Wednesday 29 February 2012

Led of the Holy Spirit

Romans 8:9,14,16 Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His----For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God -----The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are children of God ----

But God had revealed them (the "things of God") unto us by his Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things , yea, the deep things of God---the things of God know-eth no man but by the Spirit of God.

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God,that we might know the things which are freely given to us of God.

Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Spirit teacheth. (1 Corinthians 2:10-13).

Yet the Convert's Catechism of Catholic Doctrine bluntly declares: "Man can obtain a knowledge of God's Word (only) from the Catholic Church and through its daily constituted channels.

"When he has once mastered this principle of divine authority (residing in the church) the inquirer is prepared to accept whatever the divine Church teaches on faith, morals and the means of grace"

A cultic setup? Check your mind at the door and believe what you are told?

Christ and his disciples preaqched the gospel before any church was established. Early in His ministry, before even saying anything about His church, Christ sent His disciples forth , "and they departed , and went through the towns, preaching the gospel" Luke 9:6. Eleven times in the four Gospels we are told that Christ and His disciples were engaged in preaching the gospel, a gospel which is "the power of God unto salvation" to those who believe it. Romans 1:16.
Three thousand souls were saved on the day of Pentecost without Peter saying one word about an infallible church putting its approval on what he preached. If the endorsement of the Rc church wasn't needed then , neither is it needed now, for the Word of God is "living and powerful --a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart". Hebrews 4:12.

What are Tribulation Saints?

Question: "What are tribulation saints?"

Answer: During the tribulation, Satan—the great counterfeiter—will introduce his own man—a man of lawlessness and a man of perdition (Daniel 11:36-39) who will seemingly lead the world into time of peace and prosperity. This man is Antichrist. He will accomplish, at least for a season, what no other ruler has managed to accomplish—global unity. He will come to power at the beginning of the tribulation (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4) and establish himself as a true world ruler. During the first half of Antichrist’s seven-year reign, the inhabitants of Earth will live in relative harmony. And literally billions of misguided people will worship him as their god and savior. Not only will Antichrist accept this worship, he will demand the people’s worship! He will exact the allegiance of all (Revelation 13:16). Those who refuse to worship Antichrist face death.

In this dark hour, however, many will come to know Christ Jesus as Savior. These are the tribulation saints who will face the wrath of Antichrist (Revelation 13:7), yet their eternal salvation is secure (Revelation 14:12-13). No one, not even Antichrist, will be able to wrench these saints from God’s loving hands.

The tribulation saints will not be silent during these dark years. These Christians will continue serving their Lord Jesus Christ in the midst of their desperate surroundings. Faithful to the end, some of these Christians will die for their beliefs, but God shall reward them in this manner: “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:15-17 NKJV).

More importantly, the saints living in this time of great distress will not be forgotten by our merciful God as He pours His wrath upon a wicked earth. While unregenerate men and women face the white-hot judgment of God’s righteous fury, His saints shall “have the seal of God on their foreheads” and be spared the terrible wrath that follows (Revelation 9:4).

Two such tribulation saints will serve from Jerusalem as God’s mighty witnesses, “and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. These have the power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire (Revelation 11:3,6 NKJV).” What a ministry—they will boldly preach God’s truths while performing awesome miracles, and those unregenerate fools who try silencing them will be devoured by fire! So hated and despised will the preachers be, the whole world will celebrate the eventual deaths of these witnesses with gifts and merriment—but God will raise His slain witnesses back to life and carry them off to Heaven, and the entire world will see this spectacular event (Revelation 11:9).

The day of great trouble is rapidly approaching, so now is the time to ask, “Where will you be when Antichrist makes his appearance?” Will you be safe and secure in the loving hands of the Savior, or will you be fodder for Antichrist? Will King Jesus be your rescuer, or will you be one of the billions to perish when God’s divinely appointed wrath is poured out upon the rebellious masses? Prophecy is tomorrow’s headlines, so let no one say he or she has not been warned. The Lord Jesus is knocking at the door of your heart. Confess Him as your Lord and Savior. Come to Jesus and live.

Messianic Judaism

The place of Jesus in Messianic Judaism is usually clearly defined. They affirm his Jewishness and that of all the original disciples. Messianic Judaism asserts that Jesus is the word of God become manifest (John 1:1;14), a belief that is identical with normative Christian doctrine regarding the nature and identity of the son of God. Furthermore, Messianic Judaism generally asserts that the Messiah has a dual aspect as revealed in Scripture.^[72] Messianics believe Jesus' first role as Messiah was first to rescue the world from spiritual bondage, and that he will return again to rescue the world from physical oppression and establish his unending Kingdom—again, a belief that is identical to the normative Christian view of the Messiah. George Berkley writes that Messianics "worship not just God but Jesus" whom they call Yeshua.^[73]

What is Messianic Judaism?

DEFINITIONS

What is Messianic Judaism?
Messianic Judaism is a movement of Jewish people who believe that Yeshua (Jesus' original name in Hebrew) is the Messiah of Israel and the Savior of the world. Yeshua is the most Jewish of Jews. Yeshua was a descendant of both Abraham and King David, was raised in a Jewish home and went to synagogue. He perfectly kept the entire Torah (see Galatians 4:4). He taught that He came to fulfill, not set aside, the Torah (see Matthew 5:17-19). He was a rabbi who performed unparalleled miracles, bringing great blessing to the nation of Israel. All His early disciples also lived very Jewish lives. The Messianic movement was entirely Jewish at its inception, and continued to exist as an authentic Jewish movement for 700 years after Yeshua’s death and resurrection.

