The roots of Christianity are in Jesus Christ.
Jesus’ prayer John 17:5 reveals to us that he was glorified that he had with his Father before the world was made, and in verse 24 he prayed for the disciples to behold his glory in his Father’s love for him before the foundation of the world. The roots of Christianity are in Jesus Christ. Paul wrote that Christians are rooted and grounded in Christ’s love. Ephesians 3: 17
Through Paul’s knowledge of the Hebrew scriptures the Holy Spirit revealed to him how God before the foundation of the world had in his great mercy Gentiles in mind to be saved through faith in Jesus.
“In order to make known the riches of his glory for the vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? 25 As indeed he says: “Those who were not my people
I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved
I will call ‘my beloved.’”
26 “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’” Romans 9: 23, 24. Hosea 1: 10. 2: 23 RSV Bible
When Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus, he encouraged the Gentile Christians that God had planned their inclusion into the Kingdom of God through faith in Jesus before the foundation of the world.
”Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.” Ephesians 1: 4. RSV Bible
God had prepared to bless us in our ministries, the vessels of mercy, ”For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2: 10 RSV Bible
Paul tells us that Gentiles cannot attain eternal life by doing good deeds to please God, it’s by faith, which depends on the promises and rests on grace.
Covenants sealed with blood
“11 Therefore, remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh called the “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is made in the flesh by human hands)” Ephesians 2: 11 RSV Bible
Abraham’s Covenant sealed with circumcision, “This is my covenant which you shall keep, between me and you and your descendants; every male among you shall be circumcised.” Genesis 17: 10. RSV Bible
Jesus was circumcised in order to fulfil the law.
Moses’ Covenant was ratified, with blood. “Moses took the blood and threw it upon the people, and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.” Exodus 24: 8. RSV Bible
Jesus’ Covenant, “Drink this all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Matthew 26: 26-28. RSV Bible
Circumcision of the heart sealed by the blood and the Holy Spirit.
In our body, life is in the blood, and the blood’s function reflects our salvation – the red blood cell collects oxygen from the lungs and carries it to a tissue and offloads it giving the tissue energy and simultaneously takes away from the tissue the waste, the carbon dioxide is expelled through the lungs. The red cell is like Jesus ministering to a person his redeeming blood removing the waste, the sin in our lives, while at the same time the blood giving us new life.
Repentance from the heart leads to forgiveness and the indwelling presence of the Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit. Romans 2: 29. 9: Colossians 1: 29.Acts 2: 37. 7:51.
We draw on our inheritance from the sap rising from the roots of Christ and we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. Ephesians 1: 3
“12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.” Ephesians 2: 12. RSV Bible
Before Jesus, the relationship between Jew and Gentile, the Gentiles were excluded from citizenship in Israel.
The Hebrew people came into existence from the foundation of the world and became God’s chosen people they had covenants, agreements with God. God spoke through the prophets: prophesies and promises. Luke11: 50. Matthew 13: 35. 25: 34 RSV Bible
Did God intend Gentile Christians to become Proselytes?
Unger’s Bible Dictionary
New Testament used the word ‘Proselyte, there were two classes – gentile strangers, who while living among the Jews, bound themselves to seven precepts that forbade: idolatry, blasphemy, bloodshed, uncleanness, theft, eating flesh without blood, while being obedient, professing their adherence to all doctrines and precepts of the Mosaic law.
Secondly the Rabbis gave three essentials for admission of males as proselytes to Judaism-circumcision, baptism and sacrifice. To a woman – baptism and sacrifice.”
The early church
The Pharisees wanted every male Gentile to be circumcised and to uphold Mosaic law However, the Gentiles were given religious enactments to follow that excluded circumcision. The Jerusalem Meeting of the church, apostles, and elders was to consider the religious decrees for the Gentiles: to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. Acts 15: 29.
Paul’s message to the Gentiles removed all barriers that had existed before between Jew and Gentile.
“13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near in the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end.” Ephesians 2: 13-16. RSV Bible
The cross the meeting place between God and all humanity, we have access into the kingdom through faith in Jesus’ blood.
Paul writes: “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of his grace.” Ephesians 1: 7 RSV Bible. Through having faith in Jesus in what he did for us on the cross, taking our sin upon himself and dying as a result, and through his divinity being found not guilty in his own life, his blood shed for the sins of the whole world and universe. God raised him from the dead. Through Jesus accomplishing this he has united us with heaven while we live on the earth.
So, through faith in Jesus I have died with him to sin and with him raised up in God’s eternal Spirit to newness of life.
17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; 18 for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. Ephesians 2: 17-19. RSV Bible
Paul saw that the Gentiles accepting Jesus as their Saviour made Israel jealous. As a result the Jews argued with Paul and contradicted what he was saying. Acts 13: 44-47
As the church grew, a division began to emerge between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians.
“A couple drove several miles down a country lane, not saying a word. An earlier discussion had led to an argument and neither wanted to concede their position. As they passed a farmyard of mules and pigs, the husband sarcastically asked, “Relatives of yours?” “Yep” the wife replied, “In-laws.” “A Barrel of Fun” J John & Mark Stibbe
The Gentile Christians acknowledge their union with the Christian Jews, when they sent provisions of food during a famine to the Christians at Jerusalem.
“For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem; they were pleased to do it, and indeed they are in debt to them, for if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings.” Romans 15: 26, 27. RSV Bible
Eyre & Spottiswoode Study Bible notes 2 Corinthians 8: 1. “This offering was more than a relief mission. It would be for the Jerusalem Christians a demonstration of the oneness of the faith and love which united the Gentile and Jewish Churches into the fellowship of the one body in Christ.”
The Corinthian church were asked to contribute to the relief of the Christians at Jerusalem. Paul spoke of equality between Jewish and Gentile Christians.
