Is it possible to be Christian and Jewish?

Question

One of my best friends is Jewish and Im Christian and I love both faiths. Can I be both?

Answer 1

The first Christians were Jews. It's perfectly possible to be brought up a Jew, accept that Jesus is your Saviour, and follow his teachings. What's the problem? Jesus was a Jew!

Answer 2

No. No. No.
1. The biggest difference between Christians and Jews is not the Messiah thing, it's the idea of God. Jews reject that God can be a man, or have a son, or split into three.
2. "Messianic Jews" are Christians, and not Jews because they believe that Jesus was God.
3. Re-interpreting Jewish practices from a Christian point of view is insulting. The meaning is lost, and the interpretations are almost always in direct opposition to Jewish law.
4. Christianity is not the fulfilment, extension, or replacement for Judaism. It is not based on Judaism, even if it uses some of the same books. They are two totally separate and different, but equally valid ways to reach God.
5. By the way, "Messianic Jews" are Christians and not Jews.

Answer 3

No. To put it in simple terms, Jesus brought to humans a new way of doing things. It may have been based on the old way, but it was not equivalent. Those who followed these new teachings, be they Jews or others, became Christians. I, too, have heard of "Jews for Jesus", but I find bewildering the concept of accepting and rejecting the New Covenant at the same time!

@Capernaum: all you have proved is that Paul took advantage of the synagogue to spread the message to as many Jews as possible. It makes sense that he would do this for a couple of reasons. First, he wanted his message to reach the Jews, since they were the chosen people in the Old Testament who were supposed to welcome the Messiah. Secondly, this was at a time when there were no churches in existence. The synagogue was a natural place for someone who had been Jewish for a significant part of his life to go and preach.

Answer 4

absolutley not!!!

It is logically impossible.

The Jews do NOT accept Jesus as the savior or the Messiah. Christians do. It is impossible to do both.

Your friend cannot be both. You either accept him or you don't. there is no partial acceptance, because partial means you are a bad christian for not having a full faith, or a bad jew for denying parts of the faith relating to the Messiah.

There is no such thing as a partial Jew. Judaism goes by your beliefs, as I have said. However, in the case of an unknown, it goes by your mother. In Jewish law, you are Jewish if your mother is Jewish. Is your friend's mother Jewish or not?

also, is your friend circumsized or was he christened/baptized? did he have a bar/bat mitzvah or a conformation?

A great quote - "being a jew for jesus is like being a vegitarian for meat."

you simply cannot be both.

Answer 5

This is indeed an utterly difficult question to answer. I would say that it is not possible to be Jewish and Christian at the same time. It is possible however to love both religions, but one must only select one. One cannot possibly accept two religions because differences exist between the two and no two religions in the world are completely alike, if they were, then in reality we would be speaking of one and not two religions. I for example do not let differences in religion interfere with my rationale and my sentiments towards others. I love my friends and I dislike my enemies regardless of our religious differences.

Answer 6

There are a lot more holidays in the Jewish faith that are denied the children of Christians. There is an organization called Jew for Christ that you may want to check out.

http://www.jewsforjesus.org/

Answer 7

The only thing that truly separates the two is the question of the divinity of Christ. Since Christains accept the Old Testament, and their is nothing in the teachings of Christ that is incompatible with Judaism, you can combine them. The divinity issue, not the practices, will be the only thing that will define you to others. Staddling the fence would make you neither.

Answer 8

It worked for Paul.

Acts 14:1
[ Paul and Barnabas in Iconium ] The same thing happened in Iconium. Paul and Barnabas went to the Jewish synagogue and preached with such power that a great number of both Jews and Greeks became believers.

Acts 17:2
As was Paul’s custom, he went to the synagogue service, and for three Sabbaths in a row he used the Scriptures to reason with the people.

Acts 18:4
Each Sabbath found Paul at the synagogue, trying to convince the Jews and Greeks alike.

Acts 18:8
Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, and everyone in his household believed in the Lord. Many others in Corinth also heard Paul, became believers, and were baptized.

Acts 19:8
[ Paul Ministers in Ephesus ] Then Paul went to the synagogue and preached boldly for the next three months, arguing persuasively about the Kingdom of God.

Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.

Romans 2:28-29
For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God’s Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.

Answer 9

As a Christian, we should embrace the Jewish customs because the symbolism is so rich with Jesus. Remain Christian...nothing should take your eyes off of Jesus. But learn and embrace the customs

Answer 10

This was a question in the early Church. Since Christianity is Judaism fulfilled, and the first Christians were Jewish, Gentiles who wanted to follow Christ wondered if they needed to convert to Judaism first. Eventually, it was discerned that no, they didn't.

"For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise." (Galatians 3:27-29)