For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Messiah Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise... Gal. 3:27-29
There are many different perceptions of the term "Messianic." Why is that? I believe, because there are many varieties of groups who are called by that term. If you think of the term Christian, you can come up with a variety of mental pictures as well.
At Lion of Judah in Tallahassee, we call ourselves a "One In Messiah" congregation. This is simply for one reason, that we believe all of the redeemed are just that. We are one. There is a large pool of scripture to support.
I don't believe that denominations are inherently bad. Look at the different churches in Revelation. We can easily see a distinction between them. But we see nothing of a racial divide being ascribed or prescribed. In many ways denominations are churches who started as a small mission in a corner of a barn - or neighborhood. Eventually, the church sent out missionaries to plant other churches.
Now, here is where I believe the negative of denominations lies: division. If a denomination starts in order to separate and pronounce damnation on all other sects, beware. If the preachers and "preachees" stand with a bunch giant foam fingers waving around in the name of their special group, drop your bulletins and run like a track star.
It's not that Judaism or Jewishness was "done away with" or replaced. If that were so, then gentiles have been eliminated too. The same verse would have to mean that all men and women were replaced with a new androgynous "Pat" person. It is basically as the verse says, "all are one."
But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them, and became partaker with them of the root and of the richness of the olive tree, Romans 11:17
What do we mean by "Messianic?" Come join us in worship to the one true King - The Messiah from whom we maintain our identity.
