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Evangelical Group Says Jews Need Conversion
Deseret News ^ | Oct 12, 2002 | AP

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.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: christians; conversion; jews
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To: LostTribe
Chosen by whom, and for what?

When you get out of kindergarten, you'll be ready to learn some salvation history.

61 posted on 10/17/2002 7:19:45 PM PDT by sinkspur
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To: HoustonCurmudgeon
LOL, yes I noticed the REFORM......
62 posted on 10/17/2002 7:20:34 PM PDT by OldFriend
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To: sinkspur
>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.

63 posted on 10/17/2002 7:21:49 PM PDT by LostTribe
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To: elbucko
"THAT'S the main reason my Jewish friends vote Democrat. To be left alone."

Oh, that's rich. The statist control freaks are going to leave them alone. Sure.
64 posted on 10/17/2002 7:22:37 PM PDT by ovrtaxt
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To: cookcounty
What is it you don't understand about live and let live? What is it you don't understand about treating others as you would wish to be treated?
65 posted on 10/17/2002 7:23:20 PM PDT by OldFriend
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To: sinkspur
Salvation history?
--- Are you speaking in tongues tonight?
- Whats your point?
66 posted on 10/17/2002 7:24:29 PM PDT by tpaine
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To: tpaine
Whats your point?

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.

67 posted on 10/17/2002 7:27:24 PM PDT by sinkspur
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To: sinkspur
>>Chosen by whom, and for what? (Cite specific Biblical authority, please.)

>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.)

68 posted on 10/17/2002 7:31:55 PM PDT by LostTribe
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To: jstone78
I don't understand what all the griping is about on this thread. Christianity is just Judaism fulfilled. The entire Old Testament pointed forward to the Messiah. When He showed up (yes, I mean Jesus) many Jews believed. There were NO nonJewish believers for about 14 years, and when a Roman got saved, the Jews freaked out.

Over time, they separated from the nonbelieving Jewish population, (what Christian wants to marry someone who doesn't have a realtionship with Christ?) and became part of the 'regular' population.

The Jews that are left are, by definition, descendants of the unbelievers. When one of them gets saved, thay are Messianic, but usually retain their ties to the Jewish community for outreach purposes.

Why is this so controversial? The Jews need Christ just like the rest of us.
69 posted on 10/17/2002 7:32:56 PM PDT by ovrtaxt
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To: HinduAmerican
there is no difference between al-qaida and this evangelical christen group. may they have not yet trained in afghanistan.

Considering that Hindu nationalist groups are just as bad as muslem groups in attacking christians I find your statement quite ironic. Hindu's and Muslems are murdering christians in the streets of india on a everyday basis yet you cannot say the same about christians.
70 posted on 10/17/2002 7:37:35 PM PDT by Brush_Your_Teeth
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To: ovrtaxt

>There were NO nonJewish believers for about 14 years, and when a Roman got saved, the Jews freaked out.

That's almost true, but not quite. The difference lies in understanding the meaning of the word GENTILE and it's proper use. Please excuse the long answer but that's the only way I know to properly explain it.

GENTILE is a generic word. Like the words FOREIGNER and STRANGER it has no specific meaning until the user gives it a specific context. A Foreigner to one person is a Countryman to another. A Stranger to one person is a Friend to another. A Gentile to one group of people is a Relative of another group.

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.


71 posted on 10/17/2002 7:44:32 PM PDT by LostTribe
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To: LostTribe
Lost Tribe,

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

72 posted on 10/17/2002 7:45:20 PM PDT by aMorePerfectUnion
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To: sinkspur
And why is this an issue on a political websites 'news/activism' forum?
73 posted on 10/17/2002 7:47:06 PM PDT by tpaine
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To: Jack Black
You sir win. Your prize: a cookie.
74 posted on 10/17/2002 7:50:46 PM PDT by Saturnalia
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To: aMorePerfectUnion
>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...

75 posted on 10/17/2002 7:51:56 PM PDT by LostTribe
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To: LostTribe
Historial Historical
76 posted on 10/17/2002 7:53:06 PM PDT by LostTribe
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To: HoustonCurmudgeon
Is it considered good manners in Texas to knock on someone's door at 7am and not take no for an answer?
77 posted on 10/17/2002 7:55:08 PM PDT by Bella_Bru
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To: tpaine
And why is this an issue on a political websites 'news/activism' forum?

Ask the person who started the thread. I'm just participating, like you.

78 posted on 10/17/2002 7:58:23 PM PDT by sinkspur
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To: Bella_Bru
Is it considered good manners in Texas to knock on someone's door at 7am and not take no for an answer?

Madam,

That would very much depend upon the question and who was asking it!! ;-)

79 posted on 10/17/2002 7:59:49 PM PDT by HoustonCurmudgeon
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To: LostTribe
Lost Tribe,

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

80 posted on 10/17/2002 8:03:01 PM PDT by aMorePerfectUnion
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