Posted on 10/17/2002 4:20:26 PM PDT by jstone78
Evangelical Group Says Jews Need Conversion
WHEATON, Ill. (AP) — The World Evangelical Alliance is taking issue with an August report from U.S. Roman Catholic bishops that opposes efforts to target Jews for conversion.
The evangelical organization, an alliance of 120 national and regional church fellowships and 75 non-denominational ministries, has reaffirmed and reissued a declaration defending Jewish evangelism that was written in 1989 by 16 theologians from nine nations.
One of those theologians, the Rev. J.I. Packer, an Anglican teaching at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia, endorsed the reaffirmation. "Sharing Jesus Christ with our Jewish friends is as important a task as ever it was," he said.
The 27-point statement decries anti-Semitism and confesses that Christian churches have "been much to blame for tolerating and encouraging it," but says this history doesn't remove the right to share Christianity with Jews.
The Catholic bishops said deepened appreciation of God's unbroken covenant with the Jewish people means "campaigns that target Jews for conversion to Christianity are no longer acceptable in the Catholic Church."
But the evangelical paper defends such targeted evangelism and denies that Israel's covenant relationship by itself brings salvation or that "any person can enjoy God's favor apart from the mediation of Jesus Christ."
"Faith in Jesus Christ is humanity's only way to come to know the Creator," the paper asserts.
When you get out of kindergarten, you'll be ready to learn some salvation history.
I'm here and I'm ready. Put your evidence where your mouth is.
Any Christian who doesn't know that the Jews are God's Chosen People is either being intentionally disingenuous, or knows nothing about the Old Testament.
>Any Christian who doesn't know that the Jews are God's Chosen People is either being intentionally disingenuous, or knows nothing about the Old Testament.
Wrong on both counts. Here is your chance to demonstrate your profound Biblical knowledge. Chosen by whom, and for what? (Cite specific Biblical authority, please.)
|
>There were NO nonJewish believers for about 14 years, and when a Roman got saved, the Jews freaked out. GENTILE simply means "not one of us", or "not one of our group". Mormons call non-Mormons "Gentiles", and Jews call non-Jews "Gentiles". But outside a specific context the word Gentile does not stand on it's own. When used as slang, "Gentiles" are (1) Any who are "uninitiated", as in amateurs or neophites, (2) Those who are naive, like potential victims, or clients, (3) Anyone not of our group, like competing sports teams or competing companies. For Example: The Lost Sheep of the House of Israel are a unique sub-set of Gentiles who are Israelites, but are not Jews. Viewed from a Jewish perspective, being non-Jews they are Gentiles. But viewed from an Israelite perspective they are not Gentiles but fellow Israelites. Matthew 10:5-6 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: "Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the Lost Sheep of The House of Israel." We need to remember the Title House of Israel was assigned to the Northern Kingdom when the Davidic Kingdom split. The Northern Kingdom was never Jewish, therefore Jesus command to go FIRST to the Lost Sheep of The House of Israel was NOT a command to go first to lost Jews. Jesus was both an Israelite and a Jew. He said "do not go to Israelite Gentiles." (That is, "do not go to non-Israelites.") A common misinterpretation has Him referring to Jewish Gentiles, saying "do not go to non-Jews. That is not correct. The (post Davidic) House of Israel soon became The Lost Tribes of Israel who won their freedom from the Assyrians ~610 BC. These 5 MILLION Israelites spread quickly to the West and North as they exploded into history as The CELTS, later known as Europeans and Americans. It was to these non-Jewish Israelites in Galatia, Ephesus, Corinth, etc. that Jesus first sent his 12 apostles. These Northern Kingdom Israelites were not Jews, but were Gentiles in the Jewish sense. However they were not Gentiles in the Israelite sense because as offspring of Jacob/Israel they WERE Israelites. This huge Celtic Kingdom of Israelites was simply called the The Lost Sheep of the House of Israel. These ISRAELITE CELTIC GENTILES made up the bulk of the early Christians and their offspring are the backbone of Christianity today. All the promises their ancestors received as Israelites are still good, for Gods inheritance has no statute of limitations. |
Simply read Romans chapter 9 - Jews chosen by God, set aside during the Christian age, but will be regrafted in the future. Still chosen - just being disciplined for not recognizing Christ as Messiah.
best to you, AMPU
Thank You. I certainly have no quarrel with that. Indeed, I support that same Biblical interpretation.
But I am not referring to things metaphysical, simply Biblical and Historial genealogy. As when disussing the physical lineage of Jesus. A short summary of Israelite history and genealogy is RIGHT HERE.
Cordially...
Ask the person who started the thread. I'm just participating, like you.
Madam,
That would very much depend upon the question and who was asking it!! ;-)
Thanks for your cordial response.
OK, I must say I don't have any idea where this information you posted has it's source. You may be right...
But I must add that as a seminary graduate and teacher, I don't believe your understanding of Mathew 10:5... is correct. Gentiles were non Jews and Samaritans were half Jews (origin: sometime after 722 BC when Assyria conquered the northern kingdom, it moved the conquered people of northern Mesopotamia into Israel where intermarriage took place.
The kindom message of Christ was aimed at God's covenant peoples - the Jews - who were lost.
Now, here's the great thing... I still wish you the best. In comparison with understanding our need of a Savior, this is a minor point of discussion.
best, AMPU
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.