Messianic Jews have not stopped being Jewish. On the contrary, we remain strongly Jewish in our identity and lifestyle! The Tenach (the Old Testament Scriptures) provides the foundation of our Jewish faith, and the New Covenant Scriptures (which were also written by Jews) the completion of our Jewish faith. In fact, the Hebrew Scriptures themselves affirm that they are not complete, but that God was going to make a New Covenant with the Jewish people (Jeremiah 31:31-34). We believe that the Sinai covenant, upon which much of traditional (Rabbinic) Judaism is based, is a broken covenant. There is no Temple and there are no sacrifices by which we can be brought near to God and experience genuine atonement. Non-Messianic Judaism is based on this broken covenant, which cannot save us. In contrast, we believe that God already established this New Covenant by means of Yeshua's death and resurrection. He died and rose again to atone for our sins, so that we can enter into this New Covenant relationship with God. We believe that Yeshua ascended to the right hand of God the Father, and is coming back to Earth to reign from Jerusalem over Israel and all the nations of the world. At that time the fullness of the New Covenant will be realized.

What is the difference between Messianic Judaism and non-Messianic Judaism?
Non-Messianic or Rabbinic Judaism is a religion centered around the teachings and writings of the non-Messianic rabbis. Its formation began during the Babylonian Captivity (around 550 BC) and solidified nearly 2,000 years ago when the Second Temple was destroyed in 70 AD. Prior to that, “Judaism,” or the faith of the Jewish people, was centered around the Temple and the sacrificial system, and brought genuine atonement. After the destruction of the Temple, the non-Messianic rabbis decided to radically restructure Judaism, substituting synagogues, rabbis, prayers, study and commandments for the Temple, priests and sacrifices. They also added many of their own laws, rules and traditions. Sadly, they left us with a man-made religion that is powerless to save us. Today their writings and commentaries (the Talmud, etc.) form the foundation of traditional (non-Messianic) Judaism. Rabbinic Judaism consists of several branches: Orthodox (traditional), Chassidic (Orthodox with influences from eastern mysticism, including belief in reincarnation - a non-Biblical concept), Conservative, Reform (liberal), Reconstructionist (emphasizing Jewish culture over theology) and Secular Humanistic (denying the existence of God). Despite their claims, very few within these “Judaisms” are actually awaiting the Messiah, and those who are, are the exceptions. Messianic Judaism differs from Rabbinic Judaism in that we rely completely on the Scriptures. Our faith is the Judaism of the Bible (Biblical Judaism) and is centered on Messiah and the salvation He brings. We are brought near to God because of the atoning work of Yeshua, Israel's Chief Rabbi, who has fulfilled us as Jewish Believers and fulfilled Judaism itself.

Is there a difference between Messianic Judaism and Christianity?
In one sense, Messianic Judaism and Christianity are the same thing. There is only one faith. Messianic Jews and Christians share the same core beliefs. Let’s define Christianity as faith in the God of Israel and the Messiah whom He sent to save Jews and Gentiles. It is made up of peoples from different cultures who have organized themselves into different denominations. Christianity is made up of Jewish Believers and Gentile Believers. Messianic Judaism is the same faith but it is expressed within the Jewish heritage. Both Messianic Jews and Gentile Christians are part of Messianic Judaism.

THE ORIGINS OF MESSIANIC JUDAISM

When did Messianic Judaism begin?
Messianic Judaism is actually 2,000 years old, dating to the time of Yeshua Himself. Yeshua was (and is) Jewish. He was raised in a Jewish home and ministered to Jewish people in the Land of Israel. His disciples were Jewish. The apostles were Jewish. The writers of the Brit Chadashah (New Covenant or Testament) were Jewish (with the possible exception of Luke, and a good case can be made that he too was Jewish), and for a time, the faith was strictly Jewish. By the middle of the first century AD, tens of thousands of Jewish people believed that Yeshua was the Messiah (see Acts 2:37-42, 4:4, 21:20).

If Messianic Judaism was strictly Jewish at first, how did Gentiles come into the faith?
It was always God's will for the Gentile nations to share in His salvation (Isaiah 42:6, 49:6). God told Abraham that through him all the nations of the Earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:1-3). The Lord set apart the Jewish people to bring the knowledge of God, the Word of God, and the Savior to the rest of the world. At first the early Messianic Jews did not understand that this was God's will and they proclaimed the Good News only to other Jewish people. Ironically, the big controversy in the first century was not whether Jews could believe in Yeshua (naturally they could), but whether Gentiles could come into the faith without having to “become Jewish”! When Messianic Jews finally understood that salvation was also intended for the Gentiles, they began to share the Good News with non-Jews as well as with Jews. As a result, many Gentiles began to come into the faith.

How did a Jewish movement come to be regarded as so un-Jewish?
When the early Messianic Jews took the Good News of the Jewish Messiah to the Gentiles, a great number were brought into the faith. By the end of the first century AD, Gentile Believers outnumbered the Jewish Believers. This occurred primarily because there have always been far more Gentiles in the world than Jewish people. However, as more and more Gentiles came into the Messianic faith, some had little understanding or regard for its Jewish roots and God's eternal covenant with Israel. A “de-Judaizing” process (a separation from the Jewish roots of the faith and from the Jewish people) set in. As the number of Gentile Believers increased, they began to dominate the faith until the Gentile expression of Christianity emerged as the dominant expression of the faith. Then, in what can only be regarded as one of the greatest paradoxes of history, Christianity made it seem alien for a Jewish person to believe in the King of the Jews!

When did the early Messianic Jews disappear and why?
In spite of the many pressures put upon Jewish Believers to give up their faith, it seems that Messianic Judaism continued into the seventh century AD. First, non-Messianic rabbis pressured Messianic Jews to relinquish their faith in Yeshua as the Messiah. In addition, the dominant Gentile expression of Christianity pressured Messianic Jews to abandon their Jewishness. Finally, in the seventh century AD, the rise of Islam caused distress for Messianic Jews. Despite all this, the real reason for the disappearance of early Messianic Judaism was that Messianic Jews lost their “vision” - no longer regarding it as important to remain Jewish after accepting Yeshua. Consequently, they assimilated into the Gentile expression of Christianity.

