God’s People are Israel
I hope to convey to the reader that from a Biblical standpoint, there is very little evidence that God has separate rules for two different peoples. In other words, that there are ‘Jews’ that are supposed to follow Mosaic laws, and that there are ‘Gentiles’ that do not follow any prescribed laws, but rather only those they subjectively deem as loving God and neighbor. Put another way, that the Jews as a people can reject Christ as their Savior, but are still saved because of their adherence to Mosaic Law, or that the gentiles are saved because of their reliance on the spirit without that spirit being evidenced in their adherence to any law. The modern Christian church has come to believe that they are free to interpret loving God and loving neighbor in any way they please. Indeed, without any additional context, this freedom to define sin has led to the confusion that we now see in the Christian church. Today’s Christian is led solely by the spirit, and when asked to delve deeper into what this means, one finds little foundation. In no way do I diminish the power of the Spirit, but the written scriptures, specifically the Old Testament, have been supplanted by individual interpretations of morality which are thought to derive from the Spirit. So we are left with two peoples, one who follows the law and denies Christ, and one who follows Christ and denies the law. God did not give His people separate rules and guidelines, there was to be one law for one people, set apart by God.
49 There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you.”
Exodus 12:49 ESV
12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,
Romans 10:12 ESV
I submit that Israel is the name of the those set apart by God, and this Israel includes both Jews and Gentiles (or foreigners). This Israel is not bound by lineage or land – the things which can define a nation, but rather, is bound together as a spiritual nation of people in the eyes of God. This is not to say that God did not maintain a lineage or a land, but rather that these identifiers are outward expressions of God’s intent, to fulfill His purposes at their allotted times. These are tools used by God, but they do not fundamentally define, in and of themselves, His people. At times, God broke with lineage and allowed lands to be taken, but did His people cease to exist at that point? His people carried on one way or another, as only God knows who His people are. And we do not define His people by who their parents are or the places they live. One may be from a Jewish lineage and live on Jewish lands, but that does not mean they are God’s people, Israel, and hold to the confession of Christ. I desire that you leave this section with the understanding that; God maintained a lineage, but Israel is not a lineage, and He maintained a land, but Israel is not a land. For some, this may seem rudimentary, but I want to stress that reliance on lineage or land will leave you with a faulty foundation, and as difficulties come your way, your faith will be shaken.
