Section I – The Scriptures
The sole basis for our belief is the Bible, composed of the sixty-six books of the Tenach and Brit Hadashah (the Old and New Covenants). The Scriptures, in their entirety, are inspired by God and are inerrant in the original manuscripts. This was accomplished, not by dictation, but by God superintending the human authors in such a manner that, using their individual personalities, they composed and recorded, without error, God’s revelation to man.
The inerrancy of the Scriptures extends to every category to which they speak, including faith, practice, science and history. The Scriptures are our full and final authority being the complete revelation of God (Proverbs 30:5-6; Isaiah 40:7-8; Jeremiah 31:31; Matthew 5:18; John 10:35; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Hebrews 1:2 and Revelation 22:18-19).
Section 2 – God
We believe that there is one true, holy God, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in three persons – Father, Son and Ruach Hakodesh (Holy Spirit). Each possess equally all the attributes of deity and the characteristics of personality (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:10; 48:16; Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:3-4; 2 Corinthians 13-14; Hebrews 1:8).
Section 3 – The Father
We believe God is Father over all creation, thus its sovereign ruler. He is father of Israel, whom He has chosen as His unique people. He is Father of Messiah Yeshua whom He sent into the world to redeem mankind and creation. He is Father of all who trust in His gracious provision of the forgiveness of sin in Yeshua (Exodus 4:22; Matthew 3:17; John 1:12; 3:16; Acts 17:29; Galatians 3:26; 1 Peter 1:3).
Section 4 – The Son
God the Son became flesh in the person of Yeshua of Nazareth, the promised Messiah of Israel, who was conceived by the Spirit of God and born of the Jewish virgin Miriam (Mary). He is both fully God and fully man, united forever without division or confusion (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6-7; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Micah 5:2; John 1:1, 14; 8:58; 10:30-33; Colossians 2:9, Hebrews 1:3).
Messiah Yeshua died as a substitutionary sacrifice for man’s sin, and all who believe in Him are declared righteous on the basis of His shed blood. The Messiah’s substitutionary death was the purchase price for our redemption and was foreshadows in the Tenach in the slaying of the Passover lamb, the sin and trespass offering, and the sin offering on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:15-16; 17:11; Psalm 22:16; Isaiah 53:4-6; 10-12, Daniel 9:26; Zechariah 12:10; Mark 10:45; Romans 3:24-26; 5:8-9; 2 Corinthians 5:14, 21; 1 Peter 3:18).
Jesus the Messiah arose from the dead bodily, ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of the Father and will one day return for all who believe in Him. Presently He serves as our Kohen Gadol Elyon (Great HIgh Priest) according to the priesthood of Melchizedek. As such, He is intercessor and advcate before the Father on behalf of all believer (Genesis 14:17-20; Psalm 16:10-11; 110:4; Zechariah 6:12-13; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Hebrews 7:1-25; 8:1; 1 John 2:1).
Section 5 – The Ruach Hakodesh (Holy Spirit)
The Ruach Hakodesh is a person. He possesses all the distinct attributes of deity and hence He is God. He does not call attention to Himself and is ever present to glorify and testify of Messiah Yeshua (Genesis 1:2; Psalm 13:7; John 15:26-27; 1 Corinthians 2:10-11; 2 Corinthians 13:14).
During the period of the Old Covenant, the Spirit of God was active in creating the world and temporarily gifting, empowering and filling individuals for special service (Genesis 1:2; Exodus 31:3; Numbers 27:18; Judges 6:34).
The Spirit of God is active today, convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He regenerates, seals, and set the believer apart to a holy life. He teaches the truth and energizes believers in prayer, worship and service. At the moment of salvation, each believer is immersed by the Spirit of God into the Body of Messiah and is permanently indwelt by the Spirit of God. Therefore, every believer is complete in Messian and possession of every spiritual blessing. However, it is the privilege and responsibility of every believer to be constantly filled (controlled) by God’s Spirit (John 14:16-17, 26; 16:7-15; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 6:19, 12:13; Ephesians 1:13, 6:18; Colossians 2:10; 2 Thessalonians 2:13).
