Who is Israel-18

The Bible is not silent on this subject, neither in the Old or First Testament or the New or Second Testament. There has only been one really true group that can rightfully claim to be the ‘children of God’!

Galatians 3:26  For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 3:27  For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 

Sons or children of God are only those who truly profess faith in Christ Jesus and therefore have been clothed with the righteousness of Christ.

3:28  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 3:29  And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise.

Here we read Paul reaching back all the way to Abraham, hundreds of years before there was a nation of 12 tribes in a land of promise. All are equal before Christ, not equal in roles or responsibilities but equal in salvation and standing. Paul makes this claim in many areas of his writings.

Romans 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 1:17  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." 

No favorites, no works, no racial lineage can bring salvation to anyone. All are now equally brought before the cross of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins.

Romans 2:9  There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, 2:10  but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 2:11  For there is no partiality with God. 

Could anything be made clearer than this? God is clearly stating that His first conditional promises were to the ‘Jews’. There is no partiality of favoritism with God.

Ephesians 2:8  For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 2:9  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 2:10  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. 

Salvation is truly the gift of God. Too many believe today that God owes this to them. God owes us nothing and we owe Him everything.

Colossians 3:9  Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 3:10  and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— 3:11  a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all. 

3:12  So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 3:13  bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 

Again Paul feels compelled to make this very clear. Everywhere he taught, the ‘Jews’ followed him. They still felt themselves to be the only true children of God. Paul told them they were wrong.

Since there is only one ‘people’ of God, there is no longer a ‘chosen’ people who share a racial or physical trait. It no longer is related to tribes, ancestry, or location. It is universally available but few are really interested in receiving this great gift, only available through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

More next Saturday.