“Brethren and Pietist Churches” is an umbrella term for a number of different denominations that share a common ancestry and similar emphasis of beliefs. Brethren and Pietists have a beautiful commitment to following Yahushua in simple obedience. They want to be faithful disciples and seek to live in harmony with Yahuwah’s will. Sadly, some of their beliefs are not Biblical. This keeps them from the ultimate closeness with Yahuwah for which they long.
Following is a list of some of the errors which these sincere believers generally hold in common.
- Brethren and Pietists believe in an eternally burning hell. This is based on a misinterpretation of Scripture. Yahuwah’s word states that death, not eternal life in torment, is the reward of the wicked: “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of Yah is eternal life through Yahushua the anointed our Master.” (See Romans 6:23.)
- Brethren and Pietists teach that the redeemed will inherit Heaven. Scripture, however, teaches that immortality in the earth made new is the reward of the saints.
- Brethren and Pietists are Trinitarians. This belief flows directly from paganism. It contradicts Scripture which clearly declares: “Hear, O Israel: Yahuwah our Eloah, Yahuwah is one!” (Deuteronomy 6:4) The Bible makes plain that Yahushua, while born of a virgin, is a human being - not a diety.
- Brethren and Pietists are generally dispensationalist in their theology. The belief that Yahuwah works in different ways through history contradicts El’s own statement: “I am Yahuwah; I change not.” (Malachi 3:6)
- The dispensationalist emphasis on the New Testament leads to a mistaken rejection of many binding requirements given in the Old Testament. Leviticus 23, for example, lists Yahuwah’s holy days and clearly states: “It shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.” (Leviticus 23:14)
- The dispensationalist theology of Brethren and Pietists also determines their day of worship. Rejecting the fourth commandment of the divine law as applying only to the Jews, they instead worship on Sunday, a day bearing no divine credentials whatsoever as it exists solely in the pagan/papal Gregorian calendar. The true seventh-day Sabbath [lunar Sabbath] of the Creator is thus violated in ignorance.
- Brethren and Pietists who place their emphasis on sanctification rather than a balance of sanctification and justification end up with a religion based on salvation by works. Certainly Yahuwah’s law is perpetually binding and should be kept. However, it is kept through faith in the Saviour and His divine promises. In many Pietist denominations, personal works of righteousness are conjoined with faith in Yahushua and both are taught as necessary for salvation. The doctrine of Johann Arndt in particular places emphasis on human works that must be attained in order to be sanctified.
The Heavenly Father, knowing the weakness of fallen humanity, has declared: “A man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.” (Galatians 2:16)
Yahuwah is calling His children in the Brethren and Pietist denominations into a closer, more intimate walk with Him than they have ever known. But error separates. Now the invitation is going forth: leave behind all error and follow pure Truth alone.
