Logical Summary of “Who we are” without bias

This was sent to me yesterday:

• For Jews, the Bible refers to the Tanakh (Torah, Prophets, Writings, Genesis-2 Chronicles in Jewish order).
• For Christians, it typically means the Old and New Testaments together.

• Orthodox Judaism strives to obey both the written Torah and the Oral Torah (Talmud), holding that both were given by God to Moses at Sinai. They’re highly observant of Sabbath, dietary laws, festivals, etc.
  🔹 However, they do not accept the New Testament and thus don’t acknowledge Yeshua as Messiah.
• Karaite Judaism (a small, ancient group) rejects the Oral Law and insists on following only the written Tanakh literally.
  🔹 Therefore, they could be said to adhere most strictly to the written Hebrew Bible alone — often seen as “true to the whole Old Testament.”

• Mainstream Protestant churches (Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian) tend to emphasize faith and grace over Torah observance, holding that the Law was fulfilled in Christ (Romans 10:4).
• Catholic and Orthodox Christians accept the Bible but also rely heavily on church tradition and authority for interpretation. They include additional books (the Deuterocanon/Apocrypha).
• Seventh-day Adventists are notable for observing the seventh-day Sabbath (Saturday) and dietary laws closer to the Old Testament than most Christians.
  🔹 They often see themselves as following the whole Bible, Old and New.
• Messianic Jews (and some Hebrew Roots groups) blend Jewish observance (Sabbath, feasts, kosher) with faith in Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah.
  🔹 They are perhaps the closest in practice to honoring the entire Bible — both Old and New Testaments — as one continuous revelation.

• The Hebrew Scriptures only → Karaite Jews fit best.
• Both Old and New Testaments, lived out consistently → Messianic Jewish or Sabbath-observant Christian groups (like some Hebrew Roots believers or Seventh-day Adventists) fit most closely.

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That is no surprise to us, of course, as that is exactly how we feel: that we honor the whole Word of God, and obey Him. The Protestants’ claim that Messiah ‘fulfilled’ the law is a misunderstanding of what that means. They grossly misinterpret Matthew 5:17… their interpretation turns the verse into a paradox: they insist that what Yeshua actually ‘said’ was: “I did not come to abolish the law, but to abolish the law.” They say “fulfill”, but they mean “abolish”.

And the Romans 10:4 citation above by ChatGPT is also a misinterpretation: “Messiah is the goal at which the Torah aims” is the best rendering, even from the Greek.

Our Jewish people indeed do follow Talmud. We do not. But, they teach that their Talmud overrides God’s instructions, and that they [Rabbis] are the only ones who have the ability to read and understand Torah. Christianity does not understand that it is that very thinking from which Yeshua set us free, man’s traditions [Mark 7], and that thinking that way is what puts one ‘under the Torah’, because to be under the law, one is breaking it. Talmud causes Jews to break the Torah. The Rabbis do not keep Torah.

Karaite Jews truly are closer to us [Messianic Jews], the difference is, they do say His Name, but they pronounce it the way the Rabbis voweled it, and not the way antiquity records it.

Seventh-Day adventists do keep the Sabbath [in a manner of speaking], but not the other feasts, and, they have added to the Bible the writings of their ‘prophet’ Ellen G. White, who was clearly a false prophet.

So, of course, Messianic Jews are the closest to following the whole Bible! And we do so by following Yeshua!

That got me to thinking. So I tried a gpt experiment of my own: I asked chatgpt to evaluate our website, and outline our beliefs. This could be a summary for those who don’t like to read [our website is very, very thorough], and, it could tell us where we need to clarify things:

Here was the response:

