by torahgirl

“We show our identity not by elaborate descriptions but by our acts of obedience.”
-Tim Hegg

Session 3 (finally!) introduced the premise of Divine Invitation. Tim’s definition of DI is “a new theological teaching about how Jews and non-Jews have different ways of relating to G-d’s commandments, propounded by First Fruits of Zion, specifically.” DI combines positions of traditional Christianity and Rabbinic Judaism {from Judaism: having legal Jewish status means you must keep the Torah; from Christianity: non-Jews have no obligation to keep the Torah}, resulting in a comfortable middle ground where both Christians and Jews are happy.

What are the reasons for Divine Invitation? There are a few mentioned by proponents of this teaching:

1. to obey Scripture
2. to maintain Jewish distinction, which some claim is being lost through the Hebrew Roots movement
3. to honor Jewish authorities out of respect for their position as Torah scholars
4. to promote peace between us and the Jewish people

However…

1. significant portions of Scripture are clearly being ignored by those who subscribe to Divine Invitation.
2. if non-Jews are still allowed {even “invited”} to keep Torah, than what distinction is maintained?
3. the Jewish community is not monolithic – which authorities should be obeyed? There is debate/disagreement within Judaism on many important issues. Besides, surely Divine authority supercedes Rabbinic?
4. there are real differences between Rabbinic Judaism and Messianic Judaism. And there should be! As Tim said, the gospel should grate on people – it is a cutting edge! Orthodox Judaism will never accept a gospel with Yeshua at the center – this is impossible. We cannot disregard critical issues of our faith in order to blend in.

Some see Divine Invitation as a minor issue, but it is a major hermeneutical shift away from the historical/grammatical interpretation. Historical/grammatical hermeneutic understands that words carry meaning and agreement in a certain language. Our basis of interpretation is Sola Scriptura – we love and honor traditions, and we respect our community elders, but we never put them above the Bible.

Divine Invitation theology is based on bi-lateral ecclesiology, a belief that the body of Messiah is composed of two distinct subsets. Numbers 15, the famous “One Torah” passage, says: “For the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you, a statute forever throughout your generations. You and the sojourner shall be alike before the L-RD. One law and one rule shall be for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you” {verses 15-16}. Judaism {now along with Divine Invitation} teaches that the “stranger” or “sojourner” is a proselyte – a formal convert to Judaism. Tim Hegg had two valid objections to this premise: 1) proselytes were not around until much later, perhaps the time of the Maccabees, and 2) this same word is used to describe the Israelites in Egypt!

A brief note on conversion – in G-d’s eyes, a circumcised Gentile does not automatically become Jewish. Conversion alone does not bring right standing with G-d. For Abraham, circumcision didn’t make him a covenant member – it was “a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had.” Paul, as we know, uses the circumlocution “circumcision” to mean ritual conversion {see the “How Much More” Hebrews study from Bereans Online}.

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note: this post is entirely notes from the “Identity & One Torah” seminar by Tim Hegg. If you have objections, please take it up with him!