From: rich.bellacera@amail.amdahl.com
Newsgroups: alt.messianic
Subject: Re: My Heritage
Date: 4 Sep 92 03:14:20 GMT
Return-Path: <amail.amdahl.com!rich.bellacera@juts.ccc.amdahl.com>

Hi again.

A couple of folx have written to me expressing an inference that my belief in
"grace" to be a lisence to sin.  This is far from what I believe.  I believe
that the Grace of Jesus has freed me from the bondage of fulfilling every jot
and tittle of the law (which can at it's very best give me death since I
cannot fulfill the Law).  However the grace of Jesus has freed me to "live and
walk in the spirit of the law."  It is NOT a lisence to sin, but rather a
freedom from the shackles that bring nothing but death.  I respect the Law as
a guide to good wholesome and healthy living, but I do not regard it as a
drudge that I must complete upon my waking and going to sleep each and every
day. I have discovered that as a guide to goodness it is completely credible,
but as a book of "thou shalt do this or elses", forget it!  We do not live in
the dark ages folks.  God has civilized us with his laws, but I would rather
forgive someone for their transgression than stone them to death!

In my understanding, Judaism does not believe that any man has the ability to
forgive another for trangressions, hence the requirements of the law.  This
understanding may be wrong, but it is besides the point.  If, inorder to
recieve forgiveness from God blood must be shed how does one do this today?  I
hear tell that there is a strong move in Israel to bring back blood
sacrifices. Dear Lord I hope this is a false rumour.  The grace of God has set
me free to serve him out of a desire to do his will (BECAUSE HE LOVES ME, not
because he scares the HELL OUT OF ME!).  I love God, and He loves me.  I
praise and worship him because I know that apart from Him my life is futile
and worthless.  I serve Him and obey His will in my life because he is awesome
and wonderful.

My "conversion" to Christianity (NOT "Xtianity", I do not find that humorous!)
was a "real" experience.  The way it is spoken of by some folks it is as if I
up and decided, "Hmmmm.  I think I'll be a Christian today."  I assure you it
was no such thing.  Until you have had the same experience you can NEVER know
what it is like to KNOW beyond a shodow of a doubt that God is with you every
walking second.  To know He communes with your soul, speaking wonderful and
exciting things.  I LOVE my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the ONLY BEGOTTEN
SON OF GOD, who is God the Word.  He IS the LAW fulfilled.  He is in me and I
am in Him.  I sing praises and will always do so because I know what I
know...not becasue I studied it in some manual somewhere, not because some
clergyman taught it to me, not because I heard it somewhere, but rather,
because God has revealed these truths to my heart and wrote them on it.  I am
forever blessed and forever humbled by the awesomeness of my God.

I still don't know what "good" can now come of the knowledge that I am a Jew
by birth, but I do know what awful thing could come should I do as has been
suggested, to renounce my faith and take back the yoke of the Law.  I obey the
law because I want to, not because I fear God is standing behind be ever ready
to strike me with judgement for slipping up.  If I make a mistake, or sin, I
do indeed repent (I turn from that wickedness and cry out to God who has and
does hear me...and forgives me, then I try with all my strength never to do
that sin again).  You see, it is not a license as you you presume, rather it
it a deep and loving assurance that despite the things I do (or do not do) God
will not forsake me or reject me.  If I were reprobate, then it would be "me"
not God that does the rejection.  It would be me who has turned to one form or
another of Idolatry to replace my love and respect for God.

One person told me that in order to become faithful to the Jewish religion I
would have to be circumsized again, properly.  I'm afraid of that.  I was
circumsized as a child and now have no foreskin.  What would these priest do
to someone who has no foreskin merely to fulfill an ageold ritual?  I shudder
is fear of the answer.

For the MJs here, how would I recognise another MJ if, as has been stated,
they are in every denomination?  I attend a non-denominational church.  Do MJs
perform any extra retuals within the Christian faith or do they basically
abide as any other Christian?

Thank you once more.  This is very enlightening.

-Rich