How many times have you heard non-Jewish Christians refer to themselves as “Gentiles”? Or Christian teachers talk about “the Jews” and “the Gentiles”—the latter label referring to non-Jewish believers in Yeshua or Jesus the Messiah? Or even Jewish believers in Yeshua refer to their Christian brothers and sisters as “Gentiles”? Is this a biblically accurate label? If you are a believer in Yeshua and non-Jewish ethnically, are you still a Gentile? This is the question we will answer below. As numerous end time Bereans (i.e. those who are deeply studied in the Bible) are finding out, many mainstream Christian traditions that are popularly taught and believed in reality do not line up with the Scriptures.

The Scriptures Call the Israelites Gentiles

When one actually studies the Bible, rather than just listening to others talk, preach or teach about it, it is amazing how truths emerge that do not line up with many popular belief systems in the mainstream Christian church. For example, many Christians would be surprised to find out that in numerous places, the Scriptures refer to the Jewish people as “Gentiles.” Yes, this is not a typo, but a biblical truth. Why is this? Perhaps it is because our understanding of what a Gentile is does not line up with the Bible.

One example where the Hebrew people are called “Gentiles” is found in Isaiah 1:4 where YHVH calls Israel a sinful nation. The word nation is the Hebrew word goy meaning “gentile” or, in a spiritual sense, “worldly or secular.” This is not a complimentary moniker on the part of the God or Elohim of Israel.

This is only one of a number of passages in the Scriptures where Israel itself is referred to as being “gentile.” A quick study of the Hebrew word goy will bear this fact out. This word is translated in the Tanakh (Old Testament) as nation 374 times, as heathen 143 times, as Gentiles 30 times, and people 11 times. Whenever the word gentile is used in the KJV Bible it is the word goy. According to Strong’s Concordance, the meaning of  goy or gowy is “a foreign nation; hence a Gentile; also (fig.) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts.”According to Gesenius Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon,the word goy means “a people, a confluence of men,” and “contextually in Holy Scripture it is used to refer to the other nations besides Israel, the foes of Israel, and strangers to the true religion of Israel.” 

Amazingly, there are times when this word refers specifically to Israel (e.g. the descendants of Joseph in general: Gen 48:19; to the southern kingdom of Judah or the Jews when it forsook Elohim and its covenant with him and became like the surrounding heathen nations [see Isa 1:4; 9:1], and to all twelve tribes of Israel [see Isa 26:2; 49:7; Ps 33:12; Gen 12:2; 35:11]). 

There are numerous other instances in the Scriptures where the words goy or goyim (the plural of goy) are applied to the descendants of Abraham. In these cases, the Scripture’s use of the term is unbiased and lacks any of the pejorative implications that have been applied to the term subsequently (e.g. Gen 17:4, 5, 6, 16; 18:18; 25:23; 46:3; Exod 19:6; 33:13; Deut 4:6, 7, 8, 34; Ezek 37:22). In these cases, the word goy simply means “a people or ethnic group” regardless of race or ethnicity. The Greek word ethnos as found in the Testimony of Yeshua (New Testament) is equivalent in meaning to the Hebrew word goyim. Our English word ethnic or ethnicity derives from this Greek word.  

The Apostle Paul on the Subject

So now that we know what the Hebrew word behind the English word Gentile means and how the Bible uses this word, let us answer the question: “Are non-Jewish Christians Gentiles, Jews or what?”

Consider this fact: Paul the apostle says in a number of places that those who are in Christ or the Messiah (i.e. Christians) are “the children” or “seed” (literally “sperm,” which is the meaning of the Greek word behind the English term) of Abraham (Gal 3:29). Elsewhere, he declares that Abraham is the father of Christians—both Jews and non-Jews (Rom 4:16; 9:8–11), and that Christians are the “sons of Abraham” (Gal 3:7). Paul then goes on to say that in the Christian church there is no longer Jew or Greek (i.e. Gentile), but that in Messiah (Christ) all redeemed believers are literally the offspring, children or descendants of Abraham (Gal 34:28–29). Paul makes no qualifications when making this declarative statement. He does not say that the non-Jewish Christians are spiritual descendants of Abraham, or symbolic descendants of Abraham. He does use metaphor or symbolism. He simply makes the statement as a matter of act.

