From: Rabbi Moshe Koniuchowsky
To     : heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org
Subject: Messianic Jewish vs Messianic Israel movements


                A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE MESSIANIC
                      JEWISH AND MESSIANIC ISRAEL
                                         MOVEMENTS

                             By Rabbi Moshe Koniuchowsky

The following personal observations are those of Rabbi Moshe
Koniuchowsky, B'nai Yahshua Synagogue of Miami Beach and Your Arms
to Israel International Ministries. They do not represent or
necessarily reflect the views of the Messianic Israel Alliance, its
steering committee, member congregations, or the people of Messianic
Israel.


                                       THE CHURCH

Messianic Judaism views the church as a separate and predominantly
"gentile" entity, apart from the people of Israel (i.e. the Jews).
Both make up the body, yet remain distinct and separate never actually
fully coming together this side of heaven. The best that can be hoped
for is toleration and understanding, not full unity such as joint
services.

Messianic Israel does not recognize the church as a separate entity
apart from the covenant people of Israel. According to Messianic
Israel, there is no such thing as "the church", rather the ekklessia
of New Covenant Israel consists of saved Jews, saved Israelites
(remnant of the 10 tribes), along with non-Israelites, all making up
Yahshua's ekklessia. The ekklessia is one both now and forever.


                                     GENTILE BELIEVERS

Messianic Judaism views saved gentiles as non Israelites, who have no
Israelite blood whatsoever, having no legitimate claim to be
physically descended from the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
They believe that any born again "gentile", who claims physical
descent from the patriarchs, either has a drop of Jewish blood from an
ancient grandparent, or are just Jewish wannabe's, engaged in
delusion. Views the concept that any saved non-Jewish believer, could
be a lost non-Jewish Israelite, as utter nonsense.

Messianic Israel believes that most of the non-Jewish followers of
Yahshua are Ephraimites, those who were scattered amongst the gentile
nations starting in 721 BCE. They were the Lo Ami of Hosea one, who
were not a people, but have now been restored as individuals as
promised by the prophets, through Israel's Messiah. These latter day
"gentiles", are washed and then awakened to their Israelite heritage
by Messiah Yahshua, in fulfillment of many promises. Their recognition
of their identity as the seed of Ephraim and their union with Jewish
Israel, is a necessity for all Israel to be saved and for the Kingdom
to be restored to Israel.


                                        SALVATION

Messianic Judaism views the re-gathering, identification and claim of
non-Jewish believers as the other House of Israel as heresy. Believe
the concept of the two houses of a single entity known as Israel, to
be DNA salvation, or salvation by one's bloodline, instead of grace
through faith. Falsely accuses two house proponents of teaching that
salvation is only for Israelites and not for non-Israelites. View
Yahshua's blood as the means by which Yahshua saves any individual who
calls on Him, yet excludes the reality of scattered Israelites (10
tribe Ephraimites), being saved. Salvation is to Jew and Gentile.

Messianic Israel views the gift of salvation as a free gift for
whosoever will. Having said that Messianic Israel does in fact teach
that Ephraim's seed has fulfilled the promise of physical multiplicity
given to the patrirachs and views the re-gathering of the latter day
"gentiles", as consisting mostly of lost Israelites. View Yahshua's
blood as the power of salvation for every human being, including the
12 tribes scattered worldwide. Salvation is to Jew, the lost Israelite
individual and non-Israelite.


                                 COMMONWEALTH OF ISRAEL

Messianic Judaism views this commonwealth as the Messianic Jews plus
"the church", as being the Commonwealth. Within the Commonwealth of
Israel, Messianic Judaism separates Jews and non-Jews into separate
entities, despite claims to the contrary. They hold two different sets
of standards for believers in the "church" and in the Messianic Jewish
movement. Torah is a privilege and burden that only Messianic Jews can
carry and participate in, but "gentiles" cannot and should not
practice Torah, outside of either the limited Acts 15 Jerusalem
Council requirements, or the manmade rabbinical Noachide laws.