Paul’s letter to the Corinthians he wrote, “I do not mean that others should be eased and you not burdened, but that as a matter of equality, your abundance at the present time should supply their want, so their abundance may supply your want so there may be equality.2 Corinthians 8: 13. RSV Bible
Old saying, “Two little dicky birds sitting on a wall one is Peter the other Paul. Fly away Peter, fly away Paul, come back Peter come back Paul.” It speaks of a rift causing them to fly away and coming back in understanding and unity.
The rift within the early church deepened as a result of the Apostle Peter having the ministry to the circumcised and Paul to the uncircumcised. The Christians who insisted in keeping of the Mosaic law and circumcision eventually led to Paul’s confrontation with Peter over this issue, we read about in Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Galatians 2: 1-21.
Paul had to prove his sincerity toward Jesus when he recounted his testimony and the years following his conversion. Peter was a man of great stature among the Christians and to publicly speak to him in the way that Paul did when he accused him of being insincere towards the Gentile believers. “But when I saw that they were not straight forward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like the Jews?” Paul continued to say, that we are declared not guilty of our sin before God through the final sacrifice of Jesus to justify the demands of the law of sin and death. Therefore, justification did not come through keeping the law, it has come through faith in Jesus. Peter was trying to please the Gentiles by sitting and eating with them, but when the Christian Jews arrived he withdrew from the Gentiles, Paul was saying you can’t have it both ways.
Peter wrote at the end of his letter that there were some things that Paul wrote in his letters that were hard to understand. 2 Peter 3: 16.
Down the centuries Jesus death on the cross became a stumbling block to the Jewish people.
“Has God Finished with Israel” by Rob Richards page 126 -128
Rob Richard quotes 1 Thessalonians 2: 14b – 16. “” . . . the Jews, who killed Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to all men in their effort to keep us speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.”
Rob continues (Yet we remind ourselves in the Nicene Creed, ‘For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,’ a Gentile. ASB)
The process was almost complete. The Messianic believers had started within Judaism but were now being forced to find a distinct identity outside mainstream Judaism. The Bar Kochba Revolt of AD 132 further widened the division between the two communities. Bar Kochba was hailed as the Messiah by Rabbi Akiva, and the Jewish believers had to withdraw their support from his leadership of opposition to Rome because they believed Jesus to be the Messiah and consequently, they were seen as heretics. The opposition of the Jewish establishment to the believers became violent and this sealed the complete separation.”
During this period the leaders of the churches introduced ‘Replacement theology’ meaning that the church has replaced Israel. Chrysostom and Martin Luther were very antagonistic against the Jews and the Jews respond in the same manner. I personally do not believe in replacement theology.
God is preparing his Church for Jesus’ return.
Singer Helen Shapiro is of Jewish decent born in London in 1946. At the age of six she went to a state school. She told us of how she remembered a child coming up to her in the playground and saying, ‘You killed Jesus.’ She was devastated and never forgot those hurtful words. In the late 1980’s she discovered Jesus as her Saviour and the promised Messiah to the Jewish people.
The Messiah’s Secret Revealed in 1996
Both Peter and Paul understood that the leaders and people had crucified Jesus in ignorance to fulfil the prophesies of his death and resurrection. These prophesies had been hidden from them by God. On the evening of the day of Jesus’ resurrection Jesus had opened the disciples understanding to these prophesies. Luke 24: 44-48. Acts 3: 17- end 13: 27.
At Pentecost the Apostles proclaimed publicly that Jesus was the Messiah for the first time, a national calling to accept Jesus and he would have brought in ‘the times of refreshing’ the restoring of the throne and land of King David. Luke 1: 32, 33.
The Jews were taught from the law that when the Messiah came he would live for ever. This was taught by the Layers, Scribes and confirmed when they stood at the cross, “So also the chief priests mocked him to one another with the scribes, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.” John 12: 34. Mark 15: 31, 32. RSV Bible Matthew 16: 21, 22.
The early church where expecting Jesus to return soon after Pentecost. Acts 3: 17-22. Mark 8: 38, 9: 1
Only God the Father knows the time of Jesus’ return
” 20 built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; 22 in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” Ephesians 2: 20-22.
Our Jewish roots
We are built upon the foundations of the apostles and prophets. The apostles Jewish men, saw the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse and a branch shall grow out of his roots.” Jesus the Christ fulfilling this prophecy, from his Hebrew roots he has made it possible for all humanity to become Children of God through faith in Jesus. Peter in his second letter wrote to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours, in the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ. Peter prophesied that the earth will be dissolved by fire and with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. Isaiah 11: 1. 2 Peter 1: 1. 3: 8, 10.
Christians are equal in Christ ‘all in all’
Paul towards the end of his letter to the church at Rome pursues the hope of peace between believers; to bear the failings of the weak. To edify our neighbour -To live in harmony with our neighbour. That together you may with one voice glorify God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. “7 Welcome one another, therefore, as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. 8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will praise thee among the Gentiles, and sing to thy name”; 10 and again it is said, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people”; 11 and again, “Praise the Lord, all Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him”; 12 and further Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse shall come, he who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles hope.”
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15: 1-13. RSV Bible Psalm 18: 49. 2 Samuel 22: 50. Deut 32: 43. Psalm 117: 1. Isaiah 11: 10.
Flavours of Christianity
‘Messianic Christian Fellowships’ that bring into their worship elements of Judaism like the Hebrew in song, dance and some of the symbols from the temple worship: the Menorah candlestick. I personally have no problem with that, it must enrich their worship.
Most Evangelical Gentile Christians worship as Paul indicated that when they came together they sang Hymns and songs, pray, read and hear the word expounded, and always giving thanks in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father etc. Ephesians 5: 19