For a Christian to claim to be a Gentile is like claiming to be a pagan or a heathen as Paul defines the term in Ephesians chapter two.
Ephesians 2:11, Gentiles. Paul says in a number of places that those who come to Yeshua are no longer Gentiles but are the children or seed (literally “sperm,” which is the meaning of the Greek word) of Abraham (Eph 2:11–19; Rom 4:16; 9:8–11; Gal 3:7,9,14,28–29). The word Gentiles as used in the Scriptures (both in the Hebrew and the Greek languages) simply means “ethnic groups or nations.” There are many places in the Scriptures where Jews and Israelites are referred to as “Gentiles.” There is no class of people called Gentiles in the spiritual body of Yeshua. Scripture uses the following terms for the redeemed of YHVH: the saints, the called out ones (or church), the body of Yeshua (1 Cor 10:16; 12:27; Eph 4:12) the one new man (Eph 2:15), sons of Elohim (Rom 8:14, 19; Phil 2:15; 1 John 3:1, 2), children of Elohim (Rom 8:16, 21; Gal 3:26; 1 John 3:10), or Abraham’s offspring (Gal 3:29), the bride (Rev 18:23; 21:2, 9; 22:17) for example.
Any attempt by anyone to keep the Jew—Gentile division alive within the body of Yeshua is in effect keeping up the middle wall of partition that the Apostle Paul gave his ministry life and eventually his physical life to tearing down (see Eph 2:11–19). It is also going against the clear teaching of the Scriptures, which say that within the spiritual body of Yeshua, there is no longer Jew or Gentile/Greek (Rom 10:12; Gal 3:28; Col 3:11).
The Scriptures reveal that there are only two classifications of people: Israelites and non-Israelites or Gentiles. The former has eternal life because of their relationship with the Elohim of Israel through the Messiah of Israel. The latter group, unless they repent of their sin (i.e. lawlessness or Torahlessness, see 1 John 3:4), will burn in the lake of fire because their names weren’t written in the book of life (Rev 20:11–15).
Whenever Paul uses the term Gentiles, he is either referring to ethnicity, and not using the term as a spiritual designation, or he is using the term Gentile to mean “worldly.” In the latter case, it is a moniker referring to those who are carnal in that they act like gentiles (heathens) who are “without God and without hope” (Eph 2:12).
Throughout the Epistle to the Ephesians (and elsewhere) Paul, when speaking to the believers in that congregation, uses terms like saints, we, us, sons, the church, his body, one new man, one body, fellow citizens, members of the household of Elohim, the whole building, a holy temple, body of Messiah, a perfect man, the whole body, children of light, her, she, and members of his [Yeshua’s] body. In Ephesians, Paul uses the term Gentiles only five times (Eph 23:11; 3:1, 6, 8; 4:17), and this not as the ultimate spiritual designation for redeemed believers who had come from a non-Jewish background. Rather, Paul uses the term Gentiles as he was either referring to their past spiritual history (Eph 2:11; 4:17), to his mission to evangelize non-Jewish people (Eph 3:1, 8), or in stating that Gentiles should take their place as fellow spiritual heirs along with the Jews within the spiritual body of Yeshua (Eph 3:6).
The term Gentile is not a spiritual designation for a redeemed believer, for they have been called out of the Gentile world and have become a member of a special group the Testimony of Yeshuas labels as “the called out ones” or “church” (Gr. ecclesia). Scripture also calls called out ones or redeemed believers saints meaning “set-apart” (Gr. hagios) from the Gentile world that is without Elohim and without hope. Scripture teaches that those who are redeemed or who are “in Messiah” are no longer Gentiles, for they have been grafted into and become part of the nation of Israel (Rom 11:13–24 and Eph 2:11–19). They have become the one new man about which Paul speaks in Ephesians 2:15.
Now that we know that we are really part of a people group called “Redeemed Israel” what does one do with this information? That is up to you. Pray and ask your Father in heaven to help you to live out your new identity as an Israelite.