Messianic Israel believes that all in the Commonwealth of Israel
purchased by Yahshua's blood are Israelites, with full privileges of
citizenship. Believes that the believer's identity as Israel
supercedes any identity as a Jew, a "gentile", male, female, bond,
free etc. All members of the body are Israelites, either through
physical birth (two houses) or engrafting (Gerim), thus producing one
holy covenant nation called New Covenant Israel, or the body of
Yahshua. These Israelites are at the same time both physical and
spiritual Israelites, since all disciples are physical beings that
have received the Ruach Hakodesh. All Israelites not only can carry
the obligations of Torah, but are required to do so, making no
differential between a Jewish Israelite believer and a non Jewish
Israelite believer.

                             SPIRITUAL VS PHYSICAL ISRAEL

Messianic Judaism believes that Jewish believers are physical Israel
and that non-Jewish "gentile" believers are spiritual Israel. These
two entities are supposedly both Israel, thus establishing two brides.
Messianic Judaism's main concern is that this spiritual Israel "i.e.
the church", does not replace or nullify the promises made to physical
Israel "i.e. the Jews." While on one hand strongly dedicated to
fighting replacement theology, they perpetuate its very survival by
recognizing non-Jewish believers as some sort of a spiritual Israel.
Thus Messianic Judaism propagates the war between these two claimants
of the title of Israel, where one or the other can claim superiority
or a more chosen status over and at the expense of the other.

Messianic Israel believes that there are not two brides of Messiah
Yahshua, but in fact just one. This bride is called Israel and is made
up of those rescued from the nations among all 12 tribes. Thus the
House of Judah and the House of Israel along with non-Israelites, are
all Israel. Since all these believers regardless of background are
physical and since in order to be accepted and pleasing to the Father
all must be spiritually aware or regenerated by the Spirit, this
single nation is both and at the same time both physical and spiritual
Israel. Since this is the case, there is no need for a separate entity
claiming to be spiritual Israel i.e. "the church", thus eliminating
the competition and the 2000-year-old battle royal, over which entity
really is the true Israel.


                                    RACIAL DISTINCTIONS

Messianic Judaism while claiming that there are no racial distinctions
in the body of Yahshua, practice their faith quite differently. Jews
and "gentiles" are not only different people groups, but are
identified as such. Terms like Jewish believer or "gentile" believer
are common terminology, thus emphasizing the national and ethnic
difference between brethren. Messianic Judaism refuses to see
returning Ephraimites as long lost brethren, who had been mixed into
the nations. This results in the establishment of Jewish synagogues
and "gentile churches."


Messianic Israel believes that when the members of the body realize
that they have all been made citizens of the Commonwealth of the
Israel of Yahweh, that the racial origin of the individual loses its
importance. Messianic Israel sees all believers as redeemed
Israelites, who have been rescued from the nations and does not focus
in on the lesser titles of Jew, gentile, male and female, bond, or
free. As Abraham's seed, this nation is a royal priesthood and a
peculiar nation as Israel. Thus the focus becomes restoring the
Kingdom to all Israel, rather than breaching the gap between two
separate entities known fallaciously as physical and spiritual Israel.
This concept of physical and spiritual Israel, is a work of the flesh,
a figment of the religious imagination, found nowhere in scripture.
All brethren are fellow Israelites, regardless of their family
descent!

                                    TORAH OBSERVANCE

Messianic Judaism views this as totally optional for non-Jewish
believers. Leaves Torah observance to the individual conscience. Does
not recognize the fact that the latter day "gentiles", who are called
the "melo hagoyim" or the fullness of the nations, came from Ephraim's
physical seed. This rejection of the "melo hagoyim" as legitimate
Israelites has kept up a wall around Torah that traditional Jews have
erected many years ago. A wall around Torah has been erected to keep
non-Jews away and observant Jews inside protected from straying away.
Views Torah keeping amongst "gentile" believers, as confusion and
legalism.

