To: Alan Markoff who wrote (10253 ) 12/26/1997 3:45:00 AM From: Chris land Read Replies (2) | Respond to
I think we have to go back to the roots of Christianity. It is true that theJews are God's chosen people, but ask yourself, chosen for what purpose? Is it because they were better than any other people? God himself said to them that they are a stiffnecked people and if Moses had not interceded, then God would have destroyed them and raised another nation up through Moses. However, God, for his own namesake gave them His laws and ordinances and they were to be a light to all nations. With that responsibility though also came the blessings and cursings. Anyone can see that throughout history the cursings far outweighed the blessings upon that people. (Ask yourself, whose at fault, the people or God) Nevertheless, during this whole period God was raising up a spiritual Israel, something the prophets wrote about and greatly desired to see. (By the way if the devils, who also greatly desired to see and understand knew what was to happen they would not have sought to crucify the Holy One.) Though they had glimpses they were not given the full picture until the time of Christ was fulfilled, in other words they couldn't come into the understanding of the redemptive plan of God until the veil was rent, and that veil was Christ. Absolutely nobody except the high priest once a year was allowed the enter the Holy of Holies, and this was only to atone for theirs and the people's sins with the BLOOD of animals before God. What would happen if an Israelite refused to come under the priestly offering, it's obvious, they would remain in their sins and be cast out of the congregation. Now when Christ died on the cross and rose again it it his BLOOD that cleanses us from our sin, if however we refuse his sacrifice then we are yet in our trangressions and God will not clear the guilty. This means wether Jew or gentile unless we accept the blood offering of Christ we have no redemption of sins no matter how good or religious we are. Though the whole world join hand to hand against God they won't prevail. So then where is the place for boasting in national origin, race, or creed? In the eyes of God, wether we be Jew or Gentile, unless we accept Christ as Lord and Savior we shall not be saved because there is no other name under heaven which we we can be saved. Chris
