Our Beliefs
-What is Torah?-
Torah is the Hebrew word meaning Law, Direction/teaching, or most simply stated as Instruction. It is also the word for the first 5 books of The TaNaKh or more commonly referred to as The Pentateuch by christians. However we also include The Mishnah (the Oral Torah) as part of The Torah.
-Does CIAN Truth Ministries™ only promote/teach The Torah ?-
No, we have studies/lessons for most of the books of the TaNaKh (Old Testament), but we also have many studies/lessons on the Brit Chadashah (New Testament) as well as on some select topics.
-Why teach the Old Testament?-
The TaNaKh (Old Testament) makes up about 60% of the entire Scriptures of The canonized Bible, and the Brit Chadashah (New Testament) itself is made up of approximately 50% of TaNaKh (Old Testament) quotes. When we ignore the TaNaKh (Old Testament), we ignore the bulk of HaShem’s (G-d’s) Word. The TaNakh (which is invaluable and fully relevant in and of itself) is alive and well and forms the necessary basis for proper understanding of the Brit Chadashah (New Testament).
-Is there a charge or fee for CIAN Truth Ministries™ Bible Study and Resources and or Torah Class/lessons?-
No! It’s absolutely free, no gimmicks. Our local fellowship, along with generous online donors (thank you!), pays for the Bible study and resources material to include our Torah class/lessons.
-Do I have to sign-up or register so I can access CIAN Truth Ministries™ Bible study, resources, material, and Torah Class/lessons?-
Yes and no. CIAN Truth Ministries™ Bible study, resources, and material are 100% free of charge and require no sign-up or registration to access this material. Where as our Torah class/lessons while still free, due to space constraints, registration is required. When available please click on the Torah class/lessons to register. Registration is that easy.
-What does CIAN Truth Ministries™ teach?-
Teach is not how we would phrase what we do. CIAN Truth Ministries™‘ role in serving the kingdom is to be a facilitator of righteous living by following Messiah Y’shua’s example by providing direct application of HaShem’s Torah to our lives. This is done by providing a structured study of the Bible verse by verse in an exegetical, multi-dimensional format from Genesis to Revelation.
CIAN Truth Ministries™ believes in taking the Bible literally and tends to concentrate mostly on the TaNaKh (Old Testament) because it plays an enormous role in the Brit Chadashah (New Testament) and unfortunately has traditionally been the least studied and understood part of the Bible by modern-day Christians.
-Does CIAN Truth Ministries™ believe in and teach the New Testament?-
Yes, of course! However, the TaNaKh (Old Testament) is critically important to know before serious Brit Chadashah (New Testament) study should even begin, since it forms the foundation for a proper context and understanding of the New Testament.
The TaNaKh (Old Testament) answers many theological questions that the Brit Chadashah (New Testament) doesn’t address and establishes principles that a Bible student absolutely needs to know and understand.
Your knowledge of many of these principles is taken for granted in the Brit Chadashah (New Testament).
-Does CIAN Truth Ministries™ think that “Christians” need to become Jewish or practice Judaism in order to worship Y’shua ?-
Well no and yes.
Conversion requires careful consideration and extensive self-examination that only you can truly answer for yourself.
No CIAN Truth Ministries™ does not “advocate” for a “Christian” believer of Messiah Y’shua to convert to one of the four traditional Jewish denomination of either, Haredi (Orthodox), Dati (religious), Masorti (traditional) and Hiloni (secular), as doing so one is required to deny Messiah Y’shua.
However coming to true salvation in Messiah Y’shua absolutely does produce a physical change in us as we are no longer desiring a “gentile’s” life but rather a walk in and after Messiah Y’shua ( a Pharisee ) in complete obedience to HaShem and His Torah .
When studied out this will absolutely result in one seeking and ultimately finding a need and desire to obey Y’shua and convert to Messiah centered “Judaism” and truly become Israel, HaShem’s people. This is why Israel is neither Jew, nor Greek but one that believes upon Messiah Y’shua as the only way we have salvation and teshuvah, ( return) i.e. returning back to the ways of HaShem and His Torah and following the ways of our Messiah, who again was a Pharisee.