Messianic Israel views most of the saved non-Jews as the promised seed
of Ephraim, that in the latter days would make up the fullness or the
majority of non Jews in the world. Therefore when Yahshua rescues a
non-Jewish believer from the nations, he or she not only has the
privilege of Torah observance, but a divine mandate as well. Since
Messianic Israel views all believers as New Covenant Israel (not
replacing first covenant Israel, but merely a renewed invigorated
people of Israel), all Israelites are encouraged to join Jewish
brethren in keeping Torah, thus removing the wall erected around it by
traditional Judaism. Since Ephraimites trace their ancestry to
Jacob/Israel, through Joseph Jacob's son, they rightly believe that
their forefathers were at the foot of Mt. Sinai receiving Torah, just
as much as the forefathers of Jewish Israel. Therefore all Israel's
children enjoy the blessings of Torah obedience, making no distinction
between Torah observance for Jews and non-Jews.


                                      THE OLIVE TREE

Messianic Judaism believes that the olive tree of Romans 11 is the Jew
and the "gentile", or the natural and wild branches. Uses the
Christian church's definition to define the olive tree.

Messianic Israel believes that the olive tree is the two houses of
Israel, while the natural OLIVE branches are Jewish and the wild OLIVE
branches are non-Jewish Israelites or Ephraimites. Uses Jeremiah the
prophet's definition to define the olive tree of Israel.


           THE RESTORATION OF THE KINGDOM TO ISRAEL

Messianic Judaism believes that this event is past and that it took
place either in the time of King Josiah, or at the time of the return
of Jewish Israel from Babylon. Believes that the two sticks of Ezekial
came together as prophesied at that time, therefore negating the need
for a future restoration of both houses of Israel. Believes that the
reunion has already taken place and that those who claim otherwise
simply have missed the reunion.

Messianic Israel believes that the restorations has definitly not been
fulfilled due to several key issues. First the disciples asked Yahshua
when the event would take place, 586 years after the reunion
supposedly took place! Had the restoration been a past event, the
disciples would not have asked Messiah Yahshua the question in a still
future setting. Thus it is clear that the New Covenant disciples of
Yahshua, still looked forward to the reunification of both houses.
Messianic Israel believes that according to Ezekial 37, the reunion
will be highlighted by a full return to the land of Israel, not a
partial ones referenced by Messianic Judaism! Messianic Israel
believes that when this full return takes place, that there will be
sinless perfection with no idolatry found in either stick or either
house. Obviously, not only is the full nation not back in the land,
both houses have massive perversions in their belief systems, such as
Ephraim's celebration of pagan holy days and Sunday Sabbath and
Judah's love of Babylonian wisdom, writings and practices. According
to the same Ezekial 37 passages, one King will rule over both houses.
Unsaved Jewish Israel is still in the majority and still is
stiff-necked and still refuses to let Yahshua, Yahweh's blessed Son
rule over their affairs. Therefore Messianic Israel believes that the
fullness of this scripturally promised reunion, has never fully come
to pass.

                                  REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY

Messianic Judaism loathes it and does everything in its power, to rid
this doctrine of demons from theological circles. Yet tragically and
ironically, it propagates it by their misunderstanding of the church
as a distinct and separate spiritual Israelite entity.

Messianic Israel believes that the body of New Covenant Israel is both
physical and spiritual, thus eliminating the theological strawman
built by religion called the church. Once one of the two competing
brides is recognized as a demonic manmade strawman, then we are left
with one bride known as the Commonwealth of Israel, where there are no
distinctions in race or nationality. Thus while loathing replacement
theology as well, Messianic Israel has been given the correct
theologicgal understanding and insight, to eliminate the theological
strawman.

                                  SHABBAT AND MOADIM

Messianic Judaism is committed to 7th day Shabbat keeping, Rosh
Chodesh (New Moons), as well as all the Feasts of Yahweh.

Messianic Israel is also committed to celebrate the 7th day Shabbat,
Rosh Chodesh (New Moons), as well as the Feasts of Yahweh. All those
who do so are viewed as Israelites, not as saved "gentiles".


