8:7-12; Eze. 36:25-27; 2 Peter 1:3, 4; Rom. 8:1-4; 5:6-10.)
Growing in The Messiah:
By His death on the cross Yahusha Hamashiach triumphed over the forces of evil. He who subjugated the demonic spirits during His earthly ministry has broken their power and made certain their ultimate doom. Yahusha Hamashiach’s victory gives us victory over the evil forces that still seek to control us, as we walk with Him in peace, joy, and assurance of His love. Now the Holy Spirit dwells within us and empowers us. Continually committed to Yahusha Hamashiach as our Saviour, we are set free from the burden of our past deeds. No longer do we live in the darkness, fear of evil powers, ignorance, and meaninglessness of our former way of life. In this new freedom in Yahusha, we are called to grow into the likeness of His character, communing with Him daily in prayer, feeding on His Word, meditating on it and on His providence, singing His praises, gathering together for worship, and participating in the mission of the Messianic Hebrews. As we give ourselves in loving service to those around us and in witnessing to His salvation, His constant presence with us through the Spirit transforms every moment and every task into a spiritual experience. (Ps 1:1, 2; 23:4; 77:11, 12; Col 1:13, 14; 2:6, 14, 15; Luke 10:17-20; Eph 5:19, 20; 6:12-18; 1 Thess 5:23; 2 Peter 2:9; 3:18; 2 Cor. 3:17, 18; Phil 3:7-14; 1 Thess 5:16-18; Matt 20:25-28; John 20:21; Gal 5:22-25; Rom 8:38, 39; 1 John 4:4; Heb 10:25.)
Church:
The church is the community of believers who confess Yahusha Hamashiach as King and Saviour. In continuity with the people of Yahuah in The Former Testament times, we are called out from the world; and we join together for worship, for fellowshiping, for instruction in the Word, for the celebration of the Sabbaths, for service to all mankind, and for the worldwide proclamation of the Word. The church derives its authority from Yahusha Hamashiach, who is the Word in the flesh, and from the Scriptures, which are the written Word. The church is the family of Yahuah; adopted by Him as children, its members live on the basis of the covenant. The church is the body of Yahusha, a community of faith of which Yahusha Hamashiach Himself is the Head. The church is the bride for whom Yahusha died that He might sanctify and cleanse her. At His return in triumph, He will present her to Himself a glorious church, the faithful of all the ages, the purchase of His blood, not having spot or wrinkle, but holy and without blemish. (Gen. 12:3; Acts 7:38; Eph. 4:11-15; 3:8-11; Matt. 28:19, 20; 16:13-20; 18:18; Eph. 2:19-22; 1:22, 23; 5:23-27; Col. 1:17, 18.)
Remnant and Its Mission:
The Messianic Hebrews is composed of all who truly believe in Yahusha Hamashiach, but in the last days, a time of widespread apostasy, a remnant has been called out to keep the commandments of Yahuah and the faith in Yahusha Hamashiach. This remnant announces the arrival of the judgment hour, proclaims salvation through Yahusha Hamashiach, and heralds the approach of His second advent. This proclamation is symbolized by the three angels of Revelation 14; it coincides with the work of judgment in heaven and results in a work of repentance and reform on earth. Every believer is called to have a personal part in this worldwide witness. (Rev. 12:17; 14:6-12; 18:1-4; 2 Cor. 5:10; Jude 3, 14; 1 Peter 1:16-19; 2 Peter 3:10-14; Rev. 21:1-14.)
Unity in the Body of The Messiah:
The church is one body with many members, called from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. In Yahusha Hamashiach we are a new creation; distinctions of race, culture, learning, and nationality, and differences between high and low, rich and poor, male and female, must not be divisive among us. We are all equal in Yahusha Hamashiach, who by one Spirit has bonded us into one fellowship with Him and with one another; we are to serve and be served without partiality or reservation. Through the revelation of Yahusha Hamashiach in the Scriptures we share the same faith and hope, and reach out in one witness to all. This unity has its source in the oneness of Yahuah, who has adopted us as His children. (Rom. 12:4, 5; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; Matt. 28:19, 20; Ps. 133:1; 2 Cor. 5:16, 17; Acts 17:26, 27; Gal. 3:27, 29; Col. 3:10-15; Eph. 4:14-16; 4:1-6; John 17:20-23.)
Baptism:
By baptism we confess our faith in the death and resurrection of Yahusha Hamashiach, and testify of our death to sin and of our purpose to walk in newness of life. Thus we acknowledge Yahusha as King and Saviour, become His people, the seed of Abraham and are received as members by His church. Baptism is a symbol of our union with Yahusha, the forgiveness of our sins, and our reception of the Holy Spirit. It is by immersion in living water and is contingent on an affirmation of faith in Yahusha and evidence of repentance of sin. It follows instruction in the Holy Bible and acceptance of their teachings. (Rom. 6:1-6; Col. 2:12, 13; Acts 16:30-33; 22:16; 2:38; Matt. 28:19, 20.)