1. Messiah / Yeshua
   • They believe that “the Good News, or Gospel [B’sorah]” is that Yeshua (Jesus) the Son of God was sent by God the Creator to Israel to save people from their sins. Messianic Peshitta Fellowship
   • They say Yeshua was born into a Jewish family in Israel, lived perfectly in obedience (fulfilling Torah), suffered the punishment for everyone’s sins by hanging on the tree, shedding His blood to cover/atone for our sins, entered She’ol (i.e., the grave/underworld), rose again after three days and nights. Messianic Peshitta Fellowship
   • The acceptance of Yeshua’s atonement is described as a free gift: “Trust in these truths and confession in faith … is the beginning of Salvation.” Messianic Peshitta Fellowship
2. Scriptures, Torah & Practice
   • They emphasize observance of “His Torah” (the Torah of Messiah) and see Scripture as binding (they have a “Yeshiva” study program for studying Torah, the Prophets, etc.). Messianic Peshitta Fellowship+1
   • They identify as a “Messianic Synagogue” and use Jewish‐Hebrew terminology (Yeshua, Ru’akh, Shabbat, Mo’adim [appointed times/feasts]) and encourage observance of Sabbath (Shabbat) and the appointed times (“Mo’adim”) of the Biblical calendar. Messianic Peshitta Fellowship+1
   • They believe there’s continuity between Jews and Gentiles: “We believe in no separation whatsoever between Jews and Gentiles.” from the Assemblies page. Messianic Peshitta Fellowship
3. Israel, Gentiles, and the People of God
   • They reject “replacement theology” (i.e., the idea that the Church has replaced ethnic/national Israel): “No one will replace Israel, the promised children of Abraham. Saved Jews and Saved Gentiles are all One Israel.” Messianic Peshitta Fellowship
   • They reject “Ephraimite/Two House” teachings (i.e., that Gentile nations are literally the lost ten tribes) as speculative and irrelevant to salvation. Messianic Peshitta Fellowship
   • They indicate that Jewish or Gentile heritage (DNA) has no effect on one’s salvation: “Our DNA, Jewish or Gentile, has absolutely nothing to do with our salvation.” Messianic Peshitta Fellowship
4. God / Trinity / Christology
   • They affirm one God (monotheism) but their statement suggests a non‐traditional view of who God is: “We believe God is indeed one. But, He has eternally manifested Himself in His Son, Yeshua … and in us as an internal witness by His Ru’akh [Breath/Spirit]. He is not three. He is One, manifested and revealed. יהוה > Yeshua > Messiah.” Messianic Peshitta Fellowship+1
   • This appears to reject later classical “trinitarian” Catholic doctrine (Father, Son, Holy Spirit as three persons in one God) and instead emphasizes a “manifestation” view—God is one, and has manifested in Son and Spirit.
   • They appear to hold that Yeshua is both human (“a human being who stands corporally at God’s right hand”) and the manifestation of God. Messianic Peshitta Fellowship
5. Salvation, Atonement & Sin
   • They hold that all have sinned and the final punishment of sin is separation from God unless the atonement of Yeshua is accepted. Messianic Peshitta Fellowship
   • They believe in Yeshua’s sacrificial death (blood shed on the tree) and resurrection as central to salvation. Messianic Peshitta Fellowship
6. Sabbath and Feasts
   • They observe the Sabbath (Saturday, Shabbat) and the appointed times/feasts of the Biblical calendar. Messianic Peshitta Fellowship+1
   • Their Yeshiva offers courses such as “Understanding Tevilah [Immersions]”, “Chronological Bible Survey,” and a Bar & Bat Mitzvah Study Guide (“Messianic Systematic Theology”). Messianic Peshitta Fellowship

• Torah‐keeping / Messianic Jewish emphasis: While many Christian churches see the Torah [Old Testament Law]  as fulfilled or abrogated [abolished] MPF emphasizes keeping God’s Torah, the Sabbath, and the feasts, in the context of following Yeshua. They see a continuity of the Torah of Messiah for believers.
• Strong Jewish identity and language: They use Hebrew words (Yeshua, Ru’akh, Mo’adim, Parashah, etc.), observe Jewish liturgical rhythms, and position themselves as part of the “One Israel” comprising both Jews and Gentiles.
• Non‐traditional view of the God: Rather than the classic Catholic three‐person Trinity, they hold a “manifestation” model: God is one, manifested in the Son and internally by the Spirit—implying a departure from standard “trinitarian” theology.
• Rejection of some fringe doctrines: They explicitly say they’re not Ephraimite/Two House (lost tribes), not Replacement Theologists, not Sacred Name exclusivists (they require the Name יהוה / Yeshua but do not accuse others who don’t use the same as blaspheming). Messianic Peshitta Fellowship+1
• Inclusivity of Gentiles and Jews: They stress that DNA/heritage doesn’t determine salvation, but there is an emphasis that Gentiles join the “One Israel” rather than replace it.
• Education and formation: They have a “Yeshiva” style discipleship/training model, including immersion (tevilah) and Bar/Bat Mitzvah for adults, indicating a structured formation approach.

