Why do we define our identities this way?
There's really no escaping the fact that we each have social needs, the need to be accepted, the need to belong to a group. We see the effects of these needs playing out all the time. A Messianic starts attending a non-Messianic synagogue and eventually rejects Yeshua. A secular Jew attends a Messianic synagogue and eventually identifies as a Messianic Jew. A religious Jew joins secular Gentile society and eventually (often through marital assimilation) the Jewish identity is completely lost.
Our group affiliation determines our identity.
Are you a Messianic Jew? Or a Messianic Non-Jew? Why? What caused you to identity that way? However it happened one thing is certain: you did NOT develop this identity by going to church and acculturating to Christianity.
Think about that.
In fact, if you are Messianic and you remove all Messianic spheres of influence and replace them with only Christian spheres of influence then what will happen?
Answer: social assimilation.
Ah, but you say, "I'll never forget who I am! I will always be a Messianic!" And that may be true. But what about your children? Or your children's children?
Consider this: an Italian immigrant moves to America. He has a thick accent. His child born in America doesn't have an Italian accent. Why? Answer: because the child is more influenced by the American culture than by the Italian culture of the father.
Assimilation is inevitable. It is a need as real as hunger or procreation. We must assimilate into a group.
CONCLUSION
So now as Messianics if we are really serious about preserving our Messianic identities we must always be striving to find Messianic communities. Yes, fellowship with Christians for they are our brothers. Even this morning I visited a church and had many Christians thanking me for my input in the adults class. It's great to visit Christians and build bridges. But why are we building bridges with churches? Is Christian church our destination? NO.
We build bridges with Christian churches so that they will cross over to us.
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob,that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.”For out of Zion shall go the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
We live in an imperfect world, and need to deal with things as they are rather than as we would wish them to be. I believe any sort of assimilation is dangerous; fellowship yes, assimilation no. Why? Because the fear of man, the desire to be loved and accepted by others, becomes a snare that will entrap us, and may prevent us from following the Holy One and fulfilling the destiny he has placed within us. We need to move when the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night does, and the camp is often slow to move, compromised or travels in the wrong direction.
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