Many people upon finding out that Scripture actually defines them as Israelites (through the blood of Yeshua, Eph 2:11–16) and not Gentiles, begin to sense a need to begin acting more like Israelites in their lifestyle and beliefs. They become interested in the biblical feasts and Sabbaths of Israel and their life takes on a more Hebraic or Jewish flavor as they see themselves more in the light of the Book of Acts believers. This is a path that you will need to begin to explore. As you go down this journey, please keep in mind the words of Yeshua in Matthew 5:17–19; John 15:15 and the words of the apostles in 1 Corinthians 11:1 and 1 John 2:3–6 along with Romans 7:12,14 and 3:31.
We must also keep in mind that there are only twelve gates through which one can enter the New Jerusalem, and these gates are named after the twelve tribes of Israel (Rev 21:12). There is no Gentile gate! The only way that one will be able to enter the New Jerusalem will be through spiritually identifying with the tribes of Israel. So which tribe are you?
Finally, YHVH, the God of the Bible, never made any covenants with non-Israelite nations—only with the nation of Israel. To be in covenantal relationship with YHVH, one has to accept the Jewish Messiah, and be grafted into the Israelite olive tree through the Messiah and become an Israelite—PERIOD! For example, the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews clearly states that the New Covenant is made with the two houses of Israel—not the Gentile nations (see Heb 8:8 and Jer 31:31,33). This may come as a shock to some people reading this, but this is the truth of Scripture.
I seriously doubt Shaul ever used the Latin born word, “gentile.” There is no such word in Hebrew nor Greek. There are many places, as in Exodus 19:6 where YHVH calls His people “goyim,” the actual Hebrew word meaning “nations” that the Latin language selectively changed sometimes to pagans, heathens, nations, and gentiles. I’m sure those anti-Semite Roman conquerors of Israel who changed the name to Palestine purposely changed the word, goy/goyim to gentile, heathen, and pagan to further divide and separate their Roman religion farther from Israel.
it’s about relationship!
Here I have something to say…
The New Covenant is one of those concepts that have been greatly misunderstood.
Great that you noticed that ELOHIM NERVER has any relationship with people if not through a Covenant, in which He does a part and people under that Covenant has to do the other part.
And yes, the ONLY people He has made covenants with is ISRAEL.
Everybody else is simply OUT.
The New Covenant that is briefly explained in Heb 8 is the Covenant of which Messiah is the Mediator. So the question is…..
How….can the Gentiles get into the New Covenant???
Gentiles HAVE to be from the house of Israel or the house of Judah so we all are OUT of it.
Nobody has explained to me that solution, or better than that, the Mystery as Paul calls it in Ephesians and Colossians.
SO….we Gentiles HAVE to become part of Israel in order to be partakers of the New Covenant AND…..the only way to do that is through CIRCUMCISION!!!!
That is the Mystery Paul revealed that is called the CIRCUMCISION OF MESSIAH!
PROBLEM SOLVED!
Once Gentiles are circumcised by Messiah, they/we can become part of the New Covenant.
So we all are Jews as you said, and no one else will be added but the ones Messiah circumcises, since it is a unilateral decision, no one can do such circumcision in his own heart, but once Messiah does it, ELOHIM writes His Torah in our hearts, in our inner being so be start longing for it and it becomes our joy to seek to obey and please OUR FATHER.
That’s what Christianity just don’t understand, Torah IS NOT our means of salvation BUT once we are saved and ELOHIM writes His Torah in us, we are under the Covenant and it becomes so natural to love HIS COMANDMENTS, it is also a unique and exclusive PRIVILEGE of the redeemed ones and a sign of the TRUE people of Messiah. As simple as that.
What verse in the NT says that circumcision is the only way to be part of the New Covenant?
Ephesians 2:11-19 says that we become part of the nation and covenants of Israel through the blood of Messiah (not circumcision per se). Of course, when we come into a saving relationship with the Messiah, the Ruach will circumcise our hearts, halleluYah!
Well, thanks for the reply. Could you please teach me more about the Ruach’s circumcision? It’s completely new stuff for me.
And as for your question:
What verse in the NT says that circumcision is the only way to be part of the New Covenant?
I think you misunderstood the idea.
