Ruth D – Romans 4:16 states that Abraham is the father of us all. Please explain.

Dave – This relationship that all true believers have with Abraham is spiritual rather than physical. If purely physical, all Gentiles would be out of luck for eternal life. By his willingness to give up the most precious thing to him (son Isaac), Abraham had a similar heart to God’s heart since God was also willing to give His only begotten Son. It was Abraham’s strong faith in God that is mirrored in all his “children” throughout the centuries until Jesus ends this world as we know it. One might say that Abraham put faith first and any works second in regard to salvation. In Genesis 22:17, God tells Abraham that He will “multiply his seed (or descendants) as the stars of the heavens and the sand which is on the seashore.” I think this not only refers to Jewish people and their nation, but to Gentile salvation as well. By us (Gentile or Jew) totally surrendering our lives in faith to God’s Son, we are just like Abraham, and God is super pleased. In present-day vernacular, Jewish Christians are sometimes called “completed Jews” and we Gentiles are “grafted in Jews” or “Spiritual Jews.” God has made it clear that genetic lineage does not count toward salvation (see Romans 11:13-21). All this is not to say that there are absolutely no distinctions between Jew and Gentile as Romans Chapter 11 reveals. But as far as salvation and obtaining favor from God is concerned, there is “neither Jew nor Gentile.”

Feedback:

Gary R – Has it ever occurred to you that to be Jewish is so very special and indeed they are God’s chosen people, what a shame they do not know or believe that wonderful GIFT!

Dave – Yes indeed, Jews are special. They were “the originals.” Romans 9-11 speaks of this, but they all must come to eternal life via the cross like anyone else. Because they rejected their Messiah, Jesus said that the Kingdom would be taken away from the Jews: “Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof” (Matthew 21:43). So the Age of the Gentiles began as the Jewish nation (not Jewish individuals) rejected the Messiah. So the Jewish nation is now in total darkness, in my opinion. Some Christians think that will not change, while others think God will convert mass numbers of Jews just prior to the Second Coming. In all this I know one thing for sure, God’s mercy goes deeper and farther than we think.

Mickey L – How Christians can say God is done with Israel is to totally disregard the Bible. It is called Replacement Theology and is rampant in the church. Denominations have taken their money out of Israel and have boycotted Jewish businesses. Why? Because they have replaced Israel of the Bible with the Christian Church. How you can disregard Romans 9, or Romans 11 is beyond me. Half the books in the Old Testement talk about the restoration of Israel. In Psalm 89:28-37, “My lovingkindness I will keep for him forever, and my convenant shall be confirmed to him. So I will establish his descendants forever and his throne as the days of heaven. If his sons forsake my law and do not walk in My judgments, if they violate My statutes and do not keep my commandments, then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes. But I will not break off my lovingkindness from him, nor deal falsely in My faithfulness. My covenant I will not violate, nor will I alter the utterance of My lips. Once I have sworn by My holiness I will not lie to David HIS DESCENDANTS SHALL ENDURE FOREVER AND HIS THRONE AS THE SUN BEFORE ME. IT SHALL BE ESTABLISHED FOREVER LIKE THE MOON.” When we have leaders stand up and say God is done with Israel they are bring judgement on themselves, look at America today. God says I will bless those who bless Israel and curse those who don’t. Lastly, if God was not for Israel how could a nation, (the only one in history) be dispersed and then be reborn in one day, the wars they have fought without Gods help would never have been won and if God dosen’t keep is word to Israel why would He not forsake us as well. Look around it’s all about Israel they are the original olive tree we are the ones grafted in, not the other way around.

Dave to Mickey L – I ‘m not saying I embrace Replacement Theology to the point that we should forsake Israel, but how do you interpret Matthew 21:43?

Mickey L – We have been doing a Bible Study in Galatians and it’s all about the Law and how Christ came and that by grace we have been saved. Would this be where the rabinacle system has been rejected, where the age of the Gentiles comes in until as Scripture says the scales will be taken from their eyes? It seems if God wants to make a point in Scripture you will find the context somewhere else, all through Scripture the love for Israel is clearly shown, and to me this one sentence if taken in the context that God is done with Israel is refuted countless times in the Bible.

Dave to Mickey – I certainly hear what you are saying and I am not against the nation of Israel  and I do want that country to succeed. However, the Old Covenant promises to Israel were all conditional and the nation broke that covenant several times throughout history. So God revealed to Daniel that this Old Covenant for “Daniel’s people” (Jews) would end in 490 years from the time permission would be given to rebuild Jerusalem until the Messiah comes. That 490 year period historically ended with Christ’s crucifixion. Even Romans Chapter 11 says that only a remnant of Jews will be saved, not the whole nation. Therefore, later in verse 25, “…all Israel will be saved” must refer to New Covenant believers rather than physical descendants of Abraham because that is True Israel.