At First Fruits of Zion, we long to see a restoration of the Hebrew Roots of the original faith and practice of the Apostles and first followers of Yeshua of Nazareth. Our mission is to proclaim the Torah and its way of life, fully centered on Messiah, to today's People of God. That mission involves restoring four integral truths that have been diminished or even lost:
As followers of Messiah, we must learn to see Messiah’s relationship to the Jewish people and the land of Israel. Yeshua was born, lived and died as a Jewish man in the land promised to Abraham. His life was rooted in the Judaism of His day. His message expands the greater commonwealth of Israel by bringing all peoples who believe in Him into the household of Abraham. When He comes again, He will still be Jewish.
The full message of the good news (gospel) preached by Yeshua and His disciples must be restored. It is an urgent call to repentance that demands we turn away from sin and live out lives of righteousness. The Gospel must result in transformed lives visible to those around us.
We endeavor to restore the Torah to its place of prominence and authority in the community of faith. The Torah has been largely rejected by the Body of Messiah since the early second century. We believe that the Torah is the instruction book given to us by our loving heavenly Father for our good. The Torah defines sin and points us toward righteousness and godliness.
We must take up the yoke of discipleship to Yeshua. In order to properly understand our relationship to Messiah, we need to view it in the context of first Century discipleship. Discipleship is the art of imitation. If Yeshua felt something was important, so should we. We should seek to do all things as He did. He needs to be the filter through which we observe the commandments.
This is just a summary of each of these important points. They are not small things. Restoring these things on a level of practical application is difficult and daunting. It will take many years to work out fully. With this in mind, we must approach these matters with great humility and careful balance.
Nevertheless, we are confident of our mission. The Scriptures speak unanimously regarding these things from Genesis to Revelation. Messiah kept the Torah fully, and God's Word does not change. As we journey back and attempt to restore that which has been lost, we pray for the Father's loving guidance.
We believe that real, biblical faith is marked by one's actions (James 2:17)
more than by doctrinal statements. A life touched by grace and faith results in
the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), a transformed mind (Romans 12:1-2),
and obedience to God's Word (John 14:15, 1 John 2:3-6).
Foundation of our Faith
We believe in one God, as He has revealed Himself in the Scriptures. "Hear, O
Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One." (Deuteronomy 6:4)
We believe that Yeshua is the Son of God, the Messiah, the Eternal One in Whom
all the fullness of deity dwells in bodily form, and who is the Word who became
flesh and dwelt among us, and whose glory we beheld, the glory of the uniquely
begotten Son of God, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-14; Colossians 2:9)
We believe that the Spirit of God comforts, teaches, leads, indwells and
empowers all whom God regenerates. (Acts 9:31; 1 John 2:27; John 16:13; 1
Corinthians 3:16; 2 Timothy 1:7)
We believe that the Bible, both the Tanakh (Old Testament) and the Apostolic
Scriptures (New Testament), are the only inspired, infallible, and authoritative
Word of God. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
We believe that all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God.
(Romans 3:23)
We believe Yeshua's death and resurrection accomplished the atonement for all
who place their faith in Him. Whoever trusts in God, in His work alone, is made
a new creation in Yeshua, indwelt by the Spirit of God, and is transferred from
the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His own Son. (Ephesians 2:8-9,
Romans 5, 6)
We believe salvation is by faith through the grace of God alone, and not by
human efforts. One may not earn, merit or keep this eternal salvation by his own
efforts. A new creation is the work of God alone. (Ephesians 2:8-10; Romans
8:29-39)
We believe in the spiritual unity and equality of all believers in Yeshua the
Messiah. (Ephesians 2:11-22)
We believe in the continuity of God’s covenants with the Jewish people, the
physical people of Israel (Jeremiah 31:35-36 and parallel passages). Part of the
fulfillment of these covenants is the physical return of the Jewish people to
their Promised Land. (Deuteronomy 30)
We believe that all non-Jewish people who trust in Yeshua are grafted into
Israel. While this does not make them Jewish, they are full and equal
participants in the covenants of promise. (Ephesians 2:12; Romans 11:11-24;
Jeremiah 31:33)
We believe that the Torah is a revelation of the righteousness of God and a
description (along with the rest of Scripture of the lifestyle of the redeemed
community. (Matthew 5:17-19; 2 Timothy 3:16-17)
We believe in the literal, physical return of Messiah to rule and reign upon the
throne of David in Jerusalem. We hold to a premillennial view of His return.
(Zechariah 14; Revelation 19-20)