No Jewishness in Christ?

 

     What nationality is the Family of God?  What are their family roots, pedigree and origin of birth? In Ephesians 2:12-18 Paul argues for a new race of humanity. A kingdom of citizens and a family of people who are neither Jewish nor gentile but spiritual.  They are born of the Spirit and they worship in “spirit” and are “led by the Spirit.” Such a race of men is called “spiritual” whereas those who are not of this race are called “carnal.” There is neither Jew nor Gentile, bond or free, male or female distinctions that define this family from one another.

    Circumcision was the beginning and basic ceremonial law that separated people into JEWISHNESS versus gentile.

 

¹¹Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;

 

Indeed, Paul argues that all Laws in the Old Testament that were designed to distinguish and separate Jew from Gentile are abolished in Christ. In other words, Christ has abolished JEWISHNESS as a characteristic to distinguish His people on earth.

 

¹⁵Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man (the spiritual race of men), so making peace;(One in salvation and service) ¹⁶And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 

¹⁷And came and preached peace to you which were afar off (gentiles), and to them that were nigh.(Jews) ¹⁸For through him (united by one savior) we both (Jew and Gentile) have access by one Spirit (united by one Spirit) unto the Father (united in one family). – Emphasis mine

 

     The “twain” in verse 15 refers to the Jew and the Gentile. In Christ they are merged into “one new man.” This “one new man” is no longer Jew or Gentile. Hence, there is no JEWISHNESS that defines God’s people on earth any longer. What is this “new man” in Christ?  He is SPIRITUAL. Saved gentiles are SPIRITUAL gentiles and saved Jews are SPIRITUAL Jews and it is this spiritual likeness that makes them ONE in God’s kingdom, family and church.

     Paul argues in Galatians chapters three thru five that the whole Mosaic Economy or Covenant has been totally abolished with all of its ceremonial laws and Sabbatical cycle of days and feasts. In order that there can be no mistake about the fact that He is saying the whole Mosaic Economy of Law is being abolished, he distinctly defines “the law” He is referring to in chapter three and in chapter five to be the Mosaic Law.

 

 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. – Gal. 3:17

 

    Immediately after defining this law that was given “four hundred and thirty years” after the final confirming of the covenant to Abraham, he describes this law as that one given through a mediator and angels.  It is this Law that Paul says was as a school master to lead them to Christ but after they have come to Christ by faith they are no longer under this law:

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. – Gal. 3:24-25

 

     This same “law” continues to be the subject of his discussion into chapter four where at the conclusion he makes it clear again exactly what Law he is referring to:

 

Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? ²²For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid,  the other by a freewoman. ²³But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. ²⁴Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.   ²⁵For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.  – Gal. 4:21-25

 

        Paul is distinctly referring to the whole Mosaic Covenant given at Mount Sinai with all of its moral, ceremonial and civil laws. These external commands were as a schoolmaster to lead us to Christ but when we come to Christ we are no longer “under a schoolmaster” as this covenant is “cast out.”

 

Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. ²⁹But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. ³⁰Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. ³¹So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free. – Gal. 4:28-31

 

   Having clearly established what Law he is referring to throughout this context he makes it very clear that the whole ceremonial laws including circumcision as well as the sabbatical cycle of days and feasts are no longer applicable for Christians under the new covenant:

 

But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?   ¹⁰Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. ¹¹I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain. – Gal. 4:9-10

 

     It is these same ceremonial laws and the sabbatical cycle of days, months, seasons and years that he tells the Colossians have been nailed to the cross:

 

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; ¹⁴Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; ¹⁵And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. 

¹⁶Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:   ¹⁷Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. – Col. 2:13-17

 

 

     Some argue that Paul is referring to man made traditions instead of the Mosaic Laws given at Mount Sinai. However, the conclusion disproves this theory entirely. What Paul says has been abolished and nailed to the cross is not the traditions of men but those things that were intended by God to be “a shadow of things to come” or pictures of Christ. This same language is used by the writer of Hebrews to describe the sacrificial laws and priesthood given at Mount Sinai (Heb. 10:1-9). It is the ceremonial law of circumcision that introduces this passage. The words “meats, and in drinks” clearly refers to the whole dietary laws while the terms “holy day” as well as “new moon” and “Sabbath days” incorporate the whole sabbatical system of days, months, seasons and years wherein certain sacrifices were to be offered. The Scripture is clear that the Mosaic Law as a Covenant responsibility for God’s people has been abolished.

    God’s people are no longer defined as “JEWISH” but as “SPIRITUAL” and they are under a spiritual covenant. Under the New Covenant there is a NEW temple, NEW ordinances and a NEW way of service and a NEW day of worship. The New Testament Church institution replaces the Old Covenant Temple. The ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper replace circumcision and the Passover. The Great Commission replaces the Old Covenant mission of proselyting gentiles. The Lord’s Day becomes the Christian Sabbath under the New Covenant (Psa. 118:22-24 with Acts 4:10-11).

    

CONCLUSION

 

     Professed Christians that attempt to divide the family of God into different ethnic groups are condemned by these Scriptures. The so-called Messanic Jewish movement is clearly condemned by these Scriptures. There is no more “JEWISHNESS” under the New Covenant of grace. All who revert back to the practice of any part of the Mosaic ceremonial system (dietary law, feast days, sabbatical cycle) as a mandatory way of divine service have rejected the New Covenant and are in disobedience to the Scriptures.  It is true that in the millennium the Temple system and its ceremonial laws will be instituted once again for instructional purposes (Isa. 66; Ezek. 40-44). However, this will only occur when Israel as a nation is restored as the prominent nation in the world under Christ in the millennium. However, in the mean time all who try to establish this system in this age are in open defiance to God’s word and are to be condemned by God’s people.