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When a Jew Converts to Christianity

Question

Do you cast away Jews who have confessed their receiving and worshipping Jesus as their newly found Lord and Master? What do Jews feel about Jews for Jesus and Messianic Jews?

It should first be noted that Jewish law acknowledges the Jewish status of anyone who was born of a Jewish mother or who legally converted, even though he may have joined another faith. He is still legally a Jew, and God hopes eagerly for this errant son to return to the true faith of his forefathers. (Ezekiel 18:31-32).

Answer

Judaism regards the belief in a deity other than God as being akin to idolatry. A cursory glance at any part of the Bible will show that Judaism has a very negative attitude towards idolatry, and by extension, to any belief that a human being is a god.

A Jew who has abandoned his people and joined a non-Jewish religion, is called a heretic by Jewish Law and has forfeited his share in the World to Come. Jewish Custom calls upon the parents of this apostate to sit in mourning for a week, as for a child who has passed away. In fact, when Christianity as a religion was young and undistinguishable as a separate religion, the Rabbis inserted a blessing in the liturgy condemning any Jew who was a member of this Christian sect, these ancient “Jews for Jesus”.

God hopes eagerly for this errant son to return to the true faith of his forefathers and thereby reclaim his share in the life of the World to Come.

Follow-up question

Question

If I am a gentile, would I gain merit, if I made an effort to obey the Torah, even though I only have to follow the 7 laws given to Noah?

Answer

Yes and no.

Much of Torah law is permitted to gentiles, but parts should not be observed. For example, observing Shabbos as Jews are commanded should not be done by a non-Jew, so trying to correctly observe the Shabbos rules would be a disadvantage. On the other hand, if one decided to “accept” upon himself the Jewish requirement of say, eating only kosher foods, there would certainly be merit in doing so. To accept something upon oneself and then fail to observe what was accepted is a concern. There are many rules in keeping kashrus which would need to be learned.

If, as you say, you would, “make an effort to obey,” without actually accepting it upon yourself, it’s possible there could be some sort of merit in this. I couldn’t say so with any feeling of assurance however.