At salvation the Holy Spirit imparts at least one spiritual gift to every believer for the purpose of edifying and equipping the Body of Messiah. Believers ought not to emphasize searching for their gifts, but rather giving attention to the scriptural requirements of becoming spirituallly mature in order to function in the Body. If this is done, every believer’s gift shall become evident. Although believers should earnestly desire greater spiritual gifts, individual believers should never actively seek to obtain spiritual gifts because they are given according to the sovereign choice of the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 12:11, 31, 14:1; Ephesians 4:12; 2 Thessalonians 1:3; 1 Timothy 3:1-12; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 4:10).
We do not endorse the modern tongues-speaking movement for the following reasons:
1. It usually gives an undue prominence to a gift that had only limited value even in New Testament times (1 Corinthians 12-14).
2. It often suggest that tongues-speaking is the necessary evidence of the special work of the Spirit when in fact the Holy Spirit never seeks to draw attention to Himself, but He is a witness, pointing to Messiah Yeshua and the might deeds of God (John 14:26; 15:26, 16:7-8; Acts 2:11).
3. It tends to place more emphasis on tongues-speaking as an external manifestation of the Spirit than of the sanctifying work of the Spirit within the believer (Romans 15:6; Galatians 5:22-23).
4. It claims that “ecstatic utterance” is also tongues-speaking when the gift in New Testament times was that of speaking in previously unlearned foreign languages (Acts 2:6-11, 10:46).
5. It often fails to see that God sovereignly gives His gifts, not on demand, and that no one gift is for everyone (1 Corinthians 12:11).
Our position is that believers in their local bodies, should seek the more excellent way of love and be zealous about perfecting and utilizing the more useful and edifying gifts (Romans 8:13; 1 Corinthians 12:28-31, 13:1-3, 13, 14:12, 19, 23, 27-28; Galatians 5:22-23).
In stating our position on the modern tongues-speaking movement, we do not mean to detract from the sincerity or Christian character of the many believers within the movement.
We also believe that God has promised to physically heal according to His will. This may occur miraculously, medically or naturally. Supernatural healing may occur in response to prayer and accordance with God’s sovereign will. However, healing cannot be claimed unconditionally in this age as a result of atonement, as is salvation (Exodus 4:11; 2 Corinthians 12:7; Galatians 4:13; 1 Timothy 5:23; 2 Timothy 1:20; James 5:14-15; 1 John 5:14-15).
Section 6 – Man
Man was created in the image of God to enjoy His fellowship and to fulfill His will on the earth. He was created in innocence; but by voluntary transgression, the first man, Adam, fell into sin. As a result, the whole race was plunged into condemnation and death. All mankind is born in a sinful condition and all commit sinful acts in thought, word, and deed, resulting in separation from God. From this condition of separation, man can be redeemed only by the grace of God, through faith in the completed work of Messiah Yeshua (Genesis 1:26-27, 2:17, 3:6; Ecclesiastes 7:20; Isaiah 63:6; Ezekiel 18:4; Mark 7:20-23; Romans 5:12-19, 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-7).
Section 7 – Salvation
The salvation of mankind is wholly a work of God’s grace through faith in the redemptive work of Messiah Yeshua. He took upon Himself human form and yet honored the divine law by His perfect obedience. By His sacrificial death He became our substitute, making full payment for the penalty of our sins. He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven where He is now enthroned, making intercession for all who believe. Salvation is not in whole or in part a result of human works of goodness. It can be appropriated only by personal faith in the Redeemer’s death and atonement. Through this substitutionary work, His righteousness is imparted to us.
Salvation can never be lost because it is wholly dependent on the finality of Messiah’s work on our behalf. God gives assurance in His Word and through His Spirit that what He began He will continue to perform until the day of its full consummation. Our relationship with God, established by faith in Messiah alone for salvation, is an irreversible bond in which all believers are eternally secure.
