To: Grandk who wrote (2117 ) 10/1/2003 4:52:15 PM From: Cyprian Respond to of 5569 Jesus made it explicitly clear in his own words that claiming abraham as your father (as the modern jews of today continue to do) will avail you nothing. as you will recall John the Baptist forewarned them of the futility of this approach: "And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham." --Matthew 3:9 Gospel of John: 8:33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed , and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 8:35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. 8:37 I know that ye are Abraham's seed ; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. 8:38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. 8:39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. 8:40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. 8:41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 8:45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. 8:46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? 8:47 He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. if being the literal seed of abraham did not profit the jews 2,000 years ago, why should it today? God is perfectly consistent. after acknowledging that they were the literal descendants of abraham, Jesus made it quite clear that in his eyes they were not the spiritual children of abraham, but they were in fact children of the devil-- serpents and vipers. it is an abomination for zionist christians and jews today to assert special privileges with God simply based upon some claim to physical heritage. paul wrote "all the promises of God in Christ are yea, and in Christ Amen, unto the glory of God by us." there are no promises to "israel" or "jews" outside of faith in Jesus Christ.