a Jew

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Alexander CD
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Lid geworden op: 13 sep 2008, 18:44

a Jew

Bericht door Alexander CD »

Who is a Jew.
Who are examples of true spiritual Jews (Rom. 2:28-29)? Many physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in OT times, such as David, the man after God’s own heart; godly Hannah; faithful Jeremiah and those in the great role call of faith in Hebrews 11. Also Gentile converts in OT days: Rahab of Jericho, Ruth the Moabitess, Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, etc. Also believers before Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, before Israel became a nation, before anyone spoke of “Jews:” Abel, Noah, Shem, for example. Jewish Christians are also true spiritual Jews. One thinks of the 12 disciples (except Judas), Barnabas, Paul, etc., in the first century AD. In fact, there has always been a believing Jewish remnant throughout the NT age, including, for example, Alfred Edersheim. Gentile Christians are also Jews inwardly. The Christian church—that is, elect believers, the church invisible—is now, and has always consisted of, spiritual Jews (whether ethnically Jew or Gentile). A true Christian church is a congregation of Jews, spiritual Jews, consisting of all those redeemed and called of whatever age or nationality. “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly ... But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly ... whose praise is not of men, but of God” (Rom. 2:28-29).

Romans 2:28-29 is not unique in giving NT believers (whether Jews or Gentiles) names of the OT people of God. The Bible not only “spiritualizes” Jews; it also “spiritualizes” Israel. Listen to Asaph in Psalm 73:1: “Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart,” with the second clause defining the true Israel. Christ speaks similarly to Nathanael: “Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” (John 1:47). Paul declares in Roman 9:6, “For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel.” All believers are called “the Israel of God” in Galatians 6:16.

The OT people of God are not only called Jews (after Judah) and Israel (after Judah’s father); they are also called the children of Abraham (after Israel’s grandfather). Like the name Jew or Israel, the name children of Abraham is “spiritualized” in Scripture and applied to all believers, whether Jew or Gentile, who are given the faith of Abraham. John the Baptist proclaimed to the unbelieving Pharisees and Sadducees, “And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham” (Matt. 3:9). Jehovah later did this (in effect) in saving the Gentiles. Think of Christ’s words in John 8. The unbelieving Jews claimed to be Abraham’s children (33). Jesus told them that Abraham’s children do the works of Abraham (39), and denounced them as being not the children of Abraham but the children of the devil (44). As Paul put it in Romans 9:7, “Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children.” Galatians 3:29 states, “And if ye [Jew or Gentile] be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

So all saints of whatever nationality who trust in Jesus Christ crucified and risen are called Jews, Israel and the children of Abraham in the Word of God. We are also called the “circumcision,” that is, the true spiritual circumcision: “neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh ... circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God” (Rom. 2:28-29). “For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh” (Phil. 3:3). In Colossians 2:11, Paul explains that in Christ we “are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands.”

So all believers—you, too, child of God—are Jews, Israel, children of Abraham and circumcised—spiritually. We could also show from other texts that the elect NT church is the people of God, His covenant people, the diaspora (dispersed or scattered ones), etc.

The first important application of the truth regarding spiritual Jews is that which comes from the context in Romans concerning justification. Ethnic Jews are lost and must be saved. Nothing that they are or do can deliver them: not circumcision, not law-keeping, not religious rites. “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh” (Rom. 2:28). Physical Jews must be justified by faith alone in Christ alone if they are to be saved, “for ... both Jews and Gentiles ... are all under sin” (3:9). There is no special route to heaven for ethnic Jews; they too, like Gentiles, must go to the true and living God through Christ alone.

Similarly, the religiosity of professing Christians is of no avail. Our works, baptism, piety, etc., do not justify us. Only the cross of Christ! Only His spotless life is perfectly righteous and it must be received by faith alone. “In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory”—ethnic Jews and ethnic Gentiles (Isa. 45:25).

A second important application concerns ecclesiology, the doctrine of the church. The OT and the NT do not speak of two radically different people with different eternal destinies. There is one people of God and one church in all ages and in all lands. They are the spiritual people of God—inwardly, in the heart and in the spirit (Rom. 2:29). All believers, whether ethnic Jews or Gentiles, are spiritual Jews, Israel, children of Abraham and circumcision.