Are we not called to walk as our Messiah walked?
Yes we are!
This is the fruit of our belief and faith in Messiah Y’shua.
So yes CIAN Truth Ministries™ does advocate for conversion to Messiah centered Judaism.
-Does CIAN Truth Ministries™ try to turn/convert Christians to Judaism?-
We do not advocate “Christians” to convert to one of the four traditional Jewish denomination of either, Haredi (Orthodox), Dati (religious), Masorti (traditional) and Hiloni (secular), as doing so one is required to deny Messiah Y’shua.
We do advocate for believers and follower of Messiah Y’shua to observe/practice full Torah observance as Messiah did, and yes we do believe conversion to Messiah centered Judaism as one of the Mitzvah (commandment) given by Messiah Y’shua, (Matthew 18:3).
We as believers in Messiah Y’shua are to walk out the faith in obedience to HaShem and Y’shua His Messiah by following His mitzvot i.e. commandments found in His Torah.
Understanding the Tanakh i.e. The Torah (Law), Nevi’im (The Prophets), and Ketuvim (The Writings) as known by the acronym TaNaKh or what most call the old testament, is critically important for understanding the Brit Chadashah that is the New Testament.
When fully studied out one will seek and want conversion to Messiah centered Judaism.
-Is The Law of Moses still valid, or is it dead, gone, and “nailed to the cross”?-
Y’shua Himself taught in His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:17-20 that the Torah (Law) remains alive, and that not the tiniest bit (Yod)of it will be abolished until the Heavens and Earth pass away. Simply put the Heavens and Earth still remain so, yes you guess right, Torah is still obligated by Followers of HaShem and His Messiah, Y’shua HaMashiach the Son of HaShem and Elohim Himself.
The true issue for all Believers in Messiah Y’shua is how to apply The Torah (Law) in our modern lives and in our many and various cultures, as guided by the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) within us and done in the way HaShem intended.
-Does The Law save us?-
No way!
Only HaShem by Y’shua HaMashiach saves us. The Torah (Law) is NOT for salvation and NEVER was for salvation. Rather, it explains what sin is, who HaShem is, and what He deems is Tov (good) and Ra (evil); and it lays out HaShem‘s divine principles by which every Believer in HaShem (G-d) of Israel is to live AFTER they’ve been redeemed (Saved from Their Sins) By His Messiah, Y’shua HaMashiach.
The Torah (Law) is not nor was it ever for salvation, but rather our instructions as to how we as kingdom citizens and believers are to walk out our faith.
-Does violating The Law affect or even end our salvation?-
Violating the Torah (Law) is called sin, and Y’shua died to atone for our sins (our violations of the Law: 1 John 3:4), see when we sin ie (stumble) and all have and do, but it should never be intentionally.
If we do so intentionally, this sin has no sacrifice for it!
That means Y’shua’s sacrifice does not cover it and we will answer for this sin plain and simple.
We understand this as Paul clearly states in (Hebrews 10:26)
26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
“Willfully sinning” is absolutely never okay nor is it ever allowed by one professing salvation in Messiah Y’shua.
-Do you celebrate the Biblical (Jewish) Feasts?-
Yes, we do!
However they are not jewish feasts but more appropriately the feasts of HaShem and his Mashiach namely Y’shua. The 7 biblical feasts were not only ordained by HaShem to be observed literally but also prophetic of Messiah Y’shua’s ministry and Future returning for His people (Church), HalleluYAH!
-Do you celebrate Christmas and Easter?-
No!
We can and do understand the desire to celebrate Y’shua’s birth and resurrection, however, Christmas and Easter are undeniably manmade celebrations that began as borrowed pagan celebrations and over time have been further co-opted by the secular world and Sunday church of today.
It is for this very reason, that we have chosen different occasions to celebrate the Believer’s intent of Christmas and Easter.
While there is no G-d-ordained biblical feast after which we can model a celebration of Y’shua’s birth, there is a series of three G-d-ordained biblical festivals that precisely speak of His death, burial, and resurrection: the Biblical Feasts of Passover, Unleavened Bread, and Firstfruits.
