Over the past 3 years I have been in deep study and prayer over the Bible. This began when I was about 15. I had been studying the Bible for 3 years prior, following being saved. Being that the church I was attending was a Church of God I studied Church of God doctrine as well as the Baptist denominational doctrine that I had been raised in. I then was moved by the Spirit to another Church, an Assemblies of God. While there I was a member of Music Ministry as I had experience with Sound Engineering. After a few months as a member I was offered a staff position at 16.
During my 4 years of study I had become what some referred to as "a biblical scholar". Not that I ever initiated the title. However, my studies were more mature than most believers as I studied scripture constantly throughout the day since becoming a Christian. Including Bible Study, Devotion, Theology, Examining Denominational Doctrine, and reading scripture with contextual and historical accuracy. So, at 16 the Pastor approached me and said, "I've been looking to start a class teaching the Old Testament. I have been praying that God would show me who should teach it. And I just received confirmation that you should teach the class."
This seemed perfect as I loved reading and studying the Old Testament. I liked to say that I "Specialized" in the Old Testament and comparing/finding parallels between the OT and the NT. Over my years of Study I was well acquainted with Old Testament story line, characters, as well as Messianic and End Times Prophecy.
So I taught the class for about 2 years. During my first year of studying I matured in the way I taught. Prior to this maturing I taught Bible from a "denominationally" bias point of view. I taught bible topics with the wrong intent; that is with the intent to prove myself right about what I believed(and in turn what I had been taught to believe). I was making the bible mean what I wanted it to mean, regardless of what it was actually saying. When I realized this I made a conscience decision to set aside all predispositional, ideological, and denominational bias and I prayed that The Father would open my eyes and my heart to HIS word, that I would know HIS heart and the Truth of HIS word. And regardless of how the Truth made me feel, I would no longer make the scripture match my life, but that I would make my life match the scripture. And I did. And HE did. And here I am now. When I first did this I had no knowledge of what "Messianic Judaism" or "Hebrew Roots" was. I had already made changes and it wasn't until years later that I realized others had made similar changes and had done so by the thousands. Many with similar stories to my own.
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Let's see! You became a "scholar" at the tender age of 15, now after 4 years of study, you are a teacher and you somehow independently came across the Hebrew Roots heresy all on your own, according to what you say here. As for your personally made curriculum - that is what I was saying! You don't have a clue the basics of Bible interpretation. I figured you wouldn't know Greek well, Hebrew Roots people think it is not important to read the words of Jesus, especially not in the original Greek.
So what lexicon do you use for Hebrew? Which Hebrew Bible are you using? Or do you just use Blue Letter Bible or some other internet site? The thing about Seminary, is that first, it is a graduate degree. That means you have already learned to write, research and study. An undergrad degree teaches you that. You didn't even have a high school diploma when you started reinventing the wheel. Did you ever graduate from high school? I do hope so.
Seminary gives you the tools to study the Bible - it helps you learn about the Bible in depth, the original languages, and then the skills to lead people. I am also a teacher besides being a pastor, and it took me a long time to become a skilled teacher even after training and watching videos of myself to see my weak areas, and being evaluated by extremely good teachers, and given concrete ways to communicate more effectively . So what is your background in teaching, of any sort?
This is not just about your youth, although that is a factor. Your claim to maturity after one year of studying the Bible, on your own, is laughable! Of course, your conclusions also contribute to my personal scorn for your Hebrew Roots nonsense.
But this is the outcome of not getting training from those who have been studying the Bible and serving God in ministry for 30 or 40 years. I heard my preaching pastor preach this morning, and it was the best sermon I have ever heard, not just in terms of his excellent handling of the Scriptures, but in finding a way to cement what he was saying in my heart! And that is that the glory of God and Christ in us is the point of us being members of the Kingdom of God. This pastor/professor/discipler has a Ph.D, served as a missionary overseas for 10 years, started a Bible college for local people to train and learn to carry the gospel to their language to their own people. To say nothing of being an awesome and highly ethical and honest professor! And a mentor for me!
As I said in my last post, you have never studied the very important subjects which are necessary to be able to be a scholar, which you claim with such false humility that you are just reporting that OTHERS have said. Well, maybe, but probably not! If you really are 19, or anything else!
In response, I also asked God to show me what the Scriptures meant. I prayed for him to give me a knowledge and understanding of the heart of God. And the answer to that prayer - God called me to Seminary, where he taught me amazing things, and mostly to walk with God, and follow him, as I study to be a worker approved. (Still studying and hope to be for the rest of my life!)
So don't put people down who go to seminary when God calls them. Of course, there are some very bad seminaries out there, with people who do not believe the Bible, or only teach denominational theology. My seminary had students from 10 denominations and no denomination when I went there. The reputation of the school, was that you truly could learn to walk with God and also learn to understand the Bible, as well as go into ministry with the tools to lead people as disciples.
But I guess you, a lone wolf who hears from a different God than the one that I am all my fellow students and graduates heard from; to say nothing of all the people that haven't been to seminary, but have studied the Bible on their own and come to similar conclusions as me; somehow got a heretical insight from God which contradicts the New Testament, which you admit you don't know as much about.
So yes, you are not called from God. You are not mature, but in fact are a young man who has been terribly led astray. (I'm thinking in your study of HRM websites!) I pray God will really show you the truth about HRM and you will understand that you cannot save yourself by keeping the Levitical Laws, just as the Jews could not either. My plea is to read the New Testament over and over! And find all the verses like Acts 15, or all of Hebrews which show us that while God saved the Jews by their faith in the Old Testament (Hebrews 11) we no longer need to keep the Levitical laws because we are still saved by faith today! Not by keeping Jewish rites and rituals!