This gives us spiritual kinship with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and believing OT Israel. It is not a matter of wearing a skull cap or of seeking salvation by keeping OT law. It is looking for all your righteousness and salvation in the cross of the Lord Jesus alone. There is no need nor calling to Judaize, that is, to adopt Jewish customs (e.g., a prayer shawl) or affect to be Jewish.

Believer, the OT is your book; read it, believe it, love it! You worship Jehovah. You are beloved by God. Yours are the promises of the OT and the NT. Yours is the inheritance of the new heavens and the new earth. For, “he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God” (29). Rev. Stewart
Aad
Berichten: 25
Lid geworden op: 28 dec 2010, 11:03

Re: a Jew

Bericht door Aad »

Alexander CD wrote:
A true Christian church is a congregation of Jews, spiritual Jews, consisting of all those redeemed and called of whatever age or nationality. “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly ... But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly ... whose praise is not of men, but of God” (Rom. 2:28-29).
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So all believers—you, too, child of God—are Jews, Israel, children of Abraham and circumcised—spiritually. We could also show from other texts that the elect NT church is the people of God, His covenant people, the diaspora (dispersed or scattered ones), etc.
Hi Alexander CD,

I agree with you on many points, but you call members of the Church 'spiritual Jews' and the Church 'a congregation of Jews, spiritual Jews'. I know what you mean (think I know) but this way of speeking does not sound right to me, so I have some remarks.

1. I don't think Paul is stating that members of the Church are 'spiritual Jews', but that he merely wants to say in Rom.2 that all men are sinners before God, Jew and Gentile alike. The Jews have the Law and yet they don't follow it (to the full).

2. What Paul says of members of the Church is that there is neither Jew nor Greek etc. anymore in Christ Jesus, Gal.3:28. All members have 'put on Christ', verse 27. That is what makes them one and that determines their common identity as human beings made in the image of God. But the gentile will stay gentile in many ways, and the Jew will stay Jewish in many ways, that is not the issue, and also not a problem, is it not?

3. The Church is the 'new people of God' of the new covenant, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) says. Israel is the old people of God of the old covenant, and as such a "shadow" and type of the Church. And the old covenant stands as long as the heaven and earth exist.


greetings
Aad
Alexander CD
Berichten: 1063
Lid geworden op: 13 sep 2008, 18:44

Re: a Jew

Bericht door Alexander CD »

Aad schreef:1. I don't think Paul is stating that members of the Church are 'spiritual Jews', but that he merely wants to say in Rom.2 that all men are sinners before God, Jew and Gentile alike. The Jews have the Law and yet they don't follow it (to the full).
Best wishes for 2011!
Aad, I explained that in the other tread.
Aad schreef:2. What Paul says of members of the Church is that there is neither Jew nor Greek etc. anymore in Christ Jesus, Gal.3:28. All members have 'put on Christ', verse 27. That is what makes them one and that determines their common identity as human beings made in the image of God. But the gentile will stay gentile in many ways, and the Jew will stay Jewish in many ways, that is not the issue, and also not a problem, is it not?
The bible is a very specific book, it talks about redemption, the theme is "the restoration of the relationship between the Creator and the fallen human".
It doesn't talk about how to build an airplane, to name something.
It doesn't talk about the differents between the races, it speaks of redemption.
In the old testament times there was a people set apart, in an external covenant and of that people the bible tells us was only a remnant saved,but after the cross al that is changed thats what the apostel explains here.
The Jew thinks he belongs God chosen people because he is a decendent of Abraham and many people today still believe that.
But the bible tells us very clearly if you have the same faith of Abraham, Gods sees you as Abrahams offspring.
Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,If read Romans 4.

The bible speaks of this many times like in John 1.
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Not the boodline from abraham.
Not out of free will.
But from God, Gods elect people
Gods elect people, out of all nations is the Israel of God.

Why does the bible speaks of "My people that are called by My Name" Gods Name is YHWH and the people are called israel?

acd
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