MODERN MESSIANIC JUDAISM

When did the modern Messianic Jewish movement begin?
Though Messianic Judaism as a distinct movement faded in the seventh century, there have always been individual Jewish Believers in Yeshua. Beginning in the early 1800s increasing numbers of Jewish people began believing in Yeshua. The modern Messianic Jewish movement came to fruition in the 1960s and 1970s. We believe that this could be part of the salvation of the Jewish people predicted to occur in the Last Days (see Hosea 3:4-5, Joel 2:28-29, Deuteronomy 30:1-5, Romans 11:25-27).

How many Messianic Jews are there?
While there are no concrete figures, it has been estimated by those involved in the movement (and even by those outside the movement) that there are approximately 40,000 to 50,000 Jewish Believers in the Messiah in the United States. Even though there are approximately 400 Messianic synagogues in the U.S., the majority of Messianic Jews do not attend Messianic congregations. Instead they tend to join evangelical churches. The Messianic congregational movement is still relatively small, but it is growing. In 1948, when Israel was reestablished as an independent nation, there were fewer than 100 Messianic Jews living in Israel! Today, there are approximately 6,000 Messianic Jews in Israel in 100 congregations! The Messianic Jewish movement is also growing in other countries. If you are interested in getting involved in a Messianic synagogue, discernment is required, since not all are theologically sound.

MESSIANIC TERMINOLOGY

Why do we use the name “Yeshua” more often than “Jesus”?
Yeshua never heard the name “Jesus” in His lifetime! Yeshua is His given Hebrew name! It means “salvation” or “the Lord is salvation” (see Matthew 1:21). He was always called “Yeshua,” a common Hebrew name at that time. When Latin-speaking missionaries, who called the Messiah “Yesu,” brought the Good News to the British people, “Yesu” became “Jesus” in English.

What does “Christ” mean?
Some people mistakenly believe that “Christ” is Yeshua's last name! Rather, “Christ” is His title in much the same way as we might refer to a “President” or “King.” This title is taken from the Hebrew word “Mashiach” or “Anointed One,” which was translated into the Greek “Christos” and later anglicized to “Christ.” The actual English translation of Mashiach is “Messiah” and means an anointed, God-appointed leader. Examples of this title in the Tenach are found in Daniel 9:25 and Psalm 2:2. In the New Covenant, Yeshua claimed the title of Messiah (see Mark 14:61-62 and John 4:25-26).

Why do Messianic Jews prefer not to call themselves “Christians”?
The term “Christian” originally meant “follower of the Christ” or “follower of the Messiah.” By itself “Christian” is a good term. Theologically, Messianic Jews are Christians and many of us identify as Christians and call ourselves Christians. But sadly, over time the term “Christian” came to be used over-broadly and inaccurately. Many people today have a false dichotomy in their minds, that on the one hand there are Jews and Judaism, and on the other hand there are Gentiles and Christianity, and supposedly one must choose between the two. Accordingly, when a Jew accepts Yeshua he is thought to have “switched over” from the Jew-Judaism side to the Gentile-Christianity side, and is therefore no longer regarded as a Jew, but as a Gentile-Christian. For all intents and purposes the term “Christian” has become synonymous with “non-Jew” or “Gentile.” We believe the opposite to be true. Nothing could be more Jewish than to follow Israel's Messiah! Consequently we also choose to call ourselves “Messianic Jews,” which identifies us as Jewish people who follow Messiah Yeshua.

Why do Messianic Jews say they are “completed Jews”?
We believe that Yeshua is the fulfillment, or completion of Biblical Judaism. As Jews, we have been made “complete” in what the God of Israel intended for us; that is, we have come to trust in Yeshua as our atonement for sin and have been brought into a personal relationship with God Himself. Yeshua never intended to start a new religion; He came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17). We have not “converted” to another faith, but are part of the fulfillment of the Jewish faith!

If I’m Jewish and believe in Yeshua, will I stop being Jewish?
No, you won't! Yeshua is the Jewish Messiah, and believing in Him is the most Jewish thing that you could do! How could a Jewish person who acknowledges the Jewish Messiah become a non-Jew? Contrary to certain claims, the Jewish identity of many Messianic Jews has been strengthened by their faith in the King of the Jews. Many of us can claim that Jesus made us kosher! Faith in Yeshua is Jewish, no matter what men (even a majority of men) may say, because truth is determined by God - not by a majority vote! In fact, in every generation it has always been the remnant minority of Jewish people who had true faith in God. The majority almost always went astray (as examples, see Numbers 14:1-10, Exodus 32:25-26, Romans 11:2-10). If you are Jewish, it is because God made you a Jew and no one can ever change that.

MESSIANIC JEWISH LIFESTYLE

What is the importance of Messianic congregations?
Just as Messianic Judaism is not new, neither are Messianic synagogues new. Biblical and historical records demonstrate that there were Messianic synagogues throughout the Roman Empire and beyond as early as 50 AD (James 1:1, 2:2; Hebrews 10:27). Messianic congregations help foster community life. They enable Messianic Jews to assemble and worship the God of Israel within the Jewish heritage. Assimilation is a problem for Messianic Jews (as well as for other Jews), and Messianic congregations help combat the forces of assimilation. The issue of assimilation is something that is addressed in the New Testament. Rabbi Paul commands Messianic Jews to not become uncircumcised (1 Corinthians 7:18), which means not to seek assimilation into Gentile culture, but rather to continue their Jewish way of life. Historically, Messianic Jewish families that make no effort to live a Jewish lifestyle or to be involved in Jewish evangelism almost always assimilate within a couple of generations. Messianic congregations can help us maintain our Jewish identity and pass it on to the ensuing generations.

What about Messianic Jewish ministries?
Jewish ministries are also part of the Messianic Jewish movement. The Lord has used organizations like Jews for Jesus to bring the truth about Messiah to many Jewish people, to start Messianic synagogues, and to help Gentile Christians learn about the Jewish roots of the faith. Good Messianic congregations and ministries need to work together.

