Will deeds of kindness bring the Messiah?

Submitted by saltysteve on Thu, 05/28/2009 - 16:18

The ultra Orthodox 'Tsivos Hashem' (Army of the Lord) have been touring north London spreading the word of Judaism. On their van they have a text which reads: 'Deeds of goodness and kindness will bring the Moshiach' (Messiah).

This highlights the essence of Rabbinic teaching on the Messiah. If you listen to the teachings of their sages and follow their life style, you will bring in the Messianic days. God will send the Messiah to the generation that is worthy of him. Therefore the condition of Israel determines when the Messiah comes. If Israel is unrighteous this will delay the coming of the Messiah. If Israel is righteous God will send the Messiah.

According to this way of thinking there is a process, which begins with sanctification leading to salvation, causing a person to lead a better life with the help of the Spirit of God. As a result of all this the Messiah comes.

It is interesting that this is the exact opposite of the teaching of the New Testament. As Paul says in Romans 5.6: ''When we still without strength in due time Messiah died for the ungodly … God demonstrates his own love towards us, in that while we were still sinners, Messiah died for us.' It is up to God to determine the time of the coming of the Messiah and he comes while we are sinners, not because we are righteous.

Ephesians 2 also teaches us that the process of sanctification is the other way round from the Rabbinic one outlined above. First God sends the Messiah who saves us by his sacrificial death and resurrection, then he sends the Holy Spirit to those who believe in Him and by the grace of God we are able to do good works and be sanctified.

Tenach passages also show us that the timing of the Messiah's coming depends on the will of God, not Israel's righteousness (e.g. Daniel 9.26) and that it is only God who can deal with the problem of sin through Messiah's atoning death and resurrection (Isaiah 53 and 59).

If it is up to us to bring the Messiah through our good deeds, we are going to be waiting a very long time. In fact we are going to be waiting forever.

Will deeds of kindness bring the Messiah ?

Submitted by guest on Sun, 08/01/2010 - 08:44.

IF only it were that easy ! - we would most surely be waiting for ever. We are clearly told that good works will not bring us salvation, but will be only one result of our salvation which changes our self-centred heart into a Christ centred heart. When we do 'good works' for all too see, worthwhile as it may be, it hardly promotes growth in us but can result in a kind of smugness about how wonderful we are and hwo good we are - all too easy, like a wealthy man putting a cheque into charity, tax free, and then thinking - what a generous chap I am. It is all commonsense really.
Mustard seed

Will deeds of kindness bring the Messiah ?

Submitted by guest on Sun, 08/01/2010 - 08:44.

IF only it were that easy ! - we would most surely be waiting for ever. We are clearly told that good works will not bring us salvation, but will be only one result of our salvation which changes our self-centred heart into a Christ centred heart. When we do 'good works' for all too see, worthwhile as it may be, it hardly promotes growth in us but can result in a kind of smugness about how wonderful we are and hwo good we are - all too easy, like a wealthy man putting a cheque into charity, tax free, and then thinking - what a generous chap I am. It is all commonsense really.
Mustard seed

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