Hudson Taylor was the first successful missionary from Europe to bring the Gospel to thc people  of China. Why did he succceed when others failed? Because he realized that it wasn't necessary to force  European culture upon the Chinese as a part of the Gospel. He even adapted Chinese culture into his own  life-style.  Despite his success, he was despised by the other missionaries  for "compromising" the Gospel  for not making Western culture part and parcel of the "Gospel."   

   There is much "alien" culture that surrounds Gentile Christianity, which makes it unpalatable to  most Jewish people. Jews will nearly always reject the Gentile Jesus as being the Messiah, but will much  more readily accept the Jewish Yeshua(Jesus) as being their Messiah.   

   Most Messianic Jews are much more "zealous for the Law (Torah)" than their Gentile Christian  counterparts. In this, they are following the example of the first century Messianic Jew, who were also  "zealous for Torah" (Acts 15:19-21;21:17-27).   

   Most Messianic Jews refrain from calling themselves Christians. which is Greek terminology.  They prefer more hebraic terms, such as Messianic Jews.   

   The first use of the term Christian was in Antioch, among the Gentile believers (Acts 11:26). Rav  Shaul (Paul), as a Jew, simply preferred to say. "I am a Jew."  The sect of Jewish believers in Yeshua was  also called "the Way," not to be confused with the modern cult of the same name (Acts 24:14;22). The  Jewish believers were also called Nazarenes, not to be confused with the modern Christian denomination  of the same name.  

   Messianic Jews recognize the seventh day--Saturday--as being the Sabbath (Gen. 2:1-3; Ex. 20:8- I1; 32:12-17). The Sabbath is even mentioned more in the N.T. than all the other days of the week combined. There is no mention in the Scripture of the Sabbalh being changed to any other day of the  week---a fact recognized by the Catholic Church.    

   Although there are various levels of observance of the Shabbat (Sabbath) among Messianic Jews,  the Shabbat is still the day of choice for worshipping the Most High. lt is also seen as the perpetual sign  spoken of in Ex. (31:13-16)--pointing back to the original state of the creation---and forward to the time  spoken of by the author of Hebrews (4:3) when, "...we who have believed do enter into a Sabbath rest  (Shabbat Shabbaton)."   

   Messianic Jews still observe the rite of circumcision. This is part of the Abrahamic covenant for  all the physical descendants of Abraham (Gen. 17:9-14).  This practice is not forced upon Gentiles (1 Cor.  7: 17-20).                  

   Messianic Jews observe the Jewish (and Biblical) High Holy Days prescribed in Leviticus 23,  which were ordained to be "celebrated as a perpetual statute throughout your generations, in all your  dwelling places...forever" (Lev. 23:14; 21; 31; 41).   

   Lastly, it must be understood that we are saved by faith in the blood atonememt provided by Yeshua, and not on the basis of our own righteousness or good deeds (which as a means of atonement falls  far short Isa. 64:5-6; Eccl. 7:20).   

   It is wrong and unscriptural to force Gentile church culture upon the Jewish people as a requirement for believing in their own Messiah. While it is right and proper for other cultures to be  allowed to practice their culture after coming to faith in Yeshua, much of Jewish culture comes directly  from the Scriptures, and has a firm Biblical foundation lacking in other cultures.   

   The situation was very different in the First century. Then the question was, "How can a Gentile  believe in the Jewish Messiah? Shouldn't he convert to Judaism first?" Some Messianic Jews were saying  to the Gentiles, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." others said, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses" (Acts  15:1,5).   

   The Council at Jerusalem decided that the Gentiles did not have to convert to Judaism to believe  in the Jewish Messiah(Acls 15:19-21;28-19).  

   Properly observed, Messianic Judaism has no middle wall of partition (Eph. 2:14) separating Jewish believers from Gentile believers. Most Messianic assemblies have a large percentage of Gentiles.  Most of these Gentiles love Israel and the Jewish pcople, and have adopted a Jewish expression of their  faith in Messiah Yeshua.   

   lt is in Messianic Judaism that we find a most wonderful fulfillment of Scripture---in that all, Jew  and Gentile, male and female. bond and free---are seen worshiping the Holy One Of Israel in Spirit and in  Truth

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