Do Messianic Jews believe they should keep the Law of Moses?
The covenant upon which much of the Torah is based is the broken Sinai covenant. There is no Temple, and therefore no sacrifices by which we may draw near to God and obtain eternal life. Therefore, it is impossible to keep all the laws of the Mosaic Covenant today. In addition, most Jews live outside of Israel, and many of the laws only apply to life within Israel. Nevertheless, the laws that are part of the covenant mediated by Moses are still valuable and relevant. The Torah continues to inform and guide the life of the Jewish people. It teaches us the right things to do and gives us a good way to live. It helps us live an authentic Jewish lifestyle. It helps us remain part of the Holy People. The early Messianic Jews had a favorable view of the Torah, and many were zealous to live in accordance with it (see Acts 21:20-26). History documents that Messianic Jews continued to live a distinctly Jewish, Torah-based lifestyle for centuries after the arrival of Messiah Yeshua. There is no incompatibility with being “zealous for the Torah” and being a Messianic Jew.

Therefore: I am pro-Torah, while recognizing that the Covenant made at Sinai is a broken covenant. I am pro-Torah, valuing the great wisdom that is found in the Torah. I am pro-Torah, recognizing that all Believers are in some sense to fulfill the Law (Romans 8:4), but that not all of us are obligated to fulfill the same requirements of the Law (for example, Gentiles need not be circumcised). I am pro-Torah, recognizing that nobody (Jewish or otherwise) can be saved by the works of the Law. I am pro-Torah, recognizing that Messiah’s teaching helps return us to the Torah's original intent regarding issues such as a man being married to only one woman. I am pro-Torah, understanding that one of the main purposes of the Torah is to point us to Messiah. I am pro-Torah, accepting the fact that Messianic Jews who choose not to keep every aspect of the Law, particularly the ceremonial laws, do not lose their salvation. My personal experience is that I have become more observant over time, but it was a process that took years. I encourage Messianic Jews to identify with and embrace their Jewish heritage, which in large part is based on the Torah; and I encourage Messianic Jews and Christians to be gracious to each other regarding others' level of Torah observance.

Do Messianic Jews celebrate the Jewish holidays and, if so, why?
Most Messianic Jews celebrate the Biblical holidays such as Passover, Shavuot (Pentecost), Rosh HaShanah (the traditional Jewish New Year, but actually the Feast of Trumpets), Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles), Chanukkah (the Feast of Dedication) and Purim. We celebrate the holidays because it is written in the Torah for Israel to observe these festivals forever (Leviticus 23:21, 31, 41; Exodus 12:14). Yeshua observed these festivals, as did the early Messianic Jews and apostles such as Rabbi Paul (Acts 20:16, 27:9; 1 Corinthians 16:8). We also believe that when Messiah Yeshua returns to Earth, some of these holidays will be reestablished worldwide (Zechariah 14:11-21). As Messianic Jews celebrate the holidays, we do so with the understanding that Yeshua is the fulfillment of each of them. For example, He is our Passover Lamb, who died on Passover. He is the Firstfruits of the resurrection, who came back to life on the holiday of Firstfruits. He is our Atonement on Yom Kippur, etc.

What is the relationship of Gentile Christians to the laws of the Torah?
Messiah’s Holy Community of Jews and Gentiles (the Church), while having much in common with Israel, is not identical to Israel. The New Covenant is not the same as the Old Covenant. Jews who enter the New Covenant remain Jews, and Gentiles who enter the New Covenant remain Gentiles. Gentile Believers are not the same as the Gentile foreigners who lived in the nation of Israel under the Old Covenant. Gentile Christians have an elevated status compared to the aliens who lived in the nation of Israel under the Old Covenant. They are fully co-heirs of the Kingdom with the Jewish saints. Being grafted into Israel doesn't mean that Gentile Believers become Israel or are required to live the same way as the Jewish people. Jews and Gentiles are one because of our one God and Father of all: “one Lord, one faith and one Baptism.” We share equally in the Spirit of God, who lives in all of us, and have the same hope of living forever in the New Jerusalem. Being one doesn’t negate the differences in roles and calling and lifestyle between Jews and Gentiles.

Keep in mind that most of the laws of the Torah were directed specifically to the Jewish people and not to the other nations. The laws formed Israel’s constitution. The laws were meant to keep Israel distinct from the other nations. So what relationship does the Gentile Christian have to the 613 laws of the Torah? The book of Acts records that Messiah's Emissaries (the Apostles) and the Elders of Messiah's Holy Community met to decide this very issue. In the Messianic Jewish community we commonly refer to this meeting, recorded in Acts 15, as “the First Jerusalem Council.” According to the binding, Holy Spirit-inspired decision issued by the Emissaries and Elders, apart from saving faith in Messiah Yeshua, only four essential practices are necessary for Gentile Christians: abstaining from food dirtied by idolatry, from sexual immorality, from eating blood and from the meat of animals that have been strangled (see Acts 15, especially verses 19-20, 28-29). In addition to these Four Essentials, obedience to the Moral Law (for example, not stealing, not murdering, not committing adultery and not bearing false witness) is required. The Creator has written these moral laws on everyone's heart (see Romans 2:14-15).

Apart from these Four Essential Practices and the Moral Law, everything else - including the Sabbath, holidays and dietary laws - is to be regarded as non-essential, and comes under the area of Christian freedom and liberty. If someone wants to observe a Biblical holiday or custom, there is freedom, but no obligation, to do so. Gentile Christians have the freedom to celebrate the Sabbath and the Jewish holidays, or not observe them. If someone says, “Messiah is my Passover and I don't need to celebrate a Passover Seder” - that’s fine. If someone says, “Messiah is my Sabbath, and I'm resting in Him, and therefore I don't need to rest on the Sabbath” - that's OK. If someone wants to observe the first day of the week as a day of rest and worship, he has every right to do so. If someone says, “I want to observe the Sabbath and celebrate the Passover to help me better remember and appreciate Messiah, my Passover Lamb” - that's fine, too.

