by Timothy W. Burnett
What is God's wil for the people who are truly of Israel? The answer is summed up in Romans 10:1, "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved." This is related to the same salvation that is available to anybody who believes that God raised Jesus from the dead unto being filled with holy spirit (Romans 10:9-10), and who spiritually call upon the name of the Lord unto salvation (Acts 2:21, Romans 10:9-10, 13).
It continues, "For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believes." (Romans 10:2-4).
Paul was an Israelite with a great zeal to serve God. Out of ignorance he destroyed and imprisoned many who called upon the name of the Lord (Acts 9:14). But God grabbed his attention and he turned to serving in the name of the living Jesus Christ.
He started out teaching only the Israelites. But they rejected the truth and he turned to the Gentiles. Peter had already learned that the promise was available to the Gentiles (see Acts chapter 10). The word Gentile referred to all people other than the Israelites.
The Israelites who believed became part of the body of Christ. They were part of the same assembly of believers which included believing Gentiles. This new assembly was known as the church of God. 1Corinthians 12:13 shines more light, "For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and all have been made to drink into one spirit. For the body is not one member, but many."
What a shock this must have been to the whole social structure at that time. By law, the Jews were not allowed to enter into Gentiles' homes. Yet God set up the church of God which involved fellowship between His saints who were both Jew and Gentile. Paul played a big role in serving God toward bringing the two groups together in fellowship.
In God's eyes there are three categories of people in the world. They are Jews, Gentiles and the church of God. Check out 1Corinthians 10:32, "Give none offense, neither to the Jews nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God." People who become part of the church of God are no longer counted as Jew or Gentile, but as the church of God. Isn't that just fantastic!
Home