God entrusted to Israel the message of salvation, and the eternal truth that he alone is God. Just as it is possible for a messenger to deliver a message they personally do not accept, so the Jewish people must make the same decision as every other human to walk the earth – to accept Christ as the promised Messiah. So, does a Jew need to accept Christ to be saved? The answer to this question is a resounding yes. His mission was to take that which had been promised for so long and bring it to fruition through the promises that had been given to Israel. Jesus stated himself that his mission on earth was not to destroy Judaism or replace the Jewish people. “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” ( Matthew 5:17). The New Testament, then, is a fulfillment of the Old, and should be thought of as one consistent and related account of God’s covenant relationship with the Jewish people, and how that relationship grew to include all people. The tie between Judaism and the Church is undeniable, and historical attempts to make Jews out to be anything other than the chosen people through whom the Messiah came to earth is at best misguided, and at worst satanic. It may be a strange thought to us, but Jesus the Messiah is still alive, is still acting on our behalf, and he is still Jewish. The prophets were Jews, and the Apostles were practicing Jews, as was Jesus himself. What Christians refer to as the “Old Testament,” Jews refer to as “The Bible.” We must also remember that when Jesus, Paul and others quote Scripture, they were quoting the Jewish Bible. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” ( Romans 1:16). How Do Both the Old and New Testaments Relate to the Nation of Israel? From the earliest chapter of Genesis to the end of Revelation, we read how God planned to work through one family, one nation, from which the Messiah would emerge and all humanity could be restored to Him. The coming of the Messiah and the birth of the Church did not end this relationship, but allowed all people from all the earth to enter into it in a way that had never been possible before. The history of Israel, and their unique relationship with God, is a rich and fascinating one that began in the Garden of Eden and continues to this very day.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |