Amazing how the bible destroys our religious preconceived and miss-taught ideas-IF we let it. Some might call me antisemitic so they can put me in a box labeled unholy to the Lord. But the box Im in is ONLY Christ and what He has done- with total respect for the fact that God is no respecter of people. Jesus died for Palestinians, Arabs and all whoever lived, and yes the Jews also. whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved... For 2000 years the Jewish people have continued to reject the teaching that Jesus Christ is the Jewish Messiah according to the Scriptures. Orthodox Judaism regards Christianity as the custodian of myths and fables and heretical ideas based on anti Semitic instincts. In spite of this continuing hostility towards Jesus some Christians claim that the nation of Israel remains in the same covenant relationship with God that existed in the Old Testament. It is also claimed the setting up of a Jewish state in 1948 is a direct fulfilment of Bible prophecy. From a New Testament perspective this belief is indefensible. According to the apostle Paul, since the coming of Christ racial connections count for nothing. As Paul teaches it, under the conditions of the gospel only faith in Christ creates a covenant relationship with God. There is neither Jew nor Greek...for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28) The New Testament is not anti Semitic, what it denies is Jewish racial superiority. Paul declared that merely being born of Jewish parents does not give anyone special status in the sight of God. Only those who have authentic faith in God, as Abraham did, are counted as Abrahams offspring. Under the new covenant faith in God now embraces faith in Christ. All who reject Christ, whether Jew or Gentile, stand outside of the will of God. The gospel that is to be preached to Jew and Gentile alike is this: [T]he scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. (Galatians 3:22) Concerning Jews Paul wrote, ...For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children... That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are NOT the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. When Paul declared that it is not the children of the flesh who are Gods children he intended us to understand that physical descent does not identify any community as the people of God. Paul taught that since Christ has come only those who have a relationship with God based on faith in Christ are the Israel of God. Does this mean God has shut out Jews from salvation? Not at all. He has placed Jews and Gentiles on an equal footing. As an individual, in reference to salvation, the Jew has lost nothing. God once worked through the institutions of Judaism, He now spreads the gospel through the body of Christ. Gods new covenant of grace includes Gentiles is not limited to Jews only. When the sign of the covenant was circumcision, only those who accepted circumcision were included in the covenant. The sign of the covenant is no longer circumcision, but faith in Christ. This means that only faith in Christ provides an entry into a covenant relationship with God. Under the conditions of a covenant whoever rejects the sign of the covenant is excluded from the covenant. Under the New Covenant no Jew or Gentile can be in a covenant relationship with God unless they accept Christ.
Posted on: Sat, 28 Jun 2014 23:36:36 +0000
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