                                      THE TEN TRIBES

Messianic Judaism believes that the ten tribes ceased to be an
identifiable nation and as individuals were swallowed up by
identifiable Jewish Israel. Messianic Judaism believes therefore, that
the Jewish people today are the reunited, reconstituted visible nation
of Israel, made up of a re-gathering of all 12 tribes. These 12 tribes
today are known strictly and only as Jews, thus eliminating the need
for a future and further re-gathering of the House of Israel.

Messianic Israel believes that the nation of Israel remains blind and
that blindness is found in two separate houses, as Yahshua Himself
found when both houses stumbled over His Messiahship. Messianic Israel
believes that scripture is clear that Ephraim's (10 tribes)
punishment, was for them to be swallowed up and become one flesh with
the pagan nations of the world, outside the land of Israel. Thus in
order to find them, Yahshua has been saving the gentile nations,
looking for these individual lost sheep, who make up the nation of the
House of Israel. To locate them you would have to preach the gospel to
the whole wide world of non-Jewish nations. Messianic Israel does not
believe that scriptures ever promised, that the 10 tribes would be
swallowed by Jewish/Israel, but rather would be scattered and hidden
in the gentile pagan nations, only to be rescued by Messiah, in the
last days of this age.


                                   TABERNACLE OF DAVID

Messianic Judaism believes that the Tabernacle of David is only the
Jewish people. Therefore in order to bring biblical reconciliation in
these last days, efforts must be made to reconcile the Jews and "the
church", or to put it another way, to bring "the church" back to her
Jewish roots. Messianic Judaism is actively engaged in restoring the
broken relationship between these two separate Israel's, or the two
separate brides of Yahweh.

Messianic Israel believes that the Tabernacale Of David by historical
and biblical definition must resemble and be an exact replica of the
people of Israel, over which David ruled and over which David
established his tabernacle. By definition then, Messianic Israel is
actively engaged in restoring the broken relationship between Israel's
two houses or two chosen families, that will lead to the Kingdom being
restored to Israel. Messianic Israel believes that restoration amongst
brethren is biblical and believes that restoring New Covenant Israel
to "the church" is both unscriptural and fictional, especially in
light of the so-called "church's" commitment to anti-Nomianism.


                                  ORDINATION OF LEADERS

Messianic Judaism will only ordain a rabbi who is thought to be
Jewish, as a Messianic Rabbi. Will not recognize nor ordain any
thought to be non-Jew as a rabbi.

Messianic Israel ordains and recognizes that a messianic rabbi can be
produced from either House of Israel. Therefore a non-Jewish man, can
also be called to be a rabbi in a messianic congregation, since he is
most likely still a physical Israelite, from the non-Jewish side of
the Israelite family, or becomes an Israelite as a Ger.


                                       MEMBERSHIP

Messianic Judaism will only grant full membership with voting
privileges to Messianic Jews. Non Jewish or "gentile" believers are
invited to become associate members. Associate members are however
allowed to tithe and to donate funds, just like any full Jewish
member. Messianic Judaism denies this policy as racist, rather viewing
it as a protection of the Jewishness of the movement.

Messianic Israel views it membership as open and full to anyone who is
blood washed. Messianic Israel believes that associate memberships are
discriminatory and heretical. Messianic Israel's position is that if
one is good enough for Yahshua's assembly, they ought to be good
enough to be full members in any organization claiming to represent
Him.

                                       SACRED NAME

Messianic Judaism views the pronunciation of YHVH as Yahweh or Yahveh,
as inconclusive and beyond finding out. Also believes that the common
usage, or the mere pronunciation of the Name, is a blatant violation
of the commandment not to use it in vain. They tend to interpret the
phrase "in vain", as meaning common everyday usage. Messianic Judaism
is offended by those who do use it within it's circles and do
everything possible to discourage the Sacred Name from being used,
preferring instead to use Hashem, which means "the Name".

Messianic Israel's congregations and ministries, tend to be more open
to its use. Though pronunciations may vary from person to person,
there is a general consensus that since Yahweh is restoring all things
in and about Israel, that it must also be His desire to restore His
eternal redemptive, memorial covenant Name. Messianic Israel believes
in most part, that any attempt to restore all things spoken of by
Israel's prophets to Israel's people, without restoring the Father's
eternal memorial everlasting Name, would leave the movement short of
its goals and vision. Usage of the sacred Name is prevalent throughout
Messianic Israel and those who do not use it, are not offended by
those who do.