This does not make the Torah useless or irrelevant for Christians. The Torah is full of great wisdom. In the Torah are found the principles for salvation, atonement and God-ordained ways of worship. The initial prophecies and God-ordained qualifications for the Messiah are found here. True and accurate historical accounts - the history of the Creation, the Fall and the Flood; the origins and dispersing of the nations and their languages; the foundation and calling of Israel; the covenants made with Noah, Abraham and Moses - are all contained in this great Book. Basic laws of morality and justice, and principles for godly living - principles that can be applied to the life of every nation and every Christian - are found in the Torah. Every Christian should be well-versed in the Torah.

Can Gentiles be members of a Messianic synagogue?
Most Messianic congregations do have non-Jewish members. To be a member of a Messianic synagogue, a Gentile Believer should have a burden and love for the Jewish people, an understanding of what God is doing with the Jewish people, and have a “Ruth-like” calling to the Chosen People. That does not mean Gentile Believers need to live exactly like Jewish people.

Are Messianic Jews Zionists?
Most Messianic Jews support Israel. We support Israel not only because we believe Jewish people need a national homeland, but also because we believe the reestablishment of Israel is a direct fulfillment of ancient Biblical prophecies (Ezekiel 36:24, 37:1-14). We know Israel is not a perfect nation, but believe that God's hand is behind Israel. We think that all Believers should support Israel because God promised Abraham: “I will bless them that bless you, and curse them that curse you” (Genesis 12:3).

How do you know that Yeshua is the Messiah?
The prophecies in the Hebrew Scriptures assure us that Yeshua is the Messiah. God wanted us to be able to recognize the Messiah when He came:

The Messiah had to be born in the city of Bethlehem (Micah 5:1-2). See Matthew 2:1-6, Luke 2:1-20.
The Messiah would be more than a man. He was to be God in human form (Isaiah 9:6-7, Jeremiah 23:5-6, Psalm 110:1, Proverbs 30:4). See John 1:1, 20:28; Hebrews 1:8.
The Messiah had to come before Jerusalem was destroyed the second time, which took place in 70 AD (Daniel 9:24-27). See Luke 1:5, 2:1-7.
The Messiah had to be a direct descendant of King David, a member of the royal family of Israel (Jeremiah 23:5-6, Isaiah 9:6-7). See Matthew 1.
The Messiah was to be tried and unfairly condemned, even though He was perfectly innocent (Isaiah 53:8). See Matthew 27:1-2, Luke 23:1-25.
The Messiah would die to make atonement for the sin of Israel and the world (Isaiah 53:5-6, 8, 10-12; Daniel 9:24-27; Zechariah 9:9, 12:10; Psalm 16:10, 22). See John 1:29, 11:49-52; 1 Corinthians 15:53.
The Messiah was to be a light to the nations, so that God's salvation could reach to the ends of the Earth (Isaiah 49:6). Yeshua is the most popular, the most studied and the most influential figure in the history of mankind. He is the most famous Jew who ever lived: more famous than Abraham, more famous than Moses, more famous than King David or any of the prophets, more famous than Freud or Einstein! If people throughout the world know about Israel, or pray to the God of Israel, or read the Holy Scriptures of Israel, it is because of Yeshua. No Jewish person should be indifferent to the fact that this Jewish man has had such a tremendous part in the history of mankind. The love He has inspired, the comfort He has given, the good He has engendered, the hope and joy He has kindled are unequaled in human history. He truly has become the light of the world!
The Messiah would rise from the dead (Isaiah 53:8-12; Psalm 16:10, 118:21-24; Zechariah 12:10). The New Testament records that, after His death and resurrection, Yeshua appeared to a wide variety of Jewish people, in varying numbers, and under varying circumstances. He appeared to Miriam (John 20:11-18); to some other women (Matthew 28:8-10); to Simon Peter (Luke 24:34); to two on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35); to 10 of the apostles (Luke 24:36-43); to all 11 apostles eight days later (John 20:24-29); then to seven by the Kinneret (the Sea of Galilee - see John 21:1-23). Yeshua appeared to 500 people at once, most of whom were alive and could verify the event when the New Testament was written (1 Cor. 15:6)! Yeshua appeared to His brother James, who became the leader of the Jerusalem Congregation (1 Corinthians 15:7), and to Rabbi Paul of Tarsus, who became better known as the Apostle Paul (Acts 9:1-16). Since the first century there have been millions of people, both Jews and Gentiles (including some of the greatest thinkers, philosophers and scientists), who have claimed to have encountered the resurrected Yeshua. What transformed all of these people? Only one explanation makes sense - He is alive today!

Yeshua's resurrection makes Him absolutely unique in the history of the world, and puts him on a level far higher than any of the prophets of Israel or any other religion or any philosopher. Buddha is still in his tomb. Mohammed is still in his grave. Confucius is still dead. Marx, Lenin and Freud are still in their graves. Only Yeshua has been raised from death! Since God would never allow a liar, a deceiver, or a false Messiah to be resurrected, Yeshua's resurrection validates His person, His ministry and His message. His resurrection is God's seal of approval on everything that Yeshua did and taught, and God's declaration to the world that Yeshua is Messiah and Savior of mankind. Therefore, we ought to pay attention to every word He uttered, since He spoke the truth without any error.

History tells us that only one man - Yeshua of Nazareth - fulfilled these prophecies and many others. No other man in history even comes close. The probability that one person could fulfill all these prophecies by chance is infinitesimally small. There is only one rational conclusion: Yeshua is the Messiah of Israel whom the prophets told us to expect.

WE WELCOME YOUR INVOLVEMENT!

We are encouraged by the growth of Messianic Judaism and by the growth of Congregation Shema Yisrael. We invite you to join us through your prayers, support, encouragement and participation. We appreciate all of you who stand with us. May the God of Israel, and the wonderful Messiah whom He sent to save us, bless and reward you for your faithfulness! From the bottom of our hearts - thank you!