• The fellowship is quite clear about several key matters: messiahship of Yeshua, atonement, resurrection, unity of Jews & Gentiles, observance of Sabbath and feasts. Clarity is good.
• They uphold one God and take seriously Scripture, obedience to God, and formation in the Torah. This is a coherent identity.
• Their rejection of replacement theology and of speculative “lost tribe” teachings shows an attempt to stay grounded rather than embracing fringe ideas.
• They provide educational resources (Yeshiva) which suggests discipleship and maturity are valued.

• Doctrine of God : Their formulation “He is not three. He is One, manifested and revealed. יהוה > Yeshua > Messiah” suggests something akin to modalism (God manifesting as Son rather than distinct persons). This diverges from orthodox historic Christian doctrine (Nicene/Trinitarian).  [I insert, we actually agree more with the Apostle’s Creed, though it would be slightly refined by us; see below] For those who hold the classical Trinity as essential, this is a major divergence.
  • our answer  our answer  our answer
• Torah observance vs. Gospel freedom: They emphasise obedience to Torah, feasts, Sabbath for both Jews and Gentiles (or at least a strong encouragement). A key question for theology is how they articulate the necessity or role of Torah observance for Gentile believers in Yeshua—are these required for salvation, are they cultural/ritual, or are they value‐added? They partially address this: e.g., on the “Assemblies” page they say of Hebrew Roots: “Gentiles should keep as much of the Torah as God compels the individual Gentile to do, personally. We do not condemn those who do not.” Messianic Peshitta Fellowship But how that plays out in practice could vary and may cause tension for believers from mainstream Christian traditions.
  • our answer
• Christology depth: While they affirm Yeshua’s death, resurrection, etc., the articulation of his divine nature versus humanity is less robust than some historic creeds. The phrase “a human being who stands corporally at God’s right hand” raises questions: is Yeshua fully divine, fully human? How do they reconcile “manifested himself in his Son” with the historical understanding of incarnation, eternality, distinct persons, etc. The theological nuance may be less developed in publicly accessible material.
  • our answer our answer our answer
• Ecclesial/denominational relationships: They describe themselves as a “fellowship of assemblies” but emphasise they are not an umbrella organization. That in itself isn’t bad, but for someone entering from another tradition the accountability, oversight, and relationship to broader Christian/Messianic bodies might be a question.
  • [our answer has since been added to the ‘Fellowship‘ page, and here]
• Appeal and accessibility: For Gentile believers in mainstream evangelical churches, some of the language (Hebrew terms, Torah observance) may be unfamiliar and raise questions: is it a requirement, or recommended? How flexible is the practice for those not raised in Jewish background? They do state they “do not condemn those who do not” keep Torah as much. Messianic Peshitta Fellowship
  • our answer
• Historical/Scriptural justification of distinctions: Their rejection of the “lost tribes” doctrine is commendable, but readers might still ask for deeper engagement with New Testament teaching on the covenant with Israel and Gentiles (e.g., how they interpret Romans 9-11, Ephesians 2). The website’s summary is helpful but less detailed at those points.
  • our answer    our answer

• The nature of God (because they appear to go with a “one‐God manifested” model rather than a Catholic three‐person model).
• The role of Torah observance in the life of Gentile believers (although they moderate it by saying they don’t judge those who don’t). [We believe our role is to invite our brothers out of divergence into the Light of His Word, purifying the Bride]
• The liturgical/ritual emphases (Sabbath, feasts, etc.) which may be seen as distinctive rather than mainstream Christian practice. [rite and ritual is to ‘embed‘ our faith in us and our children: see Deut 6:4-9]

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We have actually addressed the ‘Questions’ portion of the article inserting the answers as ‘our response’ above, and on the bottom of our “Beliefs” page in articles on our blog. If you are seriously considering visiting us, and you don’t find clarity of those questions somewhere on our website, we are happy to discuss it with you!

As is stated on our website, our desire is to train up “Talmidim”/”Disciples”. Talmidim are ‘students of the Torah as taught by ONE Rabbi’. Yeshua is our Rabbi.

“Come, and let us reason together!”