Discernment Warning For Brothers And Sisters In Christ

Warning about Hebrew Roots / Hebrew Perspective / Torah Observant / Torah Sisters / Judaizers in the OKC, Edmond, Guthrie Area

There is a group or possibly groups in the Oklahoma City, Edmond, and Guthrie area preying on Christians who have grown discontent with the shallow church culture in our area of the country and have fallen into error by the influence of Judaizers.

They are infiltrating small groups, home school groups, coffee shops and other Christian gathering places, while seeking out (in general) people who have been isolated from the body of Christ and are seeking a deeper walk with Christ than much of the church culture in our area can or has provided. 

They are teaching a form of legalism that sounds similar to messianic Judaism, but is not messianic Judaism - it is more similar to "Hebrew Roots" doctrinal errors, or Herbert Walker Armstrongs' "Church of God In Christ" doctrinal errors, or "Seventh Day Adventist" doctrinal errors but is a more casual approach to those same types of false doctrines.

Some of these folks call themselves Torah observant believers, or believers of Yeshua or Jeshua or YHWH, or believers with a "Hebrew" perspective - but the gospel they preach is what the scripture calls the gospel of the Judaizers and the apostles defined as enemies of the gospel of Christ for their false teachings and false doctrines, (by adding Christ to their interpretation of obedience to law, rather than the sound doctrine of Christ as the FULFILLMENT of those laws).

They profess faith in Christ, but elevate the laws and teachings of Judaism above the authority and teachings of Christ found in scripture by inspiration of the Holy Spirit and revealed in the teachings of the apostles.

They will teach subtly at first and proselytize struggling believers or believers who are immature in biblical doctrine (which are many today), to convince them to begin practicing aspects of the ceremonial, dietary and civil laws for obedience to God - but will profess Christ and these teachings as "Christian" doctrine.

I will try to summarize some of what I have observed and my interactions with members of this group (who I love and have spoken to on many occasions about these things) so that those of you who are unaware or are being influenced by will know up front - and not have to go through years of prayer and anguish to try to discover what is going on in these relationships:

