Galatians 3:26-29 (NASB) 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 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. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.
(This movie is 80 minutes and can be purchased HERE)
I love Israelis but I love Arabs as well. They are all created in the image of God. Are we not called to love impartially? So, does this make me anti-Semitic by not favoring the Jewish people over their region’s neighbors? Some seem to think it does but is that consistent with the above passages and the tenor of the entire New Testament?
I have found that most Christians are not cognizant of the facts, partly because we have been blinded by indoctrination. Few of us are aware of the manipulations and machinations that surrounded Israel’s statehood in 1948 and thus unaware of the current Palestinian/Israeli conflict’s origin. Being told ad nauseum that the current occupiers of Israel are God’s chosen people…and that the only way to be blessed is to bless Israel (Gen 12:3), has caused a blindness to the overwhleming message of the New Testament (which is the Old Testament revealed). The included Pauline passages simply don’t bear the proposition that one must bless the modern day nation of Israel in order to receive God’s blessing.
Is the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen 12:3) still in effect? Absolutely. But the question is, is its fulfillment of the flesh or of the Spirit?
During the first ten years of the Church’s existence, the disciples were mandated by Christ to preach the Gospel to ONLY the Jews. The early church was comprised of almost 100% fleshly children of Abraham. Salvation was of the Jews and Paul preached nothing but what was found in the law and the prophets.
Acts 26:22 (NASB) “So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place;
Acts 24:14-15 (YLT) 14 `And I confess this to thee, that, according to the way that they call a sect, so serve I the God of the fathers, believing all things that in the law and the prophets have been written, 15 having hope toward God, which they themselves also wait for, that there is about to be a rising again of the dead, both of righteous and unrighteous;
Christianity is the fulfillment of Old Testament Judaism. There is only ONE people of God and only ONE way to obtain peace with God.
Galatians 3:7-9 (NASB) 7 Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. 8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.
Galatians 3:14 (NASB) in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
So who is the seed of Abraham that will be blessed? This is absolutely critical to understand.
Galatians 3:16 (NASB) Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ.
There is ONLY ONE seed of Abraham who will bless the nations and that person is Jesus Christ! Only by being “in Christ” does ANYONE become children of Abraham. Racial barriers have been eliminated. The wall of separation between races was forever put away.
Ephesians 2:14-16 (NASB) 14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.
The truth is that through Jesus Christ we can ALL unite as brothers. We desperately need to tear down these artificial ethnic barriers. There is no racial distinction in Christ. There is NO genetic advantage in God’s economy. There is no special blessing achieved from blessing Israel. Jesus Christ is the one whom we all must bless and worship. It must be clear that according to Scripture, no one relying upon their heritage can have peace with God. Jesus Christ is THE way, THE truth and THE life for all who trust Him to absolve them of their sins.
Do you remember what Jesus told Nicodemus, who was a Jew according to the flesh, a child of Abraham? He must be born again…born of the spirit because only those born from above can have eternal life with God.
What did John the Baptizer tell the Jewish religious leaders of his day regarding their supposed ethnic advantage? That God could raise up stones as Children of Abraham! And the Apostle Paul made it clear that there are no ethnic distinctions in Christ. Who are the true decedents of Abraham? The Scripture is clear. Only those who, by faith, embrace Jesus Christ. Genetic predisposition is not part of the New Covenant economy.
So if you are confused by this issue, please take the time to watch the above movie. Peace can be achieved. God has not foreordained this conflict. This strife is man-made and it is up to Christians to bring an unbigoted message of the Gospel to ALL. I long to see the day when Jews and Arabs unite in mass under the Lordship of Christ. What a glorious day that will be.
As a postscript, please consider watching the short trailers below. The cycle of violence must stop and Christians need to be the peacemakers of Christ.