One New Man in Christ

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Often those of the Jewish race who come to the Messiah, Jesus Christ, in faith, think of themselves as “Jewish believers;” just as those who are not of the Jewish race, once they have placed their faith for their eternal salvation in Christ, think of themselves as “Gentile believers.”  Both positions are unsubstantiated by Scripture.

Once a person of any race, gender, or creed, by faith alone in Christ alone, is “born again,” he or she is identified by the New Testament, and thereby known by God, as a new creation—one new man (2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:14-16).  From that point forward he or she should essentially not think of himself or herself as a “Jewish Christian” or “Gentile Christian,” but just as a Christian.  In reality the Scriptures teach that in Christ there is no race, social, or gender distinctions.  Spiritually speaking, the person who has accepted Christ by faith is the seed of Abraham and heirs according to the promise.

For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek [Gentile], there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:27-29)

Other passages bearing on the matter are:

And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. (John 10:16)

I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. (John 17:20, 21)

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. (Romans 10:12)

For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free — and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. (Galatians 5:6)

For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. . . . There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling.  (Ephesians 2: 14-16; 4:4)

Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. (Colossians 3:9-11)

Dr. Randy Weiss of CrossTalk International and CrossTalk International Ministry Alliance (www.crosstalk.org), organizations that specifically teach the Jewish origins of the Christian faith and endeavor to further the gospel of Jesus Christ within the Jewish community has the following cogent remarks pertaining to the issue:

Many of you know that I am Jewish and therefore, I am often asked for advice on how to witness to my people.  Sometimes I think they ask me because they assume it must be some kind of genetic thing.  First, I must tell you that a Jew is saved in the same manner as a Gentile; God does it because man cannot.  The most effective tactic in Jewish evangelism is still fervent prayer and love.  I realize that some of you graciously think that all Messianic Jews are special.  That's very kind of you, but I fear that this has led to a problem.  Some of us in the Messianic community seem to believe the rhetoric that we are special by birth, and that is a temptation that can lead to spiritual arrogance.  This can be very dangerous.  We are special by birth but it is by the new birth!  We are all dependent on Jewish blood, but it was not the blood of our Jewish parents.  It was the blood of our Jewish Savior — Jesus.

Jewish blood is not distinguishable from Gentile blood beyond the fact that it is all sin-tainted.  Other than that, it is all the same.  Paul explained this very clearly to the Athenians saying that God intended it to all be the same making us all of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth (Acts 17:26).  It is only the blood of Jesus that makes a difference.  Those of us who are involved in Jewish evangelism must remember that important fact.  Observant Jews who reject Jesus are not stupid; they are simply not convinced.  I think it is fair to say that most Jews are not convinced of our evangelical interpretations of their Jewish Scriptures.  Nor do the majority of Jews see the necessity for 25% of the pages in our Bible titled the New Testament.  Therefore, the New Testament is not generally regarded as grounds for our arguments.  

I also want to briefly address certain Messianic traditions and Jewish flavored trends about our Messiah. By the way, I usually call him Jesus. I love and respect my peers who religiously call Him by His Hebrew name — Yeshua, but reading Hebrew doesn't automatically make us more spiritual.  Calling Jesus, Yeshua is very nice, but knowing His name doesn't insure that we know or share His character.  We might wish to remember that some traditional Jews find changing the names of the New Testament characters to be an offensive tactic.  To some, changing the names does not protect the innocent, it convicts the suspicious.  To many, calling Jesus, Yeshua is little more than a subterfuge and they deem it to be improper.  Forgive me, but His name, which was a very common first century Jewish name, is not offensive in any language.  It is not His name, but His claims that enrage unbelievers.  Regardless of what we call the Son of God, He will always be a stumbling block to those who don't believe God wanted nor needed a Son.  Personally, I don't feel that we have any obligation to put Jesus in a more appealing package or change His name.  He is altogether winsome and perfect without our help.

One misconception that must be addressed is to correct the notion that Jews are more difficult to save or more valuable than non-Jews after the experience of salvation.   Salvation is not an act of man's persuasion; it is a miracle preceded by God's conviction, followed by God's grace, and finished by God's power to change condemned sinners into redeemed saints.  It is therefore impossible to get anybody saved through our own efforts.   It requires a divine work of God's grace and the same measure of grace is needed for people of every race.  If you have difficulty witnessing to Jews, think of it like:  Its grace not race!  Works for me.  Our prior race, color, or creed is supposed to get lost in the one color that supersedes all others.  Red is the color of the blood of the Lamb that washes sins away.  Once those sins are removed, God creates ONE NEW MAN.  It is imperative that this one new man theology becomes a cornerstone in the construction of your faith.

 
As a Jewish believer in Jesus, I want everyone to know that I see no hierarchy in God's love that separates Jew from non-Jews at the throne of grace, or thereafter.  I believe we are jointly called to become one new man in Him.  You should also believe this. Not because I say so, but rather, because God says so.  Referring to the relationship between Jews and Gentiles within early Jewish Christianity, Paul accurately identified Christ
as our peace.  He informs us that Jesus did not want to have two different classes of saved believers.  His revolutionary proclamation was that God had broken down the middle wall of partition between us (Ephesians 2:14).  He went on to tell us that in the process, he made a new creation.  He made one new class of people.  He called us one new man (Ephesians 2:15).  We are no longer first or foremost Jews or Gentiles in Christ.  We are Christians, and as such, we are one new man in Him.  I am not ashamed of the name or the proclamation that I am a Christian and Jesus is Lord!  That reality defines my existence.  I am not any less Jewish for that confession.  I have an earned graduate degree from a respected Jewish institution.  I have studied with rabbinic teachers.  They may reject my Jewishness, but they cannot change my blood.  Likewise, we can change the name of Jesus back into His original ancient language, but it will never change His character or purpose, and it will never change the efficacy of His blood.  I don't go out of the way to call myself a Messianic Jew because I am nothing more than a Jewish believer in Jesus.  That simply makes me a Christian.  According to the Acts of the Apostles, that term was first used in Antioch.  I assure you that historically, the term was applied equally to Jewish and Greek converts to the faith.  Most likely, it was a derogatory term coined by unbelievers.  Unfortunately, it is still, often used in the pejorative sense.  Now is not the time to get quasi-superior because of a Jewish heritage.  Here is my point:  I am a Jew, and most of my viewers are non-Jewish.  That makes me different, not better.  It is wonderful that a growing number of non-Jewish believers appreciate the Jewishness of Jesus.  Your hunger to find the Jewish Jesus is real and valid.  It will change your understanding of the Scriptures and deepen your love for the Scriptures.  It will seal your commitment to the God of Israel, and your relationship with the Children of Israel.  I congratulate you on your search to meet my Jewish Savior.  If I can help you, please call me or write to me.  My counsel to my Jewish and non-Jewish friends will always be to search the Scriptures for therein we will find life and safety.  In that regard, I guess, I, too, believe in a form of spiritual exclusivity.  But it is not related to Jews being better equipped to serve God.  It is very simple.  The exclusivity to which I stubbornly adhere is simple.  I believe the Bible, exclusively, has the final word on matters of faith and practice.  And I believe that Jesus, exclusively, is the way to salvation.  Jesus was a Jew, but that fails to validate or invalidate the views of other Jews.

To this, no more from this writer can be stated.