Things that typically show the influence of this group of Judaizers:
  1. That they begin to exchange the names of the Godhead for Yeshua or Jeshua or Messiah (for Jesus or Christ) and Yahweh or YHWH (for God the Father)
  2. That they begin to stop celebrating Easter, Christmas or Sunday worship as "idolatry" or demonic worship
  3. That they stop eating pork, shellfish and other "unclean" foods in accordance with the dietary laws of the Old Testament
  4. That they begin to participate in and teach the festivals, Sabbaths and ceremonies of the Old Testament for obedience
  5. That they begin to interpret scripture through the lens of the Old Testament rather than the progressive revelation of the Holy Spirit being the testimony of Christ and the apostles (The New Testament) through which the Old Testament should be interpreted
  6. That they begin to leave churches and participate in smaller "home" churches or "bible" studies that agree with their newfound "Hebrew perspective" or "special revelation" and oppose believers who do not agree
  7. That they testify of "miracles" or "special revelation" by obeying the civil, ceremonial, or dietary laws of "Torah" or the old testament or viewing scripture with an "Old Testament" or "Hebrew" perspective
  8. That they "evangelize" by lifting up aspects of the civil, ceremonial, or dietary laws of the Old Testament rather than the message of the gospel of Christ or the glory and testimony of Christ
Errors they won't teach you at first or will teach subtly - but that most of their leaders typically hold to:
  1. God commands that you obey the civil, ceremonial, and dietary laws (feasts, festivals, sabbaths, new moons, abstaining from pork etc.) and that these are the only truly "obedient" methods of worship 
  2. That spiritual maturity is growing in understanding of the "special revelation" of these laws and in obedience to them for righteousness (right standing with God) - and that failing to do so is immaturity (at best) or disobedience (at worst)
  3. That they are grafted into Israel (rather than into Christ through faith) and therefore all of the commands God gave to Israel (including the civil, dietary and ceremonial laws) are binding on the believer professing faith in Christ
  4. That participating in the Sabbath on Saturday or Sabbath festivals is a sign that you belong to God (His forever sign they say) and that not participating in the Sabbaths or participating in Sunday worship of the Lord's Day is a demonic lie (at worst) or error of immature believers (at best)
  5. That by obeying these commands you get "special revelation" from God and if you do not you are in "outer darkness" (at worst) or immature (at best)
  6. That the only truly obedient and spiritual names to call the Godhead are Yeshua or Jeshua or Messiah (for Jesus) and Yahweh or YHWH (for God the Father) that other names are idolatry (at worst) or spiritual immaturity (at best)
  7. That to understand scripture - all scripture must be interpreted first by the "Torah" (the Old Testament) - or from a "Hebrew perspective" in order to understand the testimony of the Holy Spirit (because they say God never changes) - denying that Christ came to judge the apostate "Hebrew" perspective and restore true perspective through and in the writers of the New Testament
  8. That if the interpretation of scripture (particularly the New Testament) does not agree with THEIR interpretation of "Torah" it is a deception and demonic and cannot be the Holy Spirit (at worst) or spiritual immaturity (at best)
  9. That the true leading of the Holy Spirit will lead a believer to obey the civil, ceremonial and dietary laws for worship, and that not following this is disobedience (at worst) or spiritual immaturity (at best)
  10. That most of the churches in America are in deception and lying to their congregations about the law and message of the gospel for obedience to the civil, dietary and ceremonial laws
  11. That they believe most of the churches in America are "lawless" or anti-nomian (at best) or "Gnostics" (at worst)
  12. That any participation in Easter or Christmas is idolatry and demonic (at worst) or error of immature believers (at best)
Some of the fruit of the group's teaching from the people I know who have gotten involved in it and what you can expect if you or loved ones are influenced by or under the influence of:
  1. Separation of close long time friendships of brothers and sisters in Christ who disagree with their teachings
  2. Isolation from "mainstream" churches, pastors, elders who may hold them accountable
  3. No affiliation with a church, body of elders or sanctioned by churches who disagree with their doctrine (though they may declare to be their own "church")
  4. Many will usurp the authority of scripture - they will directly contradict much of what the apostles taught with their elevation of "special revelation" or "experience" obtained by obeying the laws from a Hebrew perspective
  5. Many of the women teaching in the group I know have usurped the God given authority of their husbands and have taken the lead roles as pastors, teachers or elders of the group either subtly or directly
  6. Many will usurp the authority of the apostles - (The epistle to Galatians, The council of Jerusalem in Acts etc. in particular) - and continue to elevate the civil, dietary and ceremonial laws and diminish the gospel and testimony of Christ
  7. Many have focused on external obedience to these Jewish laws as "righteousness" or "obedience" or "holiness", but neglect the inward cleansing of the Holy Spirit from things God calls sinful through faith in the gospel and glory of Christ
  8. Many will subtly stop talking about spiritual things to those who disagree with their doctrine or hold them accountable to the testimony of Christ in scripture as defined by the apostles
  9. Many will separate themselves and only participate in "spiritual" things with those who agree with their doctrine, practice and perspective
  10. Many exchange true sanctification of the inward thoughts and actions for outward obedience and the hypocrisy of outward righteousness
Why I believe these errors are so seductive in our area:
  1. The shallow church culture so prevalent in our area has created a culture of "experience" or "community" or "unity" over sound doctrine - (the if it feels right or feels positive - it must be true culture), rather than submission and obedience to sound doctrine
  2. The shallow church culture in our area fails to consistently and accurately teach sound doctrine (from the authority of Christ and the apostles as defined in the New Testament) because it is largely unpopular with unbelievers and doesn't grow the audiences or experiences they want
  3. The majority of attendees of the shallow church culture in our area don't know, aren't equipped with or sanctified by the sound doctrine that comes from the Word Of God as defined by Christ through the writings of the apostles in the New Testament
  4. Pastors, elders and shepherds in our area are more interested in church growth and positive environments and experiences than protecting and equipping the flock of Christ with the sanctifying, protecting and equipping Word of God as defined by Christ through the writings of the apostles in the New Testament
  5. Pastors, elders and shepherds in our area don't proactively hold accountable or watch over many like those who have fallen into error and seek them out to equip them with the Word Of God or restore them by the Word Of God because they are too busy trying to grow churches with positive experiences
  6. The current shallow church culture and model creates a void of authenticity, sanctifying or equipping power, or growth for those to: hear, believe, grow and continue in faith and a relationship with God through Christ by that faith
  7. Those who desire to grow in faith, authenticity or faithful community don't have many places to go that put those sound doctrines into practice - because many don't know, don't believe or don't hear what sound doctrine is
  8. That the enemy of our soul wants to stifle anyone who desires to grow in sound doctrine, promote sound doctrine, or practice sound doctrine that elevates the glory and gospel of Christ and testifies of the sinfulness of man and their need for redemption
  9. That the enemy of our soul comes as an "angel" or "messenger" of light to deceive and devour any that he can, and stifle those who are led by the Spirit of Christ - he is subtle, seductive, and deceiving
  10. That the shallow church culture in our area is ignorant of the spiritual battle, of the schemes of our enemy, or of the power of God to equip a believer to overcome these attacks by the teaching, exaltation and sanctification by faith through the sound doctrine of Christ as taught by the apostles
  11. That those seeking authenticity are looking for some type of tangible evidence (like obedience to outward laws) for confirmation of their relationship with God or authenticity because they are ignorant of the righteousness of God that comes by faith in hearing the sound doctrine of the gospel of Christ
What you can do to guard and protect yourselves or those influenced by this group
  1. If you are a pastor - Submit yourselves to the teaching and proclaiming the Word of God, teach your flock sound doctrine and expose, refute and contend for the faith as a steward of the gospel of Christ, study and believe as approved workmen who correctly handle the Word of God in both teaching and in practice as the apostles of Christ exhorted you to, pray for your flock daily, serve the flock under your charge in service to Christ (bringing Him glory and thankfulness)
  2. If you are an elder or shepherd - watch over those in your flock not under compulsion but in service to Christ. Guard them from the influence of false doctrine, submit yourselves to the authority of scripture, and show yourselves approved workmen who correctly handle the Word of God in both teaching and in practice, pray for your flock daily, submit yourselves to Christ and serve the flock as stewards (bringing Him glory and thankfulness)
  3. If you are a member of the Body of Christ - read the word of God daily, submit to godly elders and pastors and obey them as they watch over you in the Lord, pray for your pastors and elders and members of the Body of Christ, hold accountable and be accountable to other members of the Body of Christ (who love you), with the gifts God has given you out of reverence for Christ (bringing him glory and thankfulness)
  4. If you are a husband or father - read the word of God daily, submit to your godly elders, love your wife and children, make spiritual leadership the primary purpose of your life as the leader of your home in service to Christ, pray for your children and wife daily - grow and show yourselves examples to your family as a workman approved in sound doctrine, in teaching and in practice out of reverence for your elders and Christ (bringing them glory and thankfulness)
  5. If you are a wife or mother - read the word of God daily, submit to your godly husband, love your children, pray for your husband and children daily, show yourselves as an example of service to Christ and to sound doctrine in practice out of reverence for your husband and Christ (bringing them both glory and thankfulness)
  6. If you are a son or daughter - read the word of God daily, submit to and obey your godly parents, pray for them daily, love and respect them in service to Christ (bringing them both thankfulness and glory)