TRUE FOLLOWERS OF THE MESSIAH (1)

The subject of being followers of the Messiah is approached from many different angles. People who are all claiming to be followers of the Messiah may not necessarily believe the same things, nor live their lives according to the same principles and guidelines. What some people mean when they say they are followers of the Messiah, may not even be REMOTELY the same as what others mean by the same confession. Let’s be honest: People looking from the outside must be quite amused at what they are seeing! And even worse: Many people must be shocked and disillusioned at all these confusing and sometimes directly opposing claims – even to such an extend that they would rather choose not to be believers at all, than to be labelled "followers" of the Messiah. Let us look into this matter once more and try to come to a more profound and unified understanding, based upon sound interpretation of Scriptures. Hopefully a venture like this will help to establish more clarity and integrity and serve as an encouragement to those on the outside (and perhaps even to those in complete opposition to the so-called Messianic Movement), to fully embrace the true message of, and about the Messiah.

  1. FOLLOWING Y'shua THE MESSIAH IS A RESULT OF RECOGNISING THAT Y'shua OF NATSARET IS A CENTRAL ROLE PLAYER IN YAHWEH’S PLAN FOR THIS WORLD.
    2.

    Isa 11:1-4 And a Rod shall come forth from the stump of Yishai, and a Sprout from his roots shall bear fruit. The Spirit of Yahweh shall rest upon Him – the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Yahweh …with righteousness He shall judge the poor …and shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth.

    Joh 1:45 Philip found Nethanél and said to him, "We have found Him whom Mosheh wrote of in the Torah, and the prophets: Y'shua of Natsaret – the son of Yoseph."

  2. FOR THOSE WHO RECOGNISE THE ABOVE, "FOLLOWING" IS A DEFINITE REQUIREMENT, NOT SOMETHING OPTIONAL.
    3.

    Mat 10:38 And he who does not take up his stake and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.

    Mat 12:30 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.

    Mar 8:38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinning generation, of him the Son of Adam also shall be ashamed when He comes in the esteem of His Father.

    Joh 5:23 … that all should value the Son even as they value the Father. He who does not value the Son does not value the Father who sent Him.

  3. FOLLOWING DOES NOT MEAN REDUPLICATING EVERY SINGLE THING HE DID.
    4.

    Mat 20:22 But Y'shua answering, said, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and to be immersed with the immersion that I am immersed with?"

    Joh 13:33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You shall seek Me, and as I said to the Yehudim, ‘Where I am going, you are unable to come,’ I now also say to you.

  4. FOLLOWING ALSO DOES NOT MEAN LEAVING OUT THE THINGS WE DON’T LIKE.
    5.

    Joh 12:47-48 And if anyone hears My Words but does not watch over them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My Words, has one who judges him: the Word that I have spoken shall judge him in the last day.

    1Jo 2:1-6 My little children, I write this to you, so that you do not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Intercessor with the Father, Y'shua Messiah, a righteous One. And by this we know that we know Him, if we guard His commands. The one who says, "I know Him," and does not guard His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever guards His Word, truly the love of Elohim has been perfected in him … The one who says he stays in Him ought himself also to walk, even as He walked.

  5. FOLLOWING DOES NOT INCLUDE PLAYING DOWN Y'shua AGAINST SHAUL
    6.

    1Co 11:1 Become imitators of me, as I also am of Messiah.

    Phi 2:5 For, let this mind be in you which was also in Messiah Y'shua,

    Eph 5:2 And walk in love, as Messiah also has loved us, and gave Himself for us.

    Let us always remember: Y'shua is the Son of Yahweh, not Shaul

    Y'shua is the promised Messiah, not Shaul

    Y'shua is the head of the body, not Shaul

    Y'shua is the reason why we believe, not Shaul

  6. FOLLOWING DOES NOT INCLUDE PUTTING ASIDE THE TORAH
    7.

    Mat 5:17-19 Do not think that I came to destroy the Torah or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to complete. For truly, I say to you, till the heaven and the earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall by no means pass from the Torah till all be done. Whoever, then, breaks one of the least of these commands, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the reign of the heavens; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the reign of the heavens.

    Mar 12:28-34 And one of the scribes … asked Him, "Which is the first command of all?" And Y'shua  answered him, "The first of all the commands is, ‘Hear, O Yisraél, Yahweh is our Elohim, Yahweh is one. And you shall love Yahweh your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your being, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first command. And the second, like it, is this, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other command greater than these. And the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth … And when Y'shua saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the reign of Elohim."

  7. FOLLOWING DOES NOT INCLUDE RESHAPING Y'shua INTO YAHWEH

Mat 19:16-17 And see, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good shall I do to have everlasting life?" And He said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except One – Elohim. But if you wish to enter into life, guard the commands".

Mat 27:46 And about the ninth hour Y'shua cried out with a loud voice, saying … "My El, My El, why have You forsaken Me?"

Joh 17:3 And this is everlasting life, that they should know You, the only true Elohim, and Y'shua  Messiah whom You have sent.

Joh 20:17 Y'shua said to her, "Do not hold on to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father. But go to My brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My Elohim and your Elohim.’ "