The Third Temple  The Center for
Messianic Learning 

Unapologetically Pro-Torah
Unashamedly Pro-Israel
Irrevocably Zionist
ב״ה
“… out of Tziyon will go forth Torah, the word of ADONAI from Yerushalayim.”
(Isaiah 2:3)
Jew and Gentile (Synagogue and Church), one in Messiah. (Ephesians 2:14)
“For He is our peace, Who made both one, and broke down the middle wall of partition, …”

If your life is not in jeopardy for what you believe, you’re probably on the wrong side!
If you don’t believe Genesis 1-11, how can you possibly believe John 3:16?
“Indeed, all who want to live a godly life united with the Messiah Yeshua will be persecuted.” (2Tim 3:12)
It is what you actually believe that determines how you walk out your faith, “but avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, quarrels and fights about the Torah; because they are worthless and futile.” (Titus 3:9)

Please Note: Absolutely nothing on this website should be taken as anti-Church or anti-Rabbinic. I am not anti-anything or anti-anyone. I am only pro-Torah and pro-Truth (see “Philosophy”), but sometimes the Truth upsets our long-held beliefs. I know it certainly upset mine! For example, see “Why Isn’t My Theology Consistent Throughout the Website?”

Developing a
Systematic Messianic Theology

“The purpose of careful theological formulations is not to put barriers in the way of people who are seeking salvation, but to define clearly the truths upon which genuine [Biblical] faith rests, so that people will not be misled by false doctrines.” [Bowman]

“It must be clearly and unequivocally stated that theology cannot save you. Only faith in Messiah Yeshua can save you. Theology can only give you sound doctrine.” [RLS]

Unless otherwise specified, throughout the Theology section of my website I use the term “Torah” in the wider sense of including the entire body of inspired Scripture: both the Tanakh and the Apostolic Writings. No other so-called “sacred writings” are considered inspired by God or authoritative for the Believe’s walk of faith.

[Explanations of rabbinic citations are HERE]


Introduction to
Doctrinal Statements

Very few Believers that I have met have been able to clearly articulate what they believe about any area of Biblical doctrine. As a life-long Bible teacher I find this very distressing. As teachers, we should be doing a much better job of teaching our disciples (those whom we are teaching as Yeshua has taught His own disciples) what the Bible says in a more systematic way, and teaching them to do likewise for their discilpes.

This section is provided so that you might see several examples of how others have laid out their core beliefs in the hope that you might take the time to reduce to a formal document what it is that you actually believe and why you believe it.


Old Entglish Capital Ddoctrinal Statements, or Statements of Faith, are supposed to be summary statements of what an organization or individual believes the Scriptures teach about specific subjects. In my experience, what organizations (and individuals) actually believe is rarely what they say they believe. However, it is what you actually believe, not just what you say you believe, that determines how you walk out your faith. In order to be effective, a doctrinal statement should address each area of theology that an organization or individual holds specific beliefs about, and should summarize everything that the Scriptures have to say about that subject, particularly if the organization requires its members or adherents to subscribe to that doctrinal statement as a condition of fellowship. It should be noted as a practical matter, however, that very few organizations write Doctrinal Statements that accurately reflect what they actually teach and practice. Therefore, when reading an organization’s doctrinal statement one should be careful not to accept it as actually authoritative for the organization that produced it.

I hold that there are three principles that each Believer should follow concerning their belief system:

1. Know what you believe.

2. Know why you believe it (be able to accurately cite Scripture to back up your stated beliefs).

3. Know how to explain your beliefs to others.

Writing your own personal doctrinal statement will prepare you to follow those three principles. Sample statements are provided here for comparison (you decide which of these you feel adequately tells you what the organization believes):

 

Page last updated on Sunday, 10 September 2023 02:19 PM
(Updates are generally minor formatting or editorial changes.
Major content changes are identified as "Revisions”)

Anxiously awaiting Mashiach’s return
ANXIOUSLY WATCHING FOR MASHIACH’S RETURN,
SPEEDILY AND IN OUR DAY. MARANA, TA!

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