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Friday 24 February 2012

The Holy of Holies and the Veil

The Holy Place - from the Tabernacle Model

Within the Holy Place of the tabernacle, there was an inner room called the Holy of Holies, or the Most Holy Place. Judging from its name, we can see that it was a most sacred room, a place no ordinary person could enter. It was God’s special dwelling place in the midst of His people. During the Israelites’ wanderings in the wilderness, God appeared as a pillar of cloud or fire in and above the Holy of Holies. The Holy of Holies was a perfect cube — its length, width and height were all equal to 15 feet.
A thick curtain separated the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place. This curtain, known as the “veil,” was made of fine linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn. There were figures of cherubim (angels) embroidered onto it. Cherubim, spirits who serve God, were in the presence of God to demonstrate His almighty power and majesty. They also guarded the throne of God. These cherubim were also on the innermost layer of covering of the tent. If one looked upward, they would see the cherubim figures.
The word “veil” in Hebrew means a screen, divider or separator that hides. What was this curtain hiding? Essentially, it was shielding a holy God from sinful man. Whoever entered into the Holy of Holies was entering the very presence of God. In fact, anyone except the high priest who entered the Holy of Holies would die. Even the high priest, God’s chosen mediator with His people, could only pass through the veil and enter this sacred dwelling once a year, on a prescribed day called the Day of Atonement.
The picture of the veil was that of a barrier between man and God, showing man that the holiness of God could not be trifled with. God’s eyes are too pure to look on evil and He can tolerate no sin (Habakkuk 1:13). The veil was a barrier to make sure that man could not carelessly and irreverently enter into God’s awesome presence. Even as the high priest entered the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement, he had to make some meticulous preparations: He had to wash himself, put on special clothing, bring burning incense to let the smoke cover his eyes from a direct view of God, and bring blood with him to make atonement for sins.

“But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.” (Hebrews 9:7)

So the presence of God remained shielded from man behind a thick curtain during the history of Israel. However, Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross changed that. When He died, the curtain in the Jerusalem temple was torn in half, from the top to the bottom. Only God could have carried out such an incredible feat because the veil was too high for human hands to have reached it, and too thick to have torn it. (The Jerusalem temple, a replica of the wilderness tabernacle, had a curtain that was about 60 feet in height, 30 feet in width and four inches thick.) Furthermore, it was torn from top down, meaning this act must have come from above.
As the veil was torn, the Holy of Holies was exposed.GOD'S PRESENCE WAS NOW AVAILABLE TO ALL. Shocking as this may have been to the priests ministering in the temple that day, it is indeed good news to us as believers, because we know that Jesus’ death has atoned for our sins and made us right before God. -!The torn curtain represents Christ's body, torn and sacrifieced for us on the cross, opening the way to God. He was indeed proclaiming that God’s redemptive plan was now complete. The age of animal offerings was over. The ultimate offering had been sacrificed.
We can now boldly enter into God’s presence, “the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf.” (Hebrews 6:19-20)

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body …let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith.” (Hebrews 10:19-22)

THE HOLY OF HOLIES IS A REPRESENTATION OF HEAVEN ITSELF, God’s dwelling place, which we have access now through Christ. In Revelations, John’s vision of heaven — the New Jerusalem — also was a perfect square, just as the Holy of Holies was (Revelation 21:16).

“For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. …But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.” (Hebrews 9:24-26)

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Thursday 23 February 2012

The Timing of the Rapture

The Timing of the Rapture

The subject of the timing of the Rapture of the saints is always guaranteed to ignite a debate. Within Church doctrine, there a four main positions.

1/ No Rapture of the Church

2/ Pre-tribulation Rapture

3/ Mid-tribulation Rapture

4/ Post-tribulation Rapture

Many leaders totally avoid the topic of the Rapture. They don’t believe it is an important enough issue to risk the division that discussion tends to create. However, I beg to differ. I believe that the existence of Israel unmistakably places us in the latter days. If this is indeed the case, a correct understanding of the end-time is essential. The Body of Messiah needs to be prepared for what is about to take place in the World. If the pre and mid-tribulation doctrines prove to be wrong, then many Christians who were expecting to be raptured may find themselves totally unprepared to survive the tribulation. The Lord has called us to be His fellow-workers. Therefore we need to know what lies before us, so that we can invest our lives in the work of the Kingdom. Let us also remember that Jesus rebuked the people of His day for being able to discern the weather from the signs in the sky, but not being able to discern the signs of the times in which they lived. ( Matthew 16:3 )

I want to take a scriptural look at this volatile subject.

1/ No Rapture of the Church

I believe that 1 Thessalonians 4:16 shows the no-rapture option to be unscriptural. Some Bible teachers have quoted 1 Corinthians 15:51 to also support the rapture. However, if we desire to rightly divide the Word of God, this verse on its own does not speak of a rapture. The verse simply states that we will all be changed in a moment of time, even the dead will be brought back to life. Taken in tandem with 1 Thess 4:16, the Corinthians scripture does point to the Rapture, but standing alone it does not.

2/ Timing of the Rapture

That leaves the other three doctrines to discuss. The Bible also teaches that every word should be established by the word of two or three witnesses (Matt 18:16). I am going to give you more than three scriptures that witness to the true timing of the Rapture.

1/ Acts 3:21 "whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. (NKJ)

According to this verse, Jesus is being restrained in Heaven until the prophecies are fulfilled. The prophets spoke of Israel's scattering and latter day restoration of the nation of Israel and the regathering of the Jewish people to the land of their fore-fathers. (Deut 30:3 / Jer 30:3) Both Hosea (Hos 3:5) and Jeremiah (Jer 30:9) prophecy of the Jewish people serving David their King. King David was long dead when these words were written. It is obvious that this is a prophetic statement referring to Israel serving the Messiah and Acts 3:21 tells us that will have to be fulfilled before Jesus is release from Heaven. Romans 11:26 says that one day all Israel will be saved.

