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John,
We have recently discovered your website and very much appreciate your articles and forum. I have hesitated whether to bring the following issue to your forum (it is not a quick, or short, question), but as I think it is an emerging issue that will generate many questions among believers I have decided to at least bring it forward for consideration.
Recently our non-denominational Christian church has become linked to First Fruits of Zion (FFOZ). In the early fall of 2009 FFOZ established a new theological position which they refer to as “Divine Invitation”. They summarize this position as follows:
“Divine Invitation theology defined: Gentile believers do not share identical obligation to Torah as Jewish believers, but they are invited to participate in all of the commandments along with Israel and should be encouraged to do so.”
FFOZ further explains “Divine Invitation”….
“The difference between the One-Law and Divine-Permission positions does not change our message or objectives. We are still working to bring Christianity back to her Jewish foundations and to encourage all believers to keep the Torah, including the holy days and the biblical diet. We are still committed to our mission: “Proclaiming the Torah and its way of life, fully centered on Messiah, to today’s people of God.” The only difference is that you will no longer find us making sweeping over-generalizations that diminish the distinction between Jewish people and non-Jewish believers. You will not hear us saying that Gentile believers who do not choose a Messianic, Torah-observant, Jewish lifestyle are walking in sin.
The Difference: No longer ignoring distinction between Jewish people and Gentile believers. No longer teaching that it is a sin for Gentiles to fail to keep the commandments of circumcision, Sabbath, festivals, and Leviticus 11 dietary standards.
Still the Same: Still teaching Jewish and Gentile believers to keep Torah. Still encouraging Gentiles to take hold of the biblical Sabbath, festivals, and dietary laws as disciples of Messiah from the nations, grafted in to Israel.”
FFOZ has recently provided a 70 page document explaining their shift in position. Our pastor has already spoken of some of the concepts in this paper, and in a private meeting with my husband he encouraged us to “take this journey and see where it leads”. Note that FFOZ claims salvation through grace, and they state
“We do not keep the Torah in order to be saved, we keep it because we are saved.”
We see this new theological position as “walking a fine line”… i.e., as a Gentile believer you aren’t obligated to submit to a “Torah observant” lifestyle like a Jewish believer, but are encouraged (expected?) to become “Torah submissive” to the fullest extent possible for you to achieve.
While the shift by FFOZ is promoted as “better balanced”, we remain very uncomfortable with the continued focus on pursuit of holiness through the Old Covenant (Sinai) law versus a focus on living the New Covenant law of love for God and for others (which we believe fulfills the heart or intent of the Old Covenant). We do not believe that the New Covenant (Christianity) is “lawless” as described in some Messianic forums. We fully support (and view as critical and necessary) the study of the Old Testament. We are concerned because we feel that this new theology of “Divine Invitation” is simply a more palatable path that ultimately leads to legalism or to “neo-Ebionism”.
I understand that you may not have time to review FFOZ’s new theology or to directly address this matter. However, any response that you provide will be appreciated and prayerfully considered.
Shalom,
Sharon
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