What advantage then has the Jew, Part 2

Conversion is not a biblical term. Repentance and reconciliation are G-d's terms and to that end G-d broke down the walls that divided Jew and Gentile, Male and Female, Bond and Free ... so to make of the two, one. G-d has no agenda to convert Jews to Christians, for why then would Paul say that we are grafted in to their roots.

However, G-d was always progressive in the revelation of His heart to humankind and in that He has not left what He started, unfinished ... indeed He has brought it all to a profound conclusion that offers hope to all people, but firstly the Jews. That led to a New Covenant or New Testament as it is popularly known - the idea of something New is well documented in the teachings of Christ and the apostles, it is not a man-made concept.

God has always renewed things - it is in His redemptive nature. He always advances and progresses toward a better place, and though angry for a season He always restores those whom He loves. Indeed the tabernacle reflects progression through a number of intermediary places, to an ultimate place of reconciliation and restoration.

In so doing He translated the truths given to Israel into a profound love story, the kind of story that turned Ruth into a king maker. I am not sorry that He reached out to me and I will never apologize for accepting the offer of His love ... it doesn't make me less than a dog that the God of the Jews did so love me, but like Ruth I will gladly follow ... if by any means I may gain something of that noble life.

I fully acknowledge that Christendom has been arrogant in assuming ownership of what was neither ours nor theirs, because love and mercy comes from G-d. I am not in that same camp, nor do I believe it is our prerogative to change people or bend them to our choices. That said, I, together with many other Christians, pray for Israel and we will make our voices heard where it matters. We will love the Jew because of what He brought to the world. The Greeks gave us reason, the Romans gave us order, the English gave us decorum and fair play, but the Jews gave us a knowledge of that great equalizer - monotheistic faith in the great God who created all men.

Let me close by saying that without their centuries of suffering, the cross and the great struggle against sin, would have no concept or meaning to our present world. They suffered to bring definition to the issues wherein the human condition is rooted, so that we could make sense of the sacrifice made to resolve the issues so defined. In a nutshell it means that, without what went before, Christ died in vain.

(c) Peter Eleazar @ http://www.4u2live.net/

Image: http://www.genesisartstudio.com/
Part1: http://www.4u2live.net/2010/07/what-advantage-then-has-jew.html
Part 3: http://www.4u2live.net/2010/07/what-advantage-then-has-jew-part-3.html