The point is that to be part of the New Covenant people have to be from the house of Israel or the house of Judah as a prerequisite and THAT’S WHY circumcision is needed, because there’s no other way. The path is -Salvation through Abraham’s seed, so we don’t get to the New Covenant until we are from Israel or Judah first.
The other aspect of this is that there’s a number of people from Israel and Judah that are not included in the New Covenant, that’s why the blood of Messiah is what makes us one with the number of people from Israel who are of the Faith in Messiah.
Thanks for taking the time to teach me.
In this week’s Torah portion, too, Master יהוה Elohim calls His people a “Goy G’dol” (Great Nation) Deuteronomy 4:6, 7, & 8…. three times! Goy is the word that the Roman conquerers of Israel selectively used their made up word, “gentile” to further divide themselves from Israel. And now-a-days many from the House of Judah will not even call themselves “goy” although יהוה Himself calls His people a Great Goy!
Agreed.
As you know, the Hebrew goy and the Greek ethnos simply mean ethnic or people group. The Hebrews, Israelites and/or Jews are simply a people group along with all the other people of the nations. I have counted about 12 to 20 times (I have the exact numbers in my notes) in both the OT and NT where the Scriptures refer to Israel and even redeemed Israel by these terms.
In the NT, however, once one is redeemed by the blood of the Messiah, they are no longer a Gentile/ethnos or a member of the people group known as the people of the nations, and one who is without Elohim and without hope as they were “in times past” (Eph 2:12). In fact, they are now the sperm, seed or offspring (Gr. sperma, Gal 3:29) of Abraham. They are now called out of Gentilehood and are grafted into Israel through Messiah, and are now the called out ones (Gr. ecclesia translated into our Bibles as the word church) and are now the Israel of Elohim (Gal 6:16).
Biologically a saint is still a member of the human race and is a member of one ethnic group or another or even several groups genetically, but on the spiritual level, the real reality that endures into eternity, they are no longer a goy or ethnos/Gentile. That’s the reality—the heavenly one—that I want to hook my wagon to!
Why any saint would want to call themselves a Gentile is beyond me! It’s done either out of ignorance or out of a complete apathy if not antipathy for the Torah——because if you’re a Gentile, you’re not “under the law” and are free from that terrible law of Moses as the false teachers in the harlot church system have brainwashed them into believing.
First I love reading your views and reviews on the scripture. I’m new to the Torah so please bear with me. I am totally confused with many things. Here are a few.
Gentile/race/nations. goy/strangers/slaves. Jews/Jewish/Israelites. Which is it?
It is my understanding that gentiles means nation/race, and pagans are sinners, and when you put on the new man, you are part of Israel.
Goys are strangers passing through, or slaves working for you, but must be treated well and can be part of Israel, if they want to stay within your gates. Thanks for the info on Deut 4: 6, 7,8.
Jews are from the line/tribe of Judah. They are Israelites because Judah, there father, is an Israelite. To be Jewish means practicing the culture/traditions/faith of a Jew. To be part of Israel, the requirements are: circumcision of the heart, faith in Yeshua, obedience to the commandments, Torah, and do Yah’s will.
Well! Yeshua, a Jew, said: be like me, be perfect as I am. Holy. Question: Is that a command? If so, shouldn’t I become Jewish to be holy and perfect in the sight of Yah.
The 12 tribes are Israelites. Question: Did the 12 tribes become Jewish/Jews because Judah decendants was commanded to be the light to the nations?
“No more Jews, or Gentiles we are all one in Yeshua”. I think Paul”s words are twisted and manipulated. If that is the case, we are going against Yah”s word. Matt chap 5 verse 7-16. “My words don’t change….”. Yah would not have made the “Jews” a light to the nations and then change is mind.
Consider this: Was the Messiah instructing the Jews, tribe (all 12 deciples) of Judah, to go and be a light to the nation. Paul is not a Jew. He is an Israelite, from the Tribe of Benjamin, but an apostle to the nation. Is Paul a Jew by default?
So, now you have seen by thought process. I am hoping to get some feedbacks and corrections.