We have been considering (with a few brief interruptions) that the entire Bible is about Jesus (John 5:39-40). As a sub-category of that premise, we devoted several posts to Christ’s establishment of His Church. In this post I want to write about another key element about the establishment of Christ’s Church, namely, the blending of Jew and Gentile as one people of God. A very common mistake in reading the Bible is to conclude that God had a plan for Israel, but that since Israel failed (not only to keep the law, but to receive their Messiah), that God instituted a second, separate plan for Gentiles. This is a mistake.
God has one plan.
Revelation 5:9 And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation…
Revelation 13:7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.
Revelation 14:6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people--
The conclusion: God has one people, made up of sinful people who He graciously saves from every nationality. That plan was fulfilled when Jesus Christ saved His sinful people by becoming a man so that He could live for them, die for them, and rise for them.
God gave the Jews the Law, but the Jews could never be saved by keeping the law. No one can, regardless of nationality. No one can be saved by keeping the Law since it is impossible for any sinner to keep the Law.
Romans 3:20-24 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all [Jew and Gentile alike] have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
The Law was never intended to be a means of salvation, based on obedience. Rather, the Law points out our sinful state that cannot be reversed by our attempts to obey. Once a person is sufficiently convinced of his hopeless sinful condition, he will cry out to God for mercy—which is found solely through faith in Jesus Christ (John 14:6).
This is true not only for Jewish people but the law given to the Jews was to be a light to Gentiles as well.
Deuteronomy 4:6-7 Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the [Gentile] peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.' 7 "For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him?”
While it is understandable that some may think there is a difference between Jew and Gentile, and even that God has two plans (one for Jews and one for Gentiles), Paul tells us that the wall that separates Jew and Gentile has been removed by Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:11-16 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh--who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands-- 12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 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.
Jesus is the Savior of one people, marked by faith not by ethnicity or nationality.
Jesus’ story is not done however, because He is coming again. More on that next time.