Olive Tree Theology, Part 1

 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.  Romans 1:16 (KJV)

My Biblical life verse has given me spiritual direction throughout my Christian life.  Even with my formal education almost over I still live day-to-day by the words of the Apostle Paul.  The Road to God Ministry also works by following Romans 1:16.  The ministry has a series of Articles of Faith and it is through these Articles that the ministry functions.  I personally believe that the success of The Road to God Ministry has been because we follow our Articles of Faith to the letter.


Unfortunately, there is one article, the third that confuses many people; Believer and lost alike.  Our third Article of Faith reads, 

3. Adhere to the tenet of Olive Tree Theology; Jewish & Gentile Believers of Yeshua can worship together and maintain their own cultural distinctiveness. This Article defines our belief and teachings of the doctrine entitled Olive Tree Theology.  What is so unfortunate is that too many people have no idea what that is.  Today, I will start a four-part series on the doctrine of Olive Tree Theology. It took me over 20 years to convince myself tyhe truth of Messiah Yeshua (Jesus); that He is not only the Messiah, but the Son of God.  These 20+ years where a time of intense study.  I did everything I can to prove Christ false.  In the end I could only prove Him the true Son of Adonai (the Lord).  So when I finally made my confession in Yeshua that we are all commanded to do in Romans 10:9 I naturally made my way to a Messianic synagogue congregation.  My first years there were one of hapiness, knowing that I could remain a Believer and a Jew at the same time. But what I saw at this congregation disturbed me as well.   What surprised me about my new congregation was that there where more Gentiles as members of the congregation then there where Messianic Jews.  I also noticed, not at first but after a year or so, is that all of the sermons where Jewish oriented.  Never did I hear a sermon diected towards the Gentile Believer.  I also realized that every evangelical and witnessing effort was always for the Jew alone.  An orthodox dispensational attmosphere was everywhere.  After all, we were taught, that the New Covenant was written by Jews and for a Jewish audience.  Again I could not see the Gentile in the "big picture." This congregation is where The Road to God Ministry began.  Yet it was unsuccessful, boring no fruit in any manner whatsoever.  In retrospect I know this is because we where not following Scripture in a literal sense.  Too many times the Bible was being taken in a contemporary fashion that allowed personal interpretations. Thus I left the Messianic synagogue.  Let me be clear in stating that these doctrine issue where only part of the reason I left for I had another personal reason.  After a long trek to find a new spiritual home, my family ended up at a local General Baptist Church.  It was here that I found a pastor who not only viewed the Bible literally, but held just about all the same doctrines that I did.  It was also here that I began my formal education, attending semminary and receiving a BS in ministry and soon, with Adonai's aid a MA in pastoral ministry. Thus we come to todays Olive Tree Thology teaching.  One of the first things I learned at the Messianic congregation is that there is a true and important need for two houses of worship; a Messianic synagogue and a Gentile Church.  Thus it was being taught that there is a desperate need for separation between saved Jews and Gentiles.  At first I found this to be hypocritical since the majority of members of the Messianic congregation were Gentiles.  But I also could not understand the purpose or the Scriptural calling for the division of Jew and Gentile.  If anything this seemed straight out wrong.  I could not, and still don't, know of any Scripture calling for the separation of Jews and Gentiles.  If anything, there only lies a clear calling for the opposite. Thus began my belief in Olive Tree Theology.  This doctrine was originally created by Dr. David Stern, the translator to the Complete Jewish Bible.  But as I have contemplated this doctrine over the past few years I have come to realize the true importance behind such a belief.  Biblically there is no call for separation of Believers, in fact, Scripture gives us examples and commands to the opposite.  In the Gospel of Matthew we read,

And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. 39 And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.  Matthew 15:38-39 It is here that we not only see the separation between Man and God made with the tearing of the veil, but it also indicates all divisions to be nullified.  In verse 39 we read of the centurion, a Gentile, who stands at the base of the cross, with many other Jewish Believers, declaring his faith in Yeshua.   Of greater impact comes the words of the Apostle Paul when he writes to the Church of Galatia.  It reads, For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. Gal 3:26-28 (KJV) It is here that we are told specifically that all Believers stand equal in Christ.  Some read these verses to mean that there no longer is a Jew in God's eyes, but this is simply not true.  When you read the Bible literally you will find many indications of when a verse is literal and when it is to be taken as an analogy.  In this case the verses are not only reading that there is no Jew or Gentile, but also that there is no longer any men or women.  As we know that gender is for life, then so too does being a Jew or Gentile. Yet what we can take from the passages in Galatians is that in Adonai's eyes there are no difference.  All believers are loved as one.  For once we become true Believers then all the God's sees when He looks at us is the perfect person of Yeshua (justification).  If God sees us as one, then why are we working so hard to divide what He has brought together? The usual response I would get to this line of thinking is that the Messianic synagogues are more concerned with all things Jewish and to combat Replacement Theology.  My response is two-fold; for if we read the Bible as the literal words of Adonai then we have no choice but to worship as a single congregation or church.  Also, though I agree in combating all things that relate to Replacement Theology, when worshiping in a single house of God one should be able to retain their Jewishness...I know I have.  The key is having a church that takes the Bible literally. The next part of this lesson will tackle the view that Messianic Jews (or saved Jews) must practice all the doctrines of Torah (the Law). Blessings.