Yom Zikhronot (Day of Remembrance):
Yom Zikhronot or The Day of Remembrance is a participation in the emblems of the body and blood of Yahusha as an expression of faith in Him, our King and Saviour. In this experience of communion Yahusha is present to meet and strengthen His people. As we partake, we joyfully proclaim Yahusha will come again. Preparation for Yom Zikhronot includes self-examination, repentance, and confession. Yahusha ordained the service of foot washing to signify renewed cleansing, to express a willingness to serve one another with the same humility which our King Yahusha did, and to unite our hearts in love. The communion service is open to all women and to all circumcised men followers. (1 Cor. 10:16, 17; 11:23-30; Matt. 26:17-30; Rev. 3:20; John 6:48-63; 13:1-17.)
Spiritual Gifts and Ministries:
Yahuah bestows upon all of His children in every age spiritual gifts which each member is to employ in loving ministry for the common good of the church and of humanity. Given by the agency of the Holy Spirit, who apportions to each member as He wills, the gifts provide all abilities and ministries needed by the church to fulfill its divinely ordained functions. According to the Scriptures, these gifts include such ministries as faith, healing, prophecy, proclamation, speaking in tongues, teaching, administration, reconciliation, compassion, and self-sacrificing service and charity for the help and encouragement of people. Some members are called of Yahuah and endowed by the Spirit for functions recognized by the church in pastoral, evangelistic, apostolic, and teaching ministries particularly needed to equip the members for service, to build up the church to spiritual maturity, and to foster unity of the faith and knowledge of Yahuah. When members employ these spiritual gifts as faithful stewards of Yahuah’s varied grace, the church is protected from the destructive influence of false doctrine, grows with a growth that is from Yahuah, and is built up in faith and love. (Rom. 12:4-8; 1 Cor. 12:9-11, 27, 28; Eph. 4:8, 11-16; Acts 6:1-7; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; 1 Peter 4:10, 11.)
Law of Yahuah:
The great principles of the law of Yahuah is embodied in the two Great Commandments and further expounded upon in the Ten Commandments and then expanded for better understanding for His followers in the 619 Commandments and further exemplified in the life of Yahusha. They express the love, will, and purposes of Yahuah concerning human conduct and relationships and are binding upon all people in every age. These precepts are the basis of the covenant of Yahuah with His people and the standard in the judgment of Yahuah. Through the agency of the Holy Spirit they point out sin and awaken a sense of need for a Saviour. Salvation is all of grace and not of works, but its fruitage is obedience to the Commandments. This obedience develops the true follower’s character and results in a sense of well-being. It is an evidence of our love for Yahusha and our concern for our fellow men. The obedience of faith demonstrates the power of Yahusha to transform lives, and therefore strengthens the true follower’s witness. (Ex. 20:1-17; Ps. 40:7, 8; Matt. 22:36-40; Deut. 28:1-14; Matt. 5:17-20; Heb. 8:8-10; John 15:7-10; Eph. 2:8-10; 1 John 5:3; Rom. 8:3, 4; Ps. 19:7-14.)
Sabbath:
The Creator, Yahuah, after the six days of Creation, rested on the seventh day and instituted the Sabbath for all people as a memorial of Creation. The fourth of the Ten Commandments of Yahuah’s unchangeable law requires the observance of this seventh-day Sabbath as the day of rest, worship, and ministry in harmony with the teaching and practice of Yahusha, the King of the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a day of delightful communion with Yahuah and one another. It is a symbol of our redemption in Yahusha, a sign of our sanctification, a token of our allegiance, and a foretaste of our eternal future in the kingdom of Yahuah. The Sabbath is a perpetual sign of Yahuah and His eternal covenant between Him and His people. Joyful observance of this holy time from evening to evening, sunset to sunset, is a celebration of Yahuah’s creative and redemptive acts. (Gen. 2:1-3; Ex. 20:8-11; Luke 4:16; Isa. 56:5, 6; 58:13, 14; Matt. 12:1-12; Ex. 31:13-17; Eze. 20:12, 20; Deut. 5:12-15; Heb. 4:1-11; Lev. 23:32; Mark 1:32.)
Stewardship:
We are the stewards of Yahuah, entrusted by Him with time and opportunities, abilities and possessions, and the blessings of the earth and its resources. We are responsible to Him for their proper use. We acknowledge the ownership of Yahuah by faithful service to Him and our fellow men, and by returning tithes and giving offerings for the proclamation of His gospel and the support and growth of His church. Stewardship is a privilege given to us by Yahuah for nurture in love and the victory over selfishness and covetousness. The steward rejoices in the blessings that come to others as a result of his faithfulness. (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:15; 1 Chron. 29:14; Haggai 1:3-11; Mal. 3:8-12; 1 Cor. 9:9-14; Matt. 23:23; 2 Cor. 8:1-15; Rom. 15:26, 27.)