We celebrate HaShem’s feasts in lieu of Christmas and Easter.
-Does CIAN Truth Ministries™ celebrate the birth of Y’shua ?-
No.
We do however Thank HaShem for His Son daily and follow Messiah Y’shua’s example to Walk out our faith by obeying HaShem‘s Torah including keeping The 7 biblical feasts that were ordained by HaShem to be observed.
-Does CIAN Truth Ministries™ observe a Saturday Sabbath?-
Yes.
There is historically and biblically no such thing as a “Sunday” Sabbath.
Shabbat (Saturday) is the 7th day of the week, while there is no Name to the days of the week outside of Shabbat in Judaism, (Sunday) is the 1st day of every week.
The 1st day of the week was designated as the “Lord’s Day” circa A.D. 350 by the Roman Church at the Synod of Laodicea; and at the same time, Sabbath (Saturday) for Christians was officially abolished by the Roman Church leadership.
There is only one biblical weekly Sabbath: the 7th day, (Saturday) but it is important to understand that Shabbat is (Friday) Day 6 at sundown to (Saturday) Day 7 at sundown as reckoned by the Hebrew day.
It is a day of rest (ceasing).
Sabbath was ordained at Creation, and it remains today as a holy day for all mankind to observe.
-Is The Law for Jews only, and is Christ for Gentiles only?-
The Torah (Law) and Messiah (Christ) are for both Jews and former Gentiles, who are now believers of Messiah Y’shua.
However, the Torah (Law) and Y’shua (Christ) each have different functions.
The Torah (Law) is not a means of salvation for “Jews” or anyone for that matter, and Y’shua is not an alternative means of salvation meant only for believers not from the tribes of Israel aka former Gentiles.
-Does CIAN Truth Ministries™ think it’s wrong to meet on Sunday?-
Any opportunity to meet and fellowship is always a good thing for believers of Messiah Y’shua and we understand that the bulk of the “Church” meets to worship on Sunday, however, meeting on Sundays is NOT Sabbath observance; and it should not be mistaken as such.
-Should Jewish believers who become followers of Messiah Y’shua go to a traditional Church?-
No! Without question a Jewish believer of Mashiach (Messiah) will be more comfortable in a Messiah Centered Synagogue but it is entirely up to the individual.
Messiah Centered Synagogues are Synagogues where HaShem is worshipped and we as believers thank HaShem for our salvation by His Messiah Y’shua HaMashiach. But no Jewish believer who comes to believe in Y’shua as HaMashiach should ever be asked to give up any element of his or her Jewishness.
There is NO biblical or spiritual requirement for a Jewish believer to stop being Jewish when he or she comes to faith in Messiah Y’shua.
In fact scripture bears out that we are to follow and do as Messiah Y’shua did and live a pure form of judaism.
-Is CIAN Truth Ministries™ part of the Hebrew Roots movement?-
No!
We are Messiah center Judaism and the term that best describes Messiah center Judaism and how we live is found in the early believers as “follower of the way” or The Natsarim. this in its simplest explanation is following as Messiah Y’shua walked and practicing Judaism as he did.
We at CIAN Truth Ministries™ practice a Messiah center Judaism.
Hebrew Roots or Jewish Roots is a term that has been abused, misused, and not precisely defined. In one sense, it merely means to acknowledge that the “Christian” faith is rooted in the Hebrew faith and has a Jewish Messiah, and that our holy text the TaNaKh (Old Testament), and Brit Chadashah (New Testament), what christians call the Bible, is a Hebrew document written entirely by Hebrews.
Both of these statements are fact.
In another sense, Hebrew Roots indicates a love for (and spiritual connection with) Israel (the people of HaShem) and yes that does include the Jewish people while acknowledging that Y’shua did NOT create a new religion of, by, and for only gentiles.
CIAN Truth Ministries™ believes in both of these first two tenets.
This in itself is great however, some have taken this further by asking their fellow believers not to “become Jews,” often by discouraging observing many Jewish Traditions. CIAN Truth Ministries™ does NOT accept nor promote this because it has no biblical basis.
