A few days ago, Answers in Genesis, a ministry I love, promote, financially support, and am blessed by, posted The Dangers of the Hebrew Roots Movement. Please read the previous posts in the series, as I am answering the allegations one by one.
answering answers in genesis, part one
Oftentimes, extrabiblical rabbinic teachings and traditions are elevated (if not in official doctrinal beliefs then in practice) to the same level as Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
This does happen on occasion, and many teachers there are within the Hebrew Roots movement who are actively pointing out the obvious problems with basing one’s faith and practice on extrabiblical teachings and traditions. I personally seek to avoid it, and most Hebrew Roots believers I know do likewise.
I do think it is interesting that Mr. Chaffey here rightly calls out Hebrew Roots believers who elevate extrabiblical teachings and traditions, while further down in the article shields Christians who elevate extrabiblical teachings and traditions when those teachings and traditions come from the church rather than the synagogue. This issue will be discussed in more detail further on.
Although they often speak of keeping the “law,” they are usually inconsistent in how this is understood and defined. For example, certain laws are either broken or neglected while a great deal of attention is placed on keeping the Sabbath (Friday sunset through Saturday sunset) and celebrating the feasts mentioned in Leviticus 23. These issues will be discussed in more detail below.
This very reason I say that we cannot call ourselves Torah-keepers, since none but Yeshua “kept” Torah without flaw. But we are all on a journey whose destination is Torah observance. Yes, even “Gentile Christians,” I would submit. For Paul taught us that he who loves another has fulfilled the Torah (Rom 13:8), and then encourages every Gentile within the Gentile churches he founded to love each other. He is advocating Torah observance, which is Love, just as Yeshua likewise did (Mat 22:36-40). All of us are on different points of the road on this journey, and none of us have arrived. We are all constantly learning and growing. And God our loving heavenly Father is patiently teaching us the next step in the journey.
When I was a baby Christian 40 years ago, the first step on my journey that He emphasized to me over and over again was to honor my father. This is a Torah command (Exo 20:12), and I had to learn to walk in that instruction, which pleased Him. Although I did not call it Torah obedience, nor did any of my pastors or church family, yet to walk in that instruction is to walk in obedience to a Torah command. And then He addressed my next character flaw, and my next, each step progress on the journey whose destination was Love, that is, Torah obedience.
I would venture to guess that Mr. Chaffey is careful to observe the Law of Love, which is nothing more than a summary of the Law of the Ten Commandments, which is nothing more than a summary of the entire Torah.
More: The Law of Love is a summary of the entire Torah
Continued in
answering answers in genesis, part three
answering answers in genesis, part four
answering answers in genesis, part five
answering answers in genesis, part six
answering answers in genesis, part seven
answering answers in genesis, part eight
answering answers in genesis, part nine
answering answers in genesis, part ten
answering answers in genesis, part eleven
answering answers in genesis, part twelve
Interesting that the article sums up with: “The reason for this critique of the HRM is that many in the movement go far beyond the desire to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the historical and cultural background of Scripture and have fallen for false doctrine.”
I can’t think of any of my “HRM” (not how I refer to myself, but whatever…) acquaintances who would disagree with this statement! Unfortunately, it is blatantly obvious that the same conclusion is true for those who find themselves in mainstream Christianity.
Much of what he says is true… much is over-generalization. But comparing the “tradition” of using salt water in a Passover Seder to represent tears of the Israelites in bondage to the “tradition” of Santa Claus or the Easter bunny… well, sorry. Apples to oranges. There is nothing inherently wrong with a tradition – as long as it does not fly directly in the face of scriptural commands. (IMHO) Just being a tradition does not automatically make something pagan, we have to look at the root (and fruit) to determine that!
I disagree with him that it’s many who have fallen for false doctrine. In my experience, the majority of HR believers are that simply because of a desire to stick closely to Scripture and not compromise it.