Sunday, October 18, 2009

What is a Noahide Nazarene?

This is a reply to a question I received via Facebook.
As always, I welcome questions and will happily reply.

Question: Tell me about Noahide, I know nothing of this!

Cannot go to site, PC down!


Blessings,

R

My reply:

Hi R,

There is way too much information about this to share in a single e-mail but here's the basics:

After the flood of Noah's time the One God gave seven laws to the human race and promised that all who obeyed these laws and maintained faith in the One God would be accepted by Him. These are the Seven Laws of Noah (the Noahide Laws of the Rainbow Covenant):

The Noahide Laws: http://allfaith.com/Religions/Noahide/laws.html

1. Worship Only HaShem
2. Honor and Praise HaShem
3. Respect and Protect Human Life
4. Respect the Family
5. Respect the Rights and Properties of Others
6. Respect the Sanctity of all Life
7. Pursue Justice

Noahides are people accept these Laws.

The Noahide Laws Extrapolated

Based on these, Noahide Nazarenes understand the following:

1. Worship Only HaShem: Do not worship anyone or anything except HaShem Himself. This prohibits the worship of prophets, angels, saints and so on. While due honor may be shown to others, only HaShem is to be worshiped.
2. Honor and Praise HaShem: Do not curse Him or anyone in His name. Praise and Credit His Goodness in all things. Do not undertake vows. Use the Sacred Name always with respect. Do not evoke non-specific terms such as "Lord" of "God" to the exclusion of the Holy Name because HaShem is an individual Being and is like none other.
3. Respect and Protect Human Life: Do not commit murder, suicide, euthanasia or abortion. This also prohibits all stem cell and similar researches if such research utilizes the death of human beings (including infanticide). Rightly view humankind as the representatives of HaShem and respect them accordingly. Noahide Nazarenes are not required to be pacifists, however we are forbidden to "murder." To protect an innocent life the taking of the life of a wrongdoer may at times be required. Such an act is not "murder." Likewise, defending ones country in times of attack is acceptable, going to war for unjust causes is not. For instance, killing for oil reserves is murder, killing to defend Israel or ones homeland and allies is not. Serving positions that support unjust wars is to share in the guilt for those wars. Hence, one who is morally opposed to fighting in a conflict would be morally opposed to supporting in all other ways. In all such cases, the Noahide must determine when violence is and is not appropriate and act accordingly.
4. Respect the Family: Do not engage in sexual immorality. Defend family integrity and avoid divorce, incest, bigamy, abortion (infanticide), etc. Teach children HaShem's ways as these are their birthrights as members of the human family; teach them their family histories as these are their birthrights in their biological family. Because of the current debates, it should be noted that nowhere does HaShem nor the Bible condemn same-gender marriages, hence this law does not prohibit such. Upon such relationships are incumbent the same requirements placed upon any other (for information on this topic visit my Grace Inclusive web site).
5. Respect the Rights and Properties of Others: Do not steal, cheat, or kidnap. Share the goodness of the earth with others.
6. Respect the Sanctity of all Life: Do not eat the flesh of any animal while it is still alive. Defend the well-being of the Earth and its inhabitants. Do not torture nor abuse animals. While not mandatory, vegetarianism is a blessing to body, soul and to the Earth. For more on this see my study: http://allfaith.com/Religions/Noahide/meat.html
7. Pursue Justice: Establish courts of law to enforce the Seven Noahide Commandments and to enforce just laws.

Many years later HaShem (i.e. "the Name" i.e Yahweh -- the One God) established a special, eternal, separate relationship with the Hebrews (i.e. the Israelites, the Jews) and chose them as His Elect, the Chosen People through whom the One God will eventually establish His Kingdom through Moshiach (Messiah). For more on this see my commentary on the Book of Revelation: http://allfaith.com/prophecy/rev.html

ONLY Jews are under the Laws of Moses, Gentiles (including Noahides) are not (the Seven Noahide Laws are included in the Laws of Moses for the Jews as well). Noahides who live with Jews must honor certain sections of the Law.

The Sabbath commandment is for all people at all times (Gen 2:3)

Later came the various prophets and then...

-- Y'shua of Nazareth: Y'shua ben Miriam: "Jesus" son of Mary

The Jews did not accept Y'shua for a few different reasons according to the New Testament. Chief among these was his rejection of the Oral Torah and his insistence that Jews could find communion with God without going through the Scribes, Pharisees and other religious leaders.

The majority of people who self-identify as Noahides likewise do not accept Y'shua. There are many reasons for this. Mainly its because of the Nicean Church's presentation of him and as solidarity with the Jews.

Noahide Nazarenes, which is a term I coined in the 1980's, differ with other Noahides in that we accept Y'shua as a great prophet and as our spiritual master, teacher and guide (technically the term rabbi is not correct because Y'shua does not teach the Oral Torah). In the Greek texts the term didaskalos or master/teacher is used of him.

As I discuss in some detail on my website, following the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE the Way (the Jewish sect that arose around the Master's teachings and in time welcomed Noahides and other Gentiles as he instructed (Matt 28:19,20) was fundamentally altered by Roman Pagans. Various men now regarded as "Church Fathers" began compromising with the Roman Pagans and embracing many of their doctrines. They did this in part to end the persecutions (a noble goal), but in larger part because they wanted to establish a one world religion ("catholic" of course means universal). All major Protestant denominations maintained the majority of these compromised dogmas.

These men led the Way to abandoning the observance of Shabbat (the Sabbath) and exchanged it for the holy day of their god, Sol Invictus: Sun day. They outlawed the Jewish roots of the Way and termed it "Judaizing." This move to replace the Way with a Universal Church was described by Master Y'shua and his Apostle John as the Nicolaitan heresy. I discuss this heresy in chapters two and three of my commentary on the Book of Revelation: http://allfaith.com/prophecy/rev.html. The Nicolaitane heresy was eventually codified as Church dogma by counsels like the ones at Nicea.

There is no organized church or body representing Noahide Nazarenes.
There are a few competing bodies trying to organize the Noahide movement but with very little success.

As a Noahide Nazarene I look into the Bible and histories seeking to determine what our Master actually taught and believed.

Many of my findings are posted at my http://allfaith.com/Religions/Noahide website once your pc is back up.

These are in all cases my beliefs and do not necessarily reflect those of anyone else, however they are the result of my 40 year thus far quest for truth and I am convinced they are accurate. When your computer is back up you may find these writings of interest.

I will be happy to discuss any topics you wish.

~ Ben Ruach HaKodesh
~ John of AllFaith

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