                                  CHARISMATIC SIGN GIFTS

Messianic Judaism has a mixture of those who do and those who do not
believe in the sign gifts and in their perpetuity. Attitudes and
doctrines vary.

Messianic Israel has a mixture of those who do and those who do not
believe in the sign gifts and in their perpetuity. Attitudes and
doctrines vary.

                                       CONVERSIONS

Messianic Judaism believes that those who are not Jews in order to
join Israel must convert. This process takes on various means and
modes. This practice at its core is due to Messianic Judaism's
rejection of the historical reality of non-Jewish Israelites being
redeemed by Yahshua's blood. They fallaciously believe that the Jewish
people today are all of the Israelites that exist today, therefore one
must become a Jew through conversion, to become an Israelite if one
was not born Jewish. There has been much debate and controversy as to
what conversion standards should be accepted, ranging from Messianic
Beit Din, to the opinion that traditional Orthodox Jewish standards
are in order. This understanding results from the misunderstanding
regarding the survival and preservation of the other House of Israel
as and among the latter day "gentiles."

Messianic Israel views all conversions with scepticism and disdain. To
Messianic Israelites, all believers became physical-Spirit filled
Israelites, regardless of racial origin. Thus no conversion is
necessary, since an Israelite need not be adopted into the nation of
Israel, that according to scripture, he or she already belongs to
either by birth or by grafting. Messianic Israel believes that Yahshua
allowed us all to become Israel, so as to avoid the very manmade
decisions and rulings handed down by man made and man generated
committees, as to who is and who is not a Jew. Messianic Israel views
the entire conversion process of Ephraimites and non-Israelites to
Messianic Judaism as a sad scenario, played out by those who do not
realize that Israel has two chosen families. As such no conversion is
necessary, since a conversion merely transfers a believer from one
side of the family, to another, not from one faith to another.
Furthermore Messianic Israel views conversions as a heretical
practice, designed to cheapen Yahweh's grace who accepts an individual
as they are, where they are and places them into Israel's Commonwealth
Himself. Messianic Israel therefore views conversions as dangerous and
as a direct attack against divine sovereignty.

                                CIRCUMCISION OR BRIT MILAH

Messianic Judaism abides by differing versions of Acts 15 and the
Jerusalem Council. By and large non-Jews are taught that they need not
be circumcised unless they convert to Messianic Judaism through a man
appointed Bet Din. "Gentiles" are taught that they are in most cases
already circumcised by the hospital and even if they are not they need
not be.

Messianic Israel views all members of the Olive Tree as born again
Israelites. As such all believers need to or should be circumcised the
8th day. Messianic Israel does not accept, as a legitimate
circumcision, any Brit Milah performed on non-Jewish believers in a
hospital immediately at birth, since it was not performed the 8th day
according to Torah. All believing male Israelites are encouraged to
become physically circumcised the 8th day, as an act of obedience much
like water mikvah. Messianic Israel views the warnings and forbidding
of Rav Shaul (Paul) against circumcision, not as the forbidding of the
token of the Abrahamic Covenant, but rather as a forbiddance for
Ephraimites and non-Israelites to become part of "the circumcision",
or to become Jews. Thus the many verses forbidding circumcision, are a
warning not to equate conversion to Judaism (becoming Jewish or
joining the circumcision), as having any bearing on salvation or
obedience to Yahweh. All believers must be circumcised, as Abraham's
seed, just as all believers must be water mikvahed, as an act of faith
in Yahshua.

                                    BAR & BAT MITZVAH

Messianic Judaism views these practices as mitzvoth and holds them
equal to the scriptural commands. Views these observances as binding
on all Jews and converts.

Messianic Israel views these practices as traditional additions to
Judaism and as strictly optional and not binding on Israelites in any
way.

