STATEMENT OF FAITH
STATEMENT OF FAITH OF THE MESSIANIC JEWISH ALLIANCE OF SWITZERLAND! WE BELIEVE :
The Bible, consisting of the תנך ( TENACH: Holy Scriptures) and the later writings commonly known as the ברית חדשה ( B’RIT HADASHA: New Covenant ), is the only in infallible and authoritative word of God. We recognize its divine inspiration, and accept its teachings as our final authority in all matters of faith and practice (Deut. 6:4-9; Prov.3:1-6; Ps.119:89, 105;Isa.48:12-16; Rom.8:14-17;II Tim-2:15,3:16-17).
We believe that the ” Shema “, , שְׁמַע, יִשְׂרָאֵל: יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ, יְהוָה אֶחָד ” Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One ” ( Deut. 6:4), teaches that God is אחד (Echad), as so declared: a united one, a composite unity, eternally existent in plural oneness ( Gen. 1:1 לוהאיםElohim:God ); Gen. 1:26 ” Let us make man in our image “; Gen. 2:24 Adam and Eve were created to be as one flesh (בשר אחד : basar echad ), that He is a personal God who created us ( Gen.1&2 ), and that He exists forever as: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, as written in Rom. 8:14-17 ( Father,Spirit and Messiah-Son) and Matt.28:18-20 ( immersing in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit ).
A.GOD THE FATHER (אבא :Abba) Jn.6:27; I Cor. 1:3; Gal. 1:1; Rev. 3:5, 21;Jer.3:4, 19; 31:9; Mal.1:6; Matt. 6:9,32; Lk. 10:21-22; Jn.1:14;4:23; 5:17-26; 6:28-46; Rom.8:14-15.
B.THE SON ( הבן : Ha’Ben )
1. God does have a son [Ps.2, Prov.30:4-6 (Heb. 1 ); Lk. 12:35-37; Jn.1:29-34,49; 3:14-18 ].
2.The son, called ישוע ( Yeshua: Jesus, meaning salvation ), came to this world of a virgin [ Isa.7:14 ( Lk.1:30-35)].
3. The son is God ( Deity ), and is worshipped as God, having existed eternally [Ps.110:1( Heb. 1:13); Isa.9:6-7; Matt.28:18-20; Phil.2:5-11; Col. 1:15-19; Rev.3:21( Heb.1 worshipped by angels); Rev. 4:8 & 5:5-14].
4. This one is the promised משיח ( Mashiach: Messiah) of Israel [Isa.9:6-7; 11:1;Dan.9 (esp. verses 20-26); Isa.53;Jn.1:17,40-41,45,49; Mk.8:29].
5. He is the root and offspring of David, the bright and morning star ( Num.24:17; Rev.22:16 ).
6. He is our Passover, the lamb of God ( I Cor.5:7; Rev.5; Jn.1:29).
C. THE HOLY SPIRIT ( רוח הקודש Ruach HaKodesh ).
1. Introduced in Gen.1:2
2. In the Tenach, the Spirit of God came upon individuals during the times of our forefathers,like Moses, David ( see II Sam.23:1-3), and the Prophets, for specific purposes.
3. In the New Covenant, the Messiah Yeshua, promises his disciples that the ” Comforter ” would come to them after he was gone, described as the Spirit of Truth (Jn.14:17,26), who was with them and would be in them. Yeshua further declared that the Spirit of Truth, would guide us into all Truth, and would glorify Him the Messiah not himself ( Jn.16:13-15). He empowers us ( Acts 1:8). He seals us( Eph.1:13; 4: 30 ). If we have not the Spirit ( Rouach ),we are not His (Rom.8:9). He leads us and teaches us (Rom.8:14-17). His indwelling enables us to live a godly life. Acts2:38 says, ” Repent, be immersed, and receive the Holy Spirit ” ( Rouach HaKodesh ).
A. Created in the image of God (Gen.1:26-27), but:
B. Through disobedience, man fell from his first state and became separated fom God ( Gen.2:17 & 3:22-24).
Therefore, according to the Scriptures, all men are born with a sinful nature (Ps.14:1-3; 49:7; 53:1-3; Isa.64:6; Rom.3:9-12, 23;5:12).
C. Man’s only hope for redemption ( salvation ) is through the atonement made by the Messiah ( Lev.17:11; Isa.53; Dan.9:24-26; ICor.15:22; Heb.9:11-14,28; Jn.1:12,3:36), resulting in regeneration by the Holy Spirit (Tit.3:5), which is the new birth ( Jn.3:3-8). For by grace we are saved, through faith, it is a gift of God ( Eph. 2:8-9).
We believe in the resurrection of both, the redeemed and the lost: the former to everlasting life and the latter to eternal separation from God, a state of everlasting punishment ( Job14:14;19:25-27; Dan. 12:2-3; Jn.3:36; 11:25-26; Rev. 20:5-6, 10-15;21:7-8).
The Scriptures promised two ” comings ” of the Messiah:
A. First coming
1. Promised in Dan. 9:24-26
2. Its purpose was to make an atonement for sin ( Isa.53; Rom.3:21-31; Heb.9&10; Jn. 3: 16-17 ).
B. Second coming
1. Promised coming in the air to receive the believers to Himself ( I Thess.4:13-18;
Jn.14:1-6; I Cor.15:51-57).
2. Messiah’s return to the earth
a. The Redeemer shall come to Zion ( Isa.59:20-21; Zech.14:4).
b. Israel spiritual redemption ( Zech.12:8-13; Rom.11:25-27; Heb.9:28;
Jer.31:31-40; the New Covenant).
c. Israel national restoration is to recover the remnant of His people Israel from the four corners of the earth, and restore the Davidic Kingdom ( Isa.11) to re-establish the throne and Kingdom of David , which will last for ever
[ Isa.11 &9:6-7 ( Lk.1:30-33); Jer.23:3-8].
We believe in God’s end-time plan for the nation of Israel and for the world. A central part of Messianic Judaism is the belief in the physical and spiritual restoration of Israel, as taught in the Scriptures. The greatest miracle of our day has been the reestablishment or rebirth of the state of Israel according to prophecy ( Ezek.34:11-31, 36-39; Hos.3; Amos 9: 11-15; Zech. 12-14; Isa. 11;43;54;60-62;66; Rom.11:1-34 ). (See also Scriptures under V. THE MESSIAH).
A. We recognize that Jewish people ( physical descendants of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob, wether through the mother’s or the father’s blood-line), who place their faith in Israel’s Messiah-Yeshua, continue to be Jewish according to the Scriptures (Rom.2:28-29). Gentiles who place theiur faith in Yeshua, are ” grafted into ” the Jewish olive tree of faith ( Rom. 11:17-25), becoming spiritual sons and daughters of Abraham (Gal. 3:28-29 ).
B. We observe and celebrate the Jewish Holy Days given by God to Israel, with their fulfillment in and through the Messiah Yeshua. We believe that ” Biblical Judaism ” is the faith of first century believers, which we seek to practice, acknowledges the continuity of faith in the One true God, revealed throughout the Scriptures, and ultimately manifested in God’s son, Yeshua the Messiah. We believe that salvation has always been ” by faith ” and that works of law, or righteous acts, have never saved anyone. ( Gen. 15:6; Rom.2:6;Eph.2:8-9;Heb.11:6,39 ).
C: We acknowledge that the New Covenant body of believers is composed of both Jews and Gentiles who have received Yeshua the Messiah as the promised Redeemer. The ” middle wall of partition ” has been broken down and now we worship the God of Israel together. ( I Cor. 12:13; Eph. 2: 13-14 ).