Messianic Hebrew Behavior:
We are called to be a holy people who think, feel, and act in harmony with the principles of Yahuah. For the Spirit to recreate in us the character of our King we involve ourselves only in those things which will produce Messiah like purity, health, and joy in our lives. This means that our amusement and entertainment should meet the highest standards of Yahusha’s taste and beauty. While recognizing cultural differences, our dress is to be simple, modest, and neat, befitting those who’s true beauty doesn’t consist of outward adornment but in the imperishable ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit. It also means that because our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit, we are to care for them intelligently. Along with adequate exercise and rest, we are to adopt the most healthful diet possible and abstain from the unclean foods identified in the Scriptures. Since tobacco, and the irresponsible use of drugs and narcotics are harmful to our bodies, we are to abstain from them as well. Instead, we are to engage in whatever brings our thoughts and bodies into the discipline of Yahusha, who desires our wholesomeness, joy, and goodness. (Rom. 12:1, 2; 1 John 2:6; Eph. 5:1-21; Phil. 4:8; 2 Cor. 10:5; 6:14-7:1; 1 Peter 3:1-4; 1 Cor. 6:19, 20; 10:31; Lev. 11:1-47; 3 John 2.)
Marriage and the Family:
Marriage was divinely established in Eden and affirmed by Yahusha to be a lifelong union between a man and a woman in loving companionship. For the Messianic Hebrew a marriage commitment is to Yahuah as well as to the spouse, and should be entered into only between partners who share a common faith. Mutual love, honor, respect, and responsibility are the fabric of this relationship, which is to reflect the love, sanctity, closeness, and permanence of the relationship between Yahuah and His church. Regarding divorce, Yahusha taught that the person who divorces a spouse, except for fornication, and marries another, commits adultery. Although some family relationships may fall short of the ideal, marriage partners who fully commit themselves to each other in Yahusha may achieve loving unity through the guidance of the Spirit and the nurture of the church. In regarding polygamy, neither Yahuah nor Yahusha condemns a man from having more than one wife at the same time therefore the Messianic Hebrews do not condemn it either. Although we do not recommend it we do accept a man having more than one wife. At the same time The Messianic Hebrews do not accept nor condone a woman having more than one husband. Yahuah blesses the family and intends that its members shall assist each other toward complete maturity. Parents are to bring up their children to love and obey the Yahuah and Yahusha. By their example and their words they are to teach them that Yahusha is a loving disciplinarian, ever tender and caring, who wants them to become members of His body, the family of Yahuah. Increasing family closeness is one of the earmarks of the final gospel message. (Gen. 2:18-25; Matt. 19:3-9; John 2:1-11; 2 Cor. 6:14; Eph. 5:21-33; Matt. 5:31, 32; Mark 10:11, 12; Luke 16:18; 1 Cor. 7:10, 11; Ex. 20:12; Eph. 6:1-4; Deut. 6:5-9; Prov. 22:6; Mal. 4:5, 6.)
Second Coming of Yahusha:
The second coming of Yahusha is the blessed hope of the church, the grand climax of the gospel. The Saviour’s coming will be literal, personal, visible, and worldwide. When He returns, the righteous dead will be resurrected, first and then with the righteous living will be glorified and taken unto Him, but the unrighteous will die the first death. The almost complete fulfillment of most lines of prophecy, together with the present condition of the world, indicates that Yahusha’s coming is imminent. The time of that event has not been revealed, and we are therefore exhorted to be ready at all times. (Titus 2:13; Heb. 9:28; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:9-11; Matt. 24:14; Rev. 1:7; Matt. 24:43, 44; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; 2 Thess. 1:7-10; 2:8; Rev. 14:14-20; 19:11-21; Matt. 24; Mark 13; Luke 21; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 1 Thess. 5:1-6.)
Death and Resurrection:
The wages of sin is death. However Yahuah, who alone is immortal, will grant eternal life to His redeemed. Until that day death is an unconscious state for all people. When Yahusha, who is our life, appears, the resurrected righteous and the living righteous will be glorified and caught up to meet their King. The second resurrection, the resurrection of the unrighteous, will take place a thousand years later. (Rom. 6:23; 1 Tim. 6:15, 16; Eccl. 9:5, 6; Ps. 146:3, 4; John 11:11-14; Col. 3:4; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; 1 Thess. 4:13-17; John 5:28, 29; Rev. 20:1-10.)
Millennium and the End of Sin:
The millennium is the thousand-year reign of Yahusha with His saints on this earth between the first and second resurrections. During this time those who have never heard the word of Yahuah will live again and get their one chance to make a choice. After this will come the short season when Satan and his followers will be loosed and shall gather together to do battle against Yahusha a battle called Armageddon. (Rev. 20; 1 Cor. 6:2, 3; Jer. 4:23-26; Rev. 21:1-5; Mal. 4:1; Eze. 28:18, 19.)
New Earth:
On the new earth, in which righteousness dwells, Yahuah will provide an eternal home for the redeemed and a perfect environment for everlasting life, love, joy, and learning in His presence. For here Yahuah Himself will dwell with His people, and suffering and death will have passed away. The great controversy will be ended, and sin will be no more. All things, animate and inanimate, will declare that Yahuah is love; and He shall reign forever. Amein. (2 Peter 3:13; Isa. 35; 65:17-25; Matt. 5:5; Rev. 21:1-7; 22:1-5; 11:15.)