Beth Tikkun: Core Beliefs
In this second teaching focusing on the community of Beth Tikkun, we present 8 core beliefs the elders have identified as foundational to the fellowship. After listing all 8, we focus in on the first belief, the oneness of God, using Dennis Prager’s new commentary on Exodus as a helpful resource for exploring this idea. In going deep in the study of this most basic principle of the faith, we demonstrate that each of the 8 core beliefs merits deeper exploration even for well established believers.
Visuals: BT-Core Beliefs.pdf
Medios Visuales: Creencias Fundamentales.pdf
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8 Comments
by Ruth Brooks
On May 19, 2018
Hi Grant thanks for this inspiring talk. I agree with all that you said and am interested in ordering Dennis Prager’s book Exodus.
However one question pops to mind. When you talked about the God of Islam being different because of what he tells people to do ie blow up people that don’t agree with them, many of my sceptic friends would immediately say that the God of the Bible is no different. They would say he also commanded the Israelites to destroy entire people groups, men women, children, animals that were pagan in the Land. This God also asked for capital punishment for non capital sins like rebellious son, and Shabbat desecration, bring unholy fire etc. How would you discuss with with these people?
by Ruth Brooks
On May 19, 2018
Question 2. At the end when you talk about the size of the window and our ability to know the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob are you referring to your congregation, the Christians in general or everyone in the world, in which case that view would include Moslems and pygmies. 🙂
by Migdalah
On May 22, 2018
Hi Grant, thank you for this teaching.If I understand you correctly, then the Trinity is not Biblical and we should worship the Father and not Y’shua. There is truely only one God. Y’shua is our Messiah and we should listen to him and follow in his footsteps, just as he listened to his God and our God (Joh 20:17). Y’shua is our brother but not our God. It will make it so much easier to focus all our worship and attention on the Father. And following Y’shua also becomes ‘do-able’, because trying to imitate a god on earth is impossible.
by L. Grant Luton
On May 25, 2018
Hi, Migdalah, You are asking some excellent questions, but not ones easy to answer. In fact, I think clear and precise answers do not exist for these questions. And, to the degree we try to answer these questions with precision I think to the same degree we lose some of our awe of God. I used to think I had all the answers regarding the “trinity” theology, but since I have abandoned trying to understand God, I have discovered a new sense of wonder concerning Him and I wouldn’t trade that for any mere theology. I know that sounds like a “dodge” (and maybe it is), but here are the things we can say with clarity: There is only one God; Yeshua is the Messiah and we should listen to Him and follow in His footsteps the best we can; and if we misunderstand Yeshua and His relationship to the Father, God doesn’t seem to mind all that much. He is who He is regardless. And that’s pretty amazing.
by Migdalah
On June 4, 2018
Hi Grant,thanks for your answer! Amen on ‘the things you can say with clarity’. I hope you are right about God not minding to share His glory. Blessings!
by Susan Brown
On January 10, 2019
Hi Grant , I truly enjoying all the teachings on this podcast.
At the beginning you mentioned your congregation is about
to start a 8 week course on your core beliefs ,do you have that
course that I could buy ? Or download.and Or get permission to share with other
who agree with it .?
Blessings , Susan .Kindness Matters.
by M. Evangeline Anderson
On January 13, 2019
Hi Grant, your Torah commentary was recommended to me by my pastor, and I listened to it for the first time this morning. I really appreciated it, along with the Visual. I do have one question from today’s message, and this is it. You said the ‘house’ where the disciples were gathered together in Acts 2:2 was really the Temple. Could you please explain your reason for this statement? Thanks in advance 🙂
by L. Grant Luton
On January 13, 2019
Thank you for the kind words, Evangeline, and for the question. It is a very good one. First of all, in ancient times the Temple was always considered to be the “house” of God. Though He is omnipresent, He, too, refers to the Temple as His ‘house’. A few examples are 1Chron.17:12, Is.56:7, John 2:16. In fact, the Tabernacle and the Temple are called “the house of God” approximately 80 times in the Bible. In regards to the events in Acts 2, we know that the Apostles were in the Temple because that is where they were supposed to be on Shavuot (ie. Pentecost). Since Shavuot was a pilgrimage feast wherein Jews are commanded to come to Jerusalem to celebrate, the Apostles would have been in their midst right in the Temple courtyards. What better place than there for God to display His outpouring! Also, houses in Jerusalem then (and even today) are very tiny, but look at the people who were there to witness this outpouring of God’s spirit: it says that there was a “crowd” there (v6) made up of men from at least 15 different countries (vv9-11). Then, after Peter finishes his sermon to these people, about 3,000 of them are immersed (v41)! The only ‘house’ in ancient Jerusalem where this many people could meet at once was the House of God – the Temple. Shalom, Grant