Excerpt from His People Community Church

Relationship Covenant

To maintain the unity of the Spirit and exemplify the biblical pattern of integrity in all our relationships we will seek to . . .

1. Consider one another more important than ourselves.
Romans 12:10, Philippians 2:3

2. Use tasks to deepen relationships rather than using relationships to accomplish tasks.
Philippians 2:3-4

3. Speak the truth in love, addressing one another in a manner that ministers grace and builds each other up.
Ephesians 4:25-29, 1 Thessalonians 5:11

4. Submit to and encourage one another in their strengths while at the same time protecting one another from their weaknesses.
Ephesians 5:19, 1 Peter 1:5

5. Commit ourselves to being the guardians of one another's reputations, and the custodians of each other's character.
Psalms 141:5, Proverbs 3:3-4, 1 Corinthians 6:5-7

6. Approach matters of conflict sensitively and constructively - seeking biblical resolution.
Matthew 18:15-18, Ephesians 4:2-3

7. Prioritize the major issues of lifting up Jesus Christ and loving people over matters of individual perspective and preference.
Ephesians 4:1-6

His People Community Church
PO Box 6834
Hendersonville, NC 28793

Ph. 828-273-7598

Excerpt from the Association of Messianic Congregations

ISRAEL

We believe Israel is God's special people, distinct from the body of Messiah, chosen by Him to be a holy nation and a kingdom of priests. The election of Israel is irrevocable. Jewish believers in Yeshua have a unique twofold identity. They are the spiritual remnant of physical Israel and at the same time are part of the body of Messiah. We believe the Abrahamic Covenant is an irrevocable, unconditional covenant God made with Jewish people. This covenant provides title to the land of Israel for the Jewish people and promises a descendant (the Messiah) who would come to redeem Israel and bless the entire world. The spiritual blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant overflow to all the nations. God will ultimately fulfill every aspect of the covenant in the Messianic Kingdom, both physical and spiritual. We believe that Israel's eternal covenant relationship with God does not grant atonement to individual Jewish people. Therefore, it is the believer's privilege and duty to tell the Good News of Messiah Yeshua to the Jewish people. (Genesis 12:1-3, 15:1-21, 17:1-21; Romans 11:1-29; Galatians 3:14-17)


THE ASSOCIATION OF MESSIANIC CONGREGATIONS
5002 East 4th St
Tucson, AZ 85711

Phone: 520-326-2020
Email: bethsarshalom@yahoo.com

Excerpt from Rock of Israel

Towards a Reformed Israelology

Can one be Covenantal in theology, that is, believe the New Covenant community is spiritually Israel and as such is already experiencing in this age the promises of the prophets to Israel, and yet still maintain in some way ethnic Israel is unique? Let us consider how the term "Israel" is used.
The word is used in many ways in the Scriptures, yet all the uses are interrelated. It means "He who has struggled with God". Ultimately, God is the one who has the right to answer the question as to who or what is Israel. He determines who or what is Israel, not man or men's traditions. Here is a provisional list of some of the uses of the word in the Scriptures.

1. The man Jacob, Genesis 32:28
2. Jacob's Physical Descendants(The Jewish People), Gen. 46:8; 48:28; Ex.1:7
3. All Old Testament Believers(Both Jews and Gentiles), Ex. 12:38,47-49; Dt. 23:8Nu. 15:13-16; Ruth 1:16
4. The Land Josh. 11:16; Jud.19:29, 1 Sam. 13:19; Mt.2:20
5. The Northern Kingdom, Is.7:1, 9:12
6. Citizens of the North, Is. 9:14; Jer. 3:11,17
7. The Spiritual Remnantamong the Jewish People, Rom. 9:6? Rom. 11:1?Rom. 11:26?
8. All Who are in the Messiah(A continuation of #3, that is, all believers, the Church), Eph. 2:11-19; Rom. 4:12-17;Rom. 9:6,7,8,24-26 Rom. 11:17; Gal.3:29, 4:21-31
9. Modern Ethnic or Political Israel (Jews and Gentiles!?), Is. 19:24-25; Acts 1:6 (maybe?)(Israel is certainly one of the nations of Rev. 7:9!)
10. The Messiah Himself, Mt. 2:15; Is. 49:3-6; Gal. 3:16

There are then a number of possible Scriptural meanings of "Israel". But, is there a most ultimate meaning of the word Israel? There is -- it is the Messiah Himself (#10), for all the promises of God have their `yes' in Him (2 Cor. 1:20). Jesus is the ultimate seed of Abraham, (Gal. 3:16).

Ilya Berdichevsky
Rock of Israel
P.O.Box 15443
Philadelphia, PA 19149

Phone: (215) 333-7242
Email: ilya@rockofisrael.com

Excerpt from The Association of Messianic Congregations

"THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT", The Basis for Jewish Identity

The Abrahamic Covenant is the set of unconditional, unbreakable, irrevocable promises God made to Abraham, Isaac & Jacob that begins His relationship with the Jewish people. It is found in Genesis 12:1-3, 15:1-21, 17:1-21.Here's a 'trick question'; "Was Avraham Jewish or Gentile?". Answer: "Neither".You see, Abraham was the first Jewish person because God decreed that it was so. "Gentiles" are NOT a race of people, it is simply a term for those who are not Jewish. So, you only have Gentiles once you have Jews. The set of scriptures in Genesis where God speaks His eternal promises to Abraham, Isaac & Jacob, bringing into existence the Jewish people, form what we might think of as a 'legal incorporation' of the Nation of Israel. The Covenant was 'unconditional', in that no conditions of obedience were required from the Jewish people for it to continue in full force. This Covenant continues to be cited throughout the entire Bible as the basis for God's relationship with Israel. While Abraham had a number of children, the Covenant line ran through Isaac alone. In the same way, the line was through only one of Isaac's sons, Jacob, and not through Esau (Gen 28:13-15). Jacob had 12 sons, and the Biblical definition of a Jew is a person who is a biological descendant of one of those 12 sons. While the Hebrew Scriptures encouraged Gentiles to forsake paganism and turn to the God of Israel in faith, those "God-fearers" or Proselytes are not called Jews, and they did not become Jews, even though they had an honored position in the Community of Israel. In the same way today, Gentiles who place their faith in Yeshua, the Messiah of Israel, do NOT become "Spiritual Jews" (a Replacement Theology invention), instead they are "Spiritual Gentiles", (Gentiles in whom the Holy Spirit resides) and should have a co-equal place of status and function in a healthy Messianic Congregation alongside the "Spiritual Jews" (Ethnic Jews in whom the Holy Spirit resides). The Gentile believers DO become co-heirs of SPIRITUAL Blessings from the Abrahamic Covenant (Galatians 3:14, 29). The Scriptures which support all this and bear witness to the distinction are Romans 2:17 & 29, which teaches that the true Jew is the one is BOTH Jewish Physically (v. 17) and has the Circumcision of the heart (v. 29), and Galatians 3:28 which teaches that there is one way of atonement for all, Jew & Gentile, Male & Female, even though these physical distinctions remain within the Body of Messiah.

The Association of Messianic Congregations
5002 East 4th Street
Tucson, AZ 85711
tel# 520-326-2020