I've heard of these "Jews for Jesus". If they're not truly Christians, what are they?

Answer 1

I know MANY "Messianic Jews." They ARE CHRISTIANS... You will find that some Jews argue that these Christians are no longer truly Jews, but I've never heard anyone seriously doubt their Christianity... that knew anything about them or their beliefs, anyway.

I would contend that, for the most part, they are probably STRONGER CHRISTIANS than those from other cultures. Their choice to follow Jesus usually came with a very tangible price tag...

I know that is over-generalized, but most Christians in the US have not dealt with condemnation from their relatives and neighbors because of that choice. In other countries it probably varies quite a bit.

I met a Messianic Jew several years ago who had been a Rabbi for about 20 years before he began to study about Jesus, intending to write a book opposing the movement. His is a compelling story of the power of God to reach even those who oppose his message. Several times I have been helped by these Christian Jews to better understand the scriptures when they relate to Jewish culture... Peter's conversion of Cornelius was just the start. After that, he had to explain to MANY Jewish Christians how thing had changed and that Gentiles were welcome to the church...

Acts 11:16 Then I remembered the Lord’s words. ‘John baptized with water,’ he had said. ‘But you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
17 God gave them the same gift he gave those of us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. So who was I to think that I could oppose God?”
18 When they heard this, they didn’t object anymore. They praised God. They said, “So then, God has allowed even those who aren’t Jews to turn away from their sins and live.”

Answer 2

deceivers

and, fyi....they ARE Christians

they are a missionizing branch of the Southern Baptist movement set up with the specific purpose of trying to convert Jews through trickery and deceit

they are NOT Jews

they were never Jews

they have only a token amount of real Jews as members but the vast majority of this movement are Christians who have absolutely NO Jewish ancestory with them

christians just like to claim that they are jews so that they can then claim that their messiah's coming back to them

Answer 3

They are Jews by race, and fulfilled Jews by faith. That is, Jews believe that the messiah is coming. Jews for Jesus recognize that Jesus was born a Jew, that He was a descendant of King David, and that He fulfilled all the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah. As a result, they have come to believe in Jesus as the Messiah and now live, still with Jewish traditions, but believing in Jesus as their Messiah/Savior.

Answer 4

the bottom line as you said. they are christians, they are not jewish.

they are *not* jewish. they are evangelical christians and the most offensive evangelical effort in the world.

think of it this way.

take whatever religious beleifs if any that you have, and pick the religion that is in complete fundamental opposition to your own beleifs.

now, imagine them taking your beliefs, your holidays, and warping them. claiming that its possible to believe YOUR stuff and to believe THEIR stuff(which is of course, fundamentally impossible, as the beliefs are mutually exclusive) and start claiming to be a sect of your religion.

now if that isn't bad enough, imagine that they strategically, like vultures, prey on young, insecure, lonely and isolated young people(like who are away from home at college or something) and try to convert them away from your beliefs, with these lies and deceit and warped untruths.

Judaism has a singular God. no trinity, no incarnate, no mediator, and the jewish messiah has not come. the events neccesary for the ACTUAL jewish messiah to come, or to prove that it has actually occured already.

Answer 5

They are Jews for Jesus. More commonly know as Messianic Jews. The hold the same beliefs as Christians (Jesus is Messiah) only the are BORN Jewish. Jewish is also a culture and ethnic group as well as a, for lack of a better word, Religion.

Answer 6

They are wonderful Christians. They are so excited that the messiah has come and can see all the prophecies clearly because they are fulfilled in Christ. They are the true chosen people of God. They are Jews that know their messiah. A great organization.

Answer 7

This was told in Revelations that before the end of days God's chosen people would begin to accept Christ and it is now being full filled. Have you made a commitment to Christ as your savior.

Answer 8

they are christians who celebrate jewish holidays in a non-jewish way and who perform jewish commandments (except for the important ones, like "don't worship idols").

they then stand on street corners stopping anybody who looks jewish and telling them to start believing in their "lord and saviour, the jewish messiah, jesus christ".

sounds pretty christian to me.

EDIT

somebody has already pointed out their website. allow me to quote from their statements of faith displayed on their website and you decide for yourself whether they are jewish or christian:

http://www.jewsforjesus.org/about/statementoffaith

"We believe in one sovereign God, existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit"

"We believe that God the Father is the author of eternal salvation, having loved the world and given His Son for its redemption."

"We believe that Jesus the Messiah was eternally pre-existent and is co-equal with God the Father; that He took on Himself the nature of man through the virgin birth so that He possesses both divine and human natures."

"We believe that Jesus the Messiah died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice; that all who believe in Him are justified, not by any works of righteousness they have done, but by His perfect righteousness and atoning blood and that there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved."

once again, they don't sound very jewish, do they? in fact you will not find anything in their quite long statement of faith that any jew, even the most liberal, would agree with. its all mind-numbingly christian.

so... is messianic "judaism" judaism? or is it nothing more than christianity with an agenda to make itself more palatable to the jews, in the same way the christians adopted all sorts of other non-biblical practices and holidays in the past in order to make themselves more palatable to people like the celts as well? the answer is pretty obvious.

Answer 9

They're basically Christians. The Jewish part is more of a cultural heritage thing- Judaism is as much a tradition as it is a religion.

Answer 10

They call themselves Messianic Jews. They believe In Jesus as Messiah/Christ. But still hold on to the Jewish ways of life.
It's GREAT to have them grafted back in!!!! Woo HOO
†