Beoordeling van Messiaanse Christene se wetsonderhouding vanuit ʼn pentekostalistiese perspektief

Abstract

Many Pentecostal and other Christian believers are exposed to the Hebrew Roots teachings. These Hebrew Roots groups consider themselves to be “true” Christians and advocate that Christians should return to their Jewish roots or origins and as such should keep the Old Testament commandments and Jewish religious customs. This study attempts to compare the Pentecostal and Hebrew Roots teachings regarding non-Jewish Christians’ responsibility to keep the laws. Initially a literature study of the development of the early Church doctrine regarding non-Jewish Christians’ responsibility to keep the Old Testament laws was undertaken. Next a study was made regarding the development and most important theological characteristics of the Hebrew Roots Movement. Three South African Hebrew Roots ministries were identified and the material that these ministries make available on the internet was used to compare their teachings and their ideological and theological characteristics. The subsequent chapters were dedicated to systematically evaluating the scriptures on which these ministries base their teachings, from a Pentecostal hermeneutic perspective. Lastly a comparative study was made from the information that was gathered in the previous chapters in order to make suggestions to help Pentecostal believers to understand the Hebrew Roots teachings. The research determined that one of the pressing dangers of the Hebrew Roots teachings is that it can culminate in denying the deity of Christ as the only way to salvation.