CIAN Truth Ministries™ absolutely encourages a full observance to the Torah this does include The Mishnah (the Oral Torah)and following after Messiah Y’shua and his example thus we advocate Messiah centered Judaism.
-What is a Messianic Jew?-
A Messianic Jew is another name for a Jewish person who has come to or has faith in Y’shua the Messiah (Christ).
Usually, a Jewish person who calls himself /herself a “Messianic” typically attends a Messianic Synagogue as opposed to a traditional “Church” and observe a varying degree of Jewish cultural Traditions, but otherwise believes essentially the same as a traditional Messianic believer in Messiah Y’shua and fully relies on the same act of salvation offered by Y’shua HaMashiach.
It is important to understand there is a tremendous difference between a Messianic believer and Messiah centered Judaism.
-Is Y’shua and Jesus different people?-
This is not a simple yes or no. Firstly “Jesus” is an Anglo-Saxon name given to our Messiah by English speakers as a result of the Bible being translated from Hebrew and Greek into the European languages.
Since He (Y’shua) was born a Jew to Jewish parents in the Holy Land, He of course was given a Hebrew name (not an English name!) by his parents.
His given name is Y’shua (Hebrew meaning G-d Saves / Salvation). Y’shua Absolutely taught the full Torah and made this abundantly clear as Y’shua stated in John 7:16
16 Y’shua answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me .
Simply put if one professes “Jesus” as the son of HaShem and Elohim himself and that He did away with the Torah (Law), this “Jesus” is a false Messiah and is rejected (Deuteronomy 13:1-4).
Likewise if one professes “Jesus” is the Son of HaShem and is Elohim himself and He taught us to keep the full Torah (The Law), then yes this “Jesus” is the same person as Y’shua just rendered by the greek transliteration of his name.
Our Messiah is characterized by his mental and moral qualities that are distinctive to The Messiah of HaShem and found in His Holy Torah (Scriptures).
CIAN Truth Ministries™, acknowledge both names but favors “Y’shua” as it is His real and original name in His own language and culture, and it is easily pronounceable by English speakers.
-Is Y’shua G-d?-
Yes, But not in the same sense as HaShem.
Y’shua is 100% of and from Elohim (G-d), and 100% man (a true mystery).
This is best expressed as the full Divine manifestation of HaShem in the flesh.
He is one with HaShem (The Father) and The Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) like no one else. They are not separate “G-ds,” nor is HaShem “the old G-d” and Y’shua the “new G-d” but rather Y’shua is of HaShem and Y’shua is the Divine manifestation and representative of HaShem in the flesh as His Mashiach.
All creation (Angels, Humans, and Animals) possess the Yetzer HaRa (evil inclination) Y’shua possesses no Yetzer HaRa (evil inclination) an attribute only found in HaShem, thus HaShem’s Mashiach (Y’shua) is G-d!
Nonetheless Y’shua HaMashiach, He is King (every knee will bow, and every tongue profess ) and Y’shua is our high priest, and will lead the whole world in perfect worship of HaShem.
-Does CIAN Truth Ministries™ stand with Israel?-
Yes, Absoluty!
We see Israel as synonymous with not only the land but the people of HaShem as well.
Likewise, we see HaShem’s land, given as a permanent inheritance to the Israelites, and therefore, we affirm Israel and that all the land described in the Bible as belonging to Israel and still belongs to Israel alone, regardless even if at the moment some of the land is either disputed or not fully in their possession.
-Has the Messiah Believing Church replaced Judah (Jews) i.e. replacement theology?-
No.
We see all Messiah centered believers both Jewish and non-Jewish that seek HaShem’s will in their lives and walks out the faith as Messiah Y’shua did, as joined to Israel but has not replaced Israel.
The “joining” that Paul calls “grafted in” (Romans 11) takes place on both a physical and spiritual level.
Israel remains the apple of HaShem’s (G-d’s) eye and His chosen people, (Israel): HaShem has not rejected them in favor of the “Sunday” Church.
Israel remains at the center of G-d’s plan of redemption.
One of the proofs of this is our miraculous start of the return to the homeland in 1948.