2/ Romans 11:15 For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? (NKJ)

The ultimate "life from the dead" surely must be the resurrection of the dead. This occurs as the last Shofar announces the second coming of the Lord. ( 1 Thess 4:16) and according to Romans 11:15, that event is a result of the natural Jewish branches being grafted back in to the Olive Tree ( Israel )

3/ Matthew 23:39 Jesus said to the Jews in Jerusalem "You won't see me again until you say Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord''

Revelation 1:7 Behold ! He is coming on the clouds and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him.

Taking both of those verses together, we can deduce that if Jesus said that the Jews won't see Him again until they are ready to welcome Him back, then no-one will see Him until the Jews welcome Him back.

4/ Matthew 24: I agree that some Bible verses can be use to support the pre or mid-tribulation doctrines, but Matthew 24 should put any debate over the timing of the Rapture to rest. The disciples asked Jesus " What will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age ?"

Jesus then systematically answers their question. I believe the only legitimate way to rightly divide this chapter is to read through it in the order that Jesus spoke it out. Lets take an overview of His answer.

v 5 Many will come in my name

v 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars

v 7 For nation will rise up against nation and there will be famines, earthquakes and pestilences

in various places

v 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows

v 9 Then they will deliver YOU up to TRIBULATION and KILL you and you will be hated by all

nations for my names sake

v 13 But he who endures to the END will be saved

v 15 Therefore when YOU see the abomination of desolation as spoken by the prophet Daniel,

standing in the Holy place ( let him who reads understand )

v 21 Then there will be GREAT TRIBULATION, such as has not be seen since the world began

v 22 Unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved, but for the elect's sake those days

will be shortened

v 29 Immediately after the tribulation ……………. The powers of the heavens will be shaken

v 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in Heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will

mourn and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and

great glory. He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they will gather

together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other ( this lines up

with 1 Thessalonians 4;16 )

v 36 But of that day and hour, no-one knows

v 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will betaken and the other left. Two women will

grinding at the mill; one will be taken and the other left. This surely must be a picture of the

rapture and it occurs at the END of the Lord's narrative, well after the GREAT

TRIBULATION of verse 21.

I used to prefer the mid-tribulation position, but on Jesus words alone I was forced to reconsider and I arrived at the only possible Biblically correct position. According to Jesus, the Rapture is immediately after the time He called "the Great Tribulation". Does you theology agree with Jesus, or do you choose to disagree with Jesus ?

I have two more points that also confirm a post-tribulation Rapture

Ruth

A good number of today's Bible teachers see the book of Ruth as a prophetic picture of the end-time Church. Ruth the Gentile clung to Jewish Naomi. Ruth had done what all true Christians have done, whether they realize it on not, in making the God of the Jews, their God. But Ruth had gone even further. She said to Naomi, "Your people shall be my people, and your God shall be my God. Where you go I shall go, and where you die I shall die" (Ruth 1:16) This is a picture of total commitment and a picture of the end-time ' Ruth ' Church standing with the Jewish people in the last days. ' Ruth ' means friend and Israel needs as many friends as possible in the days of the Great Tribulation. Ultimately, the whole world will come against Jerusalem and Israel in the final days. The non-Bible believing world will never be Israel's friend - quite the opposite will be seen to be true. Only the true Church of Jesus will stand with Israel in the dark days ahead as both Jews and Christians pass through the days of Jacobs Trouble standing united against the wrath of a Satanically inspired one world government and the false church, both of which are already being formed.

Jesus came the first time for the Jewish people

By His own declaration Jesus came the first time for the lost sheep of the House of Israel (Matt 15:24) and I believe that He will come for the House of Israel when he returns at his 2^nd coming.

The only difference is that this time there are millions of ' wild branches ' that have been grafted into the ' Olive Tree ' of Romans 11:17 that represents the House of Israel. God only has one house, one people. The Church does not stand separately as many Christians would believe. Paul commands us not to boast against the (natural) branches, but remember that you do not support the root, the root supports you

( Romans 11:18 ) Were it not for the fact that God has grafted the non-Jewish Church into the natural Olive Tree - the Church would simply not exist. Gentile Christians are now ' fellow citizens' of the commonwealth of Israel ( Ephesians 2:11 - 19 )

Jesus is coming back for His bride - Do you really believe that the Bride of the Jewish Messiah will be void of most of the Jewish people ? Paul didn't believe so. In Rom 11:25 Paul tells us that there is a certain number of Gentiles who are pre-destined for salvation and when that number is complete, then the Lord will supernaturally remove the veil that has blinded the eyes of the Jews and then ALL Israel will be saved ( Rom 11:26 )

Jesus will not take the bride out until she is complete with Jews and Gentiles. The Jews have been blinded to the truth and have suffered dreadfully for the last 2000 years, so that you dear reader, if you are a Gentile could be grafted in. That is why Paul also says in Romans 15:27 that it is your duty to bless the Jewish people in material ways. You are called to be a ' Ruth ' in the day that you have come to the Kingdom. Any other opinion, or the desire to escape the time of Jacob's Trouble, leaving the Jewish people behind to go through it by themselves, is an un-Biblical, selfish attitude, and in the light of the above scriptural evidence, needs to be seriously reconsidered.

And as the last word, Paul's warning in @ Thessalonians 2 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, . Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? (NKJ)

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7 reasons to pray for Israel

7 REASONS WHY WE SHOULD PRAY FOR ISRAEL FIRST

God has not finished with Israel ……..