                               HALACHAH (The Way to Walk)

Messianic Judaism respects traditional rabbinical halachah and often
times chooses to submit to it. Obedience to traditional rabbinical
halacha varies from congregation to congregation. As a whole Messianic
Judaism seeks to become the recognized and established fourth major
branch of Judaism after Orthodox, Conservative and Reform. This can
only be done by Messianic Jewish leadership's acceptance, of a large
portion of traditional rabbinical halachic teachings and rulings.

Messianic Israel views traditional rabbinical halachah as dangerous in
many instances and views Yahshua alone as "The Way", therefore He
alone is halachah. Messianic Israel views traditional rabbinical
rulings with interest, to be used for wisdom and insight but not for
practical doctrine and living.


                                 KASHRUT-KOSHER KEEPING

Messianic Judaism in general follows all of biblical kashrut such as
the avoidance of pig and shellfish. Some segments follow the
rabbinical halacha of the separation of milk and dairy. This segment
uses different pots and pans for meat and dairy products, never mixing
the two. This is a minority segment.

Messianic Israel in general follows all of biblical kashrut such as
the avoidance of pigs and shellfish. Most segments do not follow the
halachic laws of separation between milk and dairy products and
different pots and pans, though a few do.


                         REVERSE REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY

Messianic Judaism believes that the "gentile"beleiver, is a type of
the House of Israel (10) tribes and not the redeemed physical remnant
of the ten tribes itself. Proliferates the fallacious and dangerous
understanding of the so-called "church", as the "Ephraim of the
Spirit", or "spiritual Ephraim", thus engaging in reverse replacement
theology. Reverse replacement theology, is substituting a man made
spiritual entity called "the church", for the re-gathered, rescued,
redeemed remnant of the physical House Of Israel (Ephraim). Thus while
rightly loathing "the church's" replacement theological practices of
trying to use the "church" to replace the Jews as the "New Israel",
most of Messianic Judaism seems to have no problems with using the
same "church", to replace the physical House of Joseph. The House of
Joseph is just as biologically Semitic, as are the Jewish people and
thus sadly and tragically Messianic Judaism in great ignorance, often
practices anti-Semitism through reverse replacement theology.

Messianic Israel does not engage in any kind of replacement theology,
including steering clear of reverse replacement theology. By
proclaiming that two physical Houses of Israel are being restored
through the Messiah Yahshua, neither house is ignored, or replaced by
one another, nor by an outside manmade third party entity called "the
church". The "church", is not used to replace either house in Yahweh's
eternal plans and thus all three parties that make up New Covenant
Israel thrive, survive and dwell together as brethren in greater
Israel. Judah, Ephraim and Gerim (strangers), all live in unity as
Spirit filled physical beings, united by Yahshua's cords of love, in a
single entity known as His body, the ekklessia, or the Commonwealth of
Israel. All forms of replacement theology are utterly rejected as
anti-Semitic, including reverse replacement theology, as is often
practiced in other forms of Messianism.

                                     YAHSHUA'S DEITY

Messianic Judaism (the modern movement), was established upon a strong
foundation, by men who held fast to the absolute deity of Messiah
Yahshua. The leadership was and remains one hundred percent committed
to teaching His deity. Yet recent years have found widespread apostasy
in it ranks, as literally scores of Messianic Jewish adherents, as
well as numerous rabbis, have become apostate by denying this cardinal
truth upon which all major Messianic Jewish organizations were
originally established. As one major leader recently put it "it (this
heresy) is destroying the movement."

Messianic Israel requires that any congregation or Messianic Israelite
leader, must make a full and compete confession of Yahshua's deity,
prior to acceptance and recognition in Messianic Israel. Several
leaders and ministries have been refused membership, due to their
unscriptural position regarding Yahshua's deity. Yahshua's deity is a
main bedrock of the gospel, which Messianic Israel cannot compromise.
Messianic Israel seeks to weed out those holding this view, before
infiltration of this hideous doctrine into its ranks.

                                   WOMEN IN MINISTRY

Messianic Judaism does not actively promote or encourage women to the
five-fold ministry.

Messianic Israel does encourage and actively allow women to function
as five fold ministers.

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