You might be wondering at the title of this article, but it is a topic that needs to be discussed, especially in the times in which we are living. Read the following passage of scripture which was penned by the well known apostle Paul, a converted Jew:
For he is not a JEW, which is one OUTWARDLY; neither is that circumcision, which is OUTWARD in the flesh: But he is a JEW, which is one INWARDLY; and circumcision is that of the HEART, in the SPIRIT, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of GOD. (Romans 2:28-29)
The apostle Paul, himself a Jew, made it very clear that the physical circumcision of the flesh did NOT make a person a Jew, but it was the SPIRITUAL circumcision of the heart that truly mattered. When the Lord Jesus Christ had a discussion with a Jewish ruler named Nicodemus, He made it clear to him that he needed to be born again in order for him to see the Kingdom of God. The Lord showed that Jewish man Nicodemus, the absolute necessity of being born again of the Spirit of God. The man Nicodemus is to be commended because he was searching for the truth, and he came to Jesus in the dark of night, probably because he was intimidated by his fellow Jews.
There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a RULER of the JEWS: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, RABBI, we know that thou art a teacher come from GOD: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be BORN AGAIN, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be BORN AGAIN. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. (John 3:1-8)
There must be a circumcision of the heart, in the Spirit for a person to understand that Jesus Christ is in fact the Son of God, and the Messiah. The apostle Paul was on the outside looking in until that fateful day when the Lord Jesus Christ confronted him from Heaven above! (Acts 9) After that day, the apostle Paul preached that Jesus was the Christ (Messiah) and his own countrymen wanted to KILL him! (Acts 9:15-23) Why? Simply because Paul (then Saul) had crossed over from the Kingdom of DARKNESS into the Kingdom of God, and LIGHT! The apostle Paul came to the knowledge of truth (1 John 5:20), and he paid a very dear price for it also.
But God forbid that I should glory, save in the CROSS of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in CHRIST JESUS neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a NEW CREATURE . And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the ISRAEL OF GOD. (Galatians 6:14-16)
Paul emphasizes here that the physical circumcision means absolutely NOTHING, and he also states that being uncircumcised is just as worthless in the sight of God. Paul made it clear that the only thing that mattered was being a NEW CREATURE (CREATION) and he was talking about being a NEW CREATION in Jesus Christ. There is no other NEW CREATION that is recognized as being part of the true ISRAEL OF GOD than that NEW CREATION! Paul said he gloried only in the CROSS of his Lord Jesus Christ! Paul declared PEACE to be upon those who WALKED according to that same rule (or way) What rule (way)? Simply believing and following the Lord Jesus Christ, and realizing that it is only the CROSS, where Jesus shed His BLOOD that really matters for sinners.
Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: (Romans 9:6)
So a person may be a Jew by nature, but until they become a NEW CREATION in Jesus Christ, they are not a TRUE JEW according to the scriptures, and more specifically according to a Jewish man (Paul) who was converted to Jesus Christ. So the time for the Jewish people to turn to Jesus Christ is not at sometime in the future but it is NOW, and this Gospel call has been going on for many centuries, since the time of Jesus Christ!
Therefore if any man be IN CHRIST, he is a NEW CREATURE (CREATION): old things are passed away; behold, all things are become NEW. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
It does not matter whether a person is Jewish or Gentile (in the flesh or natural), the only thing that matters is whether that same person has repented and believed the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (Mark 1:15) If they have put their faith in Jesus Christ, and they have been born again of the Spirit, then they are part of the Kingdom of God,and NEW CREATIONS in Jesus Christ, and they are on their way to Heaven. If that has happened to an individual, then that SAME person can be rightly be called a TRUE JEW in God’s sight. If that has NOT happened to an individual, then that person simply remains in their sins, and they remain in DARKNESS. Their names have NEVER been WRITTEN in the Book of Life, and they will ultimately be CAST into the Lake of Fire!
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the DEAD, SMALL and GREAT, stand before GOD; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the BOOK OF LIFE: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And WHOSOEVER was NOT found WRITTEN in the BOOK OF LIFE was CAST into the LAKE OF FIRE . (Revelation 20:11-15)