All believers, thought forgiven, still have a sinful capacity in this life. In spite of this fact, God has made full provision for believers to live in obedience to Him through identification with Messiah Yeshua, reliance upon the Holy Spirit’s power and knowledge of the Scriptures (Genesis 15:6; Isaiah 53:4-6; Habakkuk 2:4; Zechariah 6:12-13; John 1:12-13, 3:16, 5:24, 10:28-29; 17:17; Acts 4:12; 10:9-10; 13:38-39; 2 Corinthians 5:21, Galatians 3:26-29; Ephesians 1:7, 2:8-9; Philippians 1:6; Colossians 1:21-22, 2:14; Titus 3:5-7; Hebrews 7:25, 10:4-14; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:8, 2:2, 5:11-13).
Section 8 The Body of Messiah
The universal Body or fellowship of Messiah is composed of all people, Jewish and Gentile, who through faith in Him have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. It began at Shavuot (Pentecost) with the immersion of the Holy Spirit after the ascension of Yeshua, and it will be completed when He returns. Membership in the universal Body is not based on any earthly organizational affiliation but on faith in Yeshua the Messiah.
This universal fellowship is distinct from Israel although it shares the spiritual blessings of the covenants God made with Israel. The universal Body should not be seen as fulfilling not replacing God’s plan for Israel because the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable.
The local body is the visible manifestation of the universal Body. It is a congregation of believers organized for the purpose of glorifying God through worship, instruction, accountability, fellowship, service and outreach. Whereas entrance into the universal Body is based on an act of faith, entrance into the local body is based on an act of volition in obedience to God.
The officers of the local congregation are elders and deacons, but the true Head to whom all are ultimately answerable is the Lord Yeshua (Acts 2:1-4, 41-42; Romans 11:29, 12:4-13; 1Corinthians 1:2, 7:17, 11:16, 12:12-27; Ephesians 1:22-23, 2:11-22, 3:10, 4:4-16, 5:23-24; Colossians 1:18; 1Timothy 3:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-25, 13:7, 17).
Section 9 The Ordinances
There are two signs of the New Covenant commanded by the Messiah to be practiced by His followers. These are water Immersion and the Messiah’s Yizkor (Lord’s Supper).
Water immersion, which has its origin in Jewish ritual immersion, is by immersion of the believer in water. It is meant to symbolize both one’s faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Redeemer as well as one’s own death to sin and resurrection to new life.
The Messiah’s Yizkor is based on the Passover seder and is the commemoration of His death until He comes and our continual fellowship with Him. Partaking of Messiah’s Yizkor is for believers only and should always be preceded by solemn self-examination.
Though we seek to be obedient to the Lord in the practice of these ordinances, we do not regard either as a means of salvation. On the contrary, they are a symbolic expression of our faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Yeshua (Matthew 26:26-29, 28:19; Acts 8:26-39; Romans 6:3-5; 1Corinthians 11:23-32).
Section 10 Satan and Angels
We believe in the reality and personality of Satan, a fallen angel and the open and declared enemy of God and man. He is the originator of evil; and, as god of this world, he now rules the non-believing world system.
He and his agents are active in blinding mankind to spiritual truth, inciting anti-Semitism and hostility toward Israel, and attempting to defeat believers. His sin is that of pride in seeking to usurp the power, position, and glory of God.
Believers can and should resist Satan by applying scriptural truth. He is a creature and, therefore, is not omniscient or infinite; and God has placed limitations on him.
Section 11 – Israel
God called a people to Himself who are the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This special people, Israel, was chosen by God to be a holy nation and kingdom of priests. The election of Israel is irrevocable despite her national rejection of Yeshua the Messiah. God will purge Israel of unbelief during the Great Tribulation, “the time of Jacob’s trouble,” ultimately resulting in her national acceptance of Yeshua as her true Messiah. Israel is distinct from the Body of Messiah (the Church) in that Gentile believers are not spiritual Jews, and that Jewish believers have a unique two-fold identity: first, as the spiritual remnant of physical Israel and second, as part of the Body of Messiah.