Has God cast away His people ? Certainly not ! God has not rejected His people whom He fore-knew (Rom 11:1 - 2)

Again I shall rebuild you and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel (Jeremiah 31:3)

The gifts and callings of God are irrevocable … (Rom 11:29)

The Word of God commands us to … Pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6)

You who call upon the name of the Lord, give Him no rest until He establishes Jerusalem as a praise in all the Earth (Isaiah 62:6 – 7)

Let the priests who minister to the Lord, weep between the porch and the alter; let them cry out “spare you people of Lord” (Joel 2:17 )

The Church has a continuing upon the past, present and future of Israel

Remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you (Rom 11:17)

Whom are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving

of the law, the service of God, and the promises; of whom are the fathers and from

whom, according to the flesh, Christ came …… (Rom 9:4- 5)

The Gentiles have benefited from the Jewish people’s fall ...

Through their trespass, salvation has come to the Gentiles (Rom 11:11)

If their falling away was riches for the world, what will their reconciling be, but life from the dead (Rom 11:15)

God loves Israel – If we have His love and His Spirit, shouldn’t we ?

Israel …. I have loved you with an everlasting love (Jer 31:3

They are beloved for the sake of the fathers ….. ( Rom 11:28)

Whoever touches you, touches the apple of His eye ….. (Zech 2:8)

Yeshua’s return to take up His 1000 yr reign is dependant on Israel’s salvation.

That He may send Yeshua, whom Heaven is restraining until the time of restoration of all things, as spoken by God, through the mouth of His holy prophets. (Acts 3:21)

You won’t see me again until you say “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” (Matt 23:39)

Behold He is coming on the clouds and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. (Rev 1:7)

You will be blessed if you bless the Jewish people - I will bless those who bless you ….. (Gen 12:3) It is your duty to help the Jewish people …. It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things. (Rom 15:27)

OUT OF ZION Ministries

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Gentiles

The term Gentile (from Latin gentilis, by the French "gentil", female: "gentille", meaning of or belonging to a clan or tribe) refers to non-Israelite peoples or nations in English translations of the Bible. Latin and subsequently English translators selectively used the term gentiles when the context for the base term "peoples" or "nations", Hebrew, גוי (goy) and נכרי (nokhri) in the Hebrew Bible and the Greek word ἔθνη (éthnē) in the New Testament, indicated non-Israelite peoples or nations. The term gentiles is derived from Latin, used for contextual translation, and not an original Hebrew or Greek word from the Bible. Following Christianization of the Roman Empire, the general implication of the word gentile became "non-Jew".
Latin etymology
Gentile derives from Latin gens (from which, together with forms of the cognate Greek word genos, also derive gene, general, genus and genesis). The original meaning of "clan" or "family" was extended in post-Augustan Latin to acquire the wider meaning of belonging to a distinct nation or ethnicity. Later still the word came to refer to other nations, 'not a Roman citizen'. After the Christianization of the empire it could also be used of pagan or barbarian cultures.

[edit] In the Bible

In Saint Jerome's Latin version of the Bible, the Vulgate, gentilis was used in this wider sense, along with gentes, to translate Greek and Hebrew words with similar meanings when the text referred to the non-Hebrew peoples.
The most important of such Hebrew words was goyim (singular, goy), a term with the broad meaning of "peoples" or "nations" which was sometimes used to refer to Israelites, but most commonly as a generic label for peoples. Strong's Concordance defines goy as "nation, people, usually of non-Hebrew people, or of descendants of Abraham, or of Israel, or of a swarm of locusts or other animals (fig.) Goyim = 'nations'." Strongs #1471^[1]
In the King James Version, Gentile is only one of several words used to translate goy or goyim. It is translated as "nation" 374 times, "heathen" 143 times, "Gentiles" 30 times, and "people" 11 times. Some of these verses, such as Genesis 12:2 ("I will make of thee a great nation") and Genesis 25:23 ("Two nations are in thy womb") refer to Israelites or descendants of Abraham. Other verses, such as Isaiah 2:4 and Deuteronomy 11:23 are generic references to any nation. Typically the KJV restricts the translation to "Gentile" when the text is specifically referring to non-Hebrew people. For example, the only use of the word in Genesis is in chapter 10, verse 5, referring to the peopling of the world by descendants of Japheth, "By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations."^[2]
In the New Testament, the Greek word "ethnos" is used for peoples or nations in general, and is typically translated by the word "people", as in John 11:50 ("Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not."). The translation "gentiles" is used in some instances, as in Matthew 10:5–6 to indicate non-Israelite peoples:

These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.^[3]

In that instance, Gentiles becomes a reference to pagan cultures of the period.
Altogether, the word is used 123 times in the King James Version of the Bible,^[4] and 168 times in the New Revised Standard Version.^[5]

[edit] Early Christianity

Further information: Biblical law in Christianity, Paul of Tarsus and Judaism, Pauline Christianity, Christianity and Paganism, and Jewish Christians

The Greek ethnos where translated as Gentile in the context of Early Christianity implied non-Israelite. There was a question among the disciples whether receiving the Holy Spirit through proselytization would be restricted to Israelites or whether it would include the gentiles (the Greco-Roman population of the Roman Empire), as in Acts 10:34–47:

And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?"^[6]

Attached to this question was the circumcision controversy in early Christianity, i.e., does a Gentile need to follow all of the Mosaic Laws. The position of the Judaizers was that this was a necessity for salvation, taking Christianity to remain fully within Judaism, including obedience to the Torah Laws. Paul of Tarsus who argued against the Judaizers, on the point that circumcision was necessary for salvation. The Council of Jerusalem decided to give the new converts four things that had to do in order to be able to assemble at the Synagouges every Sabbath to hear Moses read, (Acts 15:1-29). This was done with the understanding that those new believers would go to the Synagouges to hear the Law read every Sabbath and would conform to God's Law after hearing it read to them every Sabbath. This was called the Apostolic Decree (Acts 15:19–29), which may parallel Jewish Noahide Law.

[edit] Modern usage

As in the King James Bible, from the 17th century onward Gentile was most commonly used to refer to non-Jews. This was in the context of European Christian societies with a Jewish minority. For this reason Gentile commonly meant persons brought up in the Christian faith, as opposed to the adherents