God has made unconditional covenants with Israel that have remained unfulfilled, including the provisions of seed, land, and blessing. The seed aspect refers to a descendant who would come to redeem Israel. The land aspect of the covenant refers to the land of Israel. The blessing aspect of the covenant refers to the blessings of the entire world through Israel and her Messiah. God intends to fulfill all His promises to Israel in a literal way, just as His warnings and judgments were fulfilled in a literal way. In the messianic kingdom, the Jewish people will know God personally through Messiah Yeshua and will possess the entire land of Israel according to its biblical boundaries.
Since the Gospel was given preeminently to the Jewish people, it is the believer’s duty and privilege to communicate to them the good news of Jesus the Messiah in a bold yet sensitive way. It is also the believer’s duty to support and love Israel while opposing anti-Semitism according to the provisions of the Abrahamic Covenant.
We believe the Law of Moses as a rule of life has been fulfilled in the Messiah; and therefore, believers – whether Jewish or Gentile are no longer under its obligation or condemnation. However, both Jewish and Gentile believers have the freedom in Messiah to maintain those aspects of the Law of Moses and Jewish cultural identity which does not violate scripture. Observances of Jewish customs are to focus on biblical truths and are to magnify Yeshua. These observances are not, nor ever were, a means of justification or sanctification which are by faith alone. Neither are they a source of sinful pride, resulting in the reinstitution of the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile. Rather, for Jewish believers, these observances are intrinsically biblical expressions of a God-given Jewish identity and a means of fulfilling our responsibility to testify of God’s faithfulness to the entire Body of Messiah and the non-believing world. For Gentile believers, they are a means of identifying with the Jewish roots of their faith (Genesis 12:1-3; 15:17-18; 17:6-9; Exodus 19:6; Numbers 24:9; Deuteronomy 7:6-9; 14:1-2; 29:1; 30:10;2 Samuel 7:12-16; Jeremiah 12:10-13:9; Matthew 28:18-20; John 4:22; Acts 13:46; 15:1-35; 21:24-26; Romans 1:16; 6:14; 8:2; 9:1-5; 10:1-4; 11:1-5; 25-29; 1 Corinthians 9:20; 2 Corinthians 3:1-11; Galatians 3:1-6, 11; Ephesians 2:14-16).
Section 12 – Last Things
In the future, the world is to experience the judgment of God. The world will be neither converted nor perfected during the present age, but the Messiah will return to earth to reign in righteousness for a thousand years (millennium). At the end of this millennium, He will usher in His eternal kingdom.
The pre-millennial return of the Lord for His people, which could take place at any time, will be personal and visible. All members of the Body of Messiah, living or dead, will at that time be gathered to the Lord forever. When the Lord returns, He will lift the corruption which now rests upon the whole creation, totally restore Israel to her own land, give her the realization of God’s covenanted promises, and bring the whole world to the knowledge of God.
Death seals the eternal destiny of each person. For all mankind, there will be a resurrection of the body and a judgment. At the close of the millennium, all who have died without Messiah Yeshua will be raised to stand before God’s great white throne. They will be condemned to eternal separation from God and from everything that is good. Their fate will be one of eternal and conscious suffering apart from God. Believers, on the other hand, will be received into blissful and eternal communion with God and will be rewarded for works done in this life. (Deuteronomy 30:1-10; Isaiah 11:1-9; Ezekiel 37:21-28; Daniel 12:2’ Matthew 24:23-31; Luke 16:9-31; John 3:16-21; 5:21-29; Acts 1:10-11; 24:14-15; Romans 8:19-23; 11:25-27; 1 Corinthians 3:11-15; 15:19-58; 2 Corinthians 5:6-10; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 4:13-18; 5:1-11; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; Titus 2:134; Revelation 3;10; 20:1-21:8).