Finally, and the clincher that puts the nail to the coffin of the idea that Christians are Gentiles, Paul states that the Gentiles believers in Yeshua used to be Gentiles, but are no longer so. According to Paul, Gentiles are without God and without hope! If you call yourself a Gentile, then according to Paul you are unsaved! Read it for yourself:

Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands—that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. …Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, (Eph 2:11–13, 19, emphasis added)

In verse 15 of Ephesians chapter two, Paul refers to the Jews and non-Jewish Christians as the “one new man” made out of two people-groups (i.e. Jews and Gentiles). So in the spiritual entity called the church or the body Messiah there is no longer two people groups, but one called “the one new man.” 

So why do so many Jewish and non-Jewish Christians Bible teachers keep the Jew-Gentile unbiblical paradigm alive? There are many reasons for this that are not good, but the bottom line is that this does not line up with the Scriptures. Once again, the words of Yeshua when speaking to the religious leaders of his day have never been truer in our day as well:

“AND IN VAIN THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE COMMANDMENTS OF MEN. For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men.…All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.…making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down.” (Mark 7:7–9, 13)

As we can see, there is no class of people called “Gentiles” in the church or spiritual body of Yeshua. Rather, the Scriptures use the following terms for the redeemed of YHVH: the saints, the called out ones or church, the elect or the one new man. 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 Paul gave his ministry life and eventually his physical life to tearing down (see again Eph 2:11–19 with emphasis on verses 14 to 16).

There Is No Gentile Gate

Here is another shocking biblical truth for you to consider: No Gentiles will be in the heavenly New Jerusalem that is coming down to this earth and will be the habitation of the glorified and resurrected saints forever. Yes, you read this correctly. No matter how some Christian Bible teachers twist the Scripture to fit their man-made doctrines, the Bible is clear on this: Gentiles have no place in the kingdom of Elohim. “How is this?” you may ask. Simply this. There are only twelve gates through which the saints will 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 twelve tribes of Israel. So which tribe are you?

No Covenants Made With the Gentile Nations 

Finally, and a major point that must be stated is this: YHVH Elohim, the God of the Bible, never made any salvational covenants with non-Hebraic or non-Israelite nations, but only with the nation of Israel. To be in covenantal relationship with YHVH one has to accept Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah, and be grafted into the Israelite olive tree through the Messiah (read Eph 2:11–19 and compare with Rom 11:11–32) 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 (that is all twelve tribes 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 the Scriptures!

One New Man In Messiah Yeshua 

Indeed, the Scriptures reveal that there are only two classifications of people on planet earth: Israelites and non-Israelites or Gentiles. Individuals in the former group can obtain eternal life by virtue of one’s individual spiritual 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 (Rev 20:15). 

Whenever Paul uses the term “gentile,” 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 this case, it is a label referring to those who are carnal in that they act like Gentiles (or heathens) who are “without God and without hope” (Eph 2:12). The term Gentile is not a spiritual designation for a redeemed believer, for they have been called out of the world and have become a member of a special group called “the called out ones” or “church.” The word “church” is the Greek word ecclesia meaning “the church or an assembly of people that is separate from those around them.” They have been called out from the world or the Gentile people. The Scriptures also call redeemed believers “saints,”  a word simply meaning “holy” or “set-apart” as opposed to Gentiles, who are without Elohim and without hope. The Bible 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.

What Do We Do Now?

Now that YOU as a Christian and a disciple of Yeshua the Messiah know that you are really part of a people group called the nation of Israel and that Abraham is your father, what do you do with these truths? That is up to you. Pray and ask your Father in heaven to help you to live out your new identity as a Hebrew Christian, an Israelite or as “the Israel of God/Elohim” as Paul terms it (Gal 6:16). 

Many believers in Yeshua the Messiah upon finding out that the Scriptures actually define them as Israelites and not as Gentiles, begin to sense a need to begin acting more like Israelites in their lifestyle and beliefs. As a result, they are becoming interested in the Hebraic roots of the Christian faith, and in the actual beliefs and lifestyle of Yeshua and his first century disciples. They are becoming interested in the biblical feasts of Israel and in the seventh day Sabbath resulting in their lifestyle taking on a more biblical or Hebraic flavor as they see themselves more in light of the book of Acts believers instead of Greco-Roman church or churchianity. This is a spiritual path that it behooves you to explore. As you go begin this journey of discovering truth, please keep these Scriptures in mind: 

Yeshua said “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt 5:17–20)

Yeshau said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.… He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” (John 14:15, 21)

Paul and John declared,

Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. (1 Cor 11:1)

Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. (1 John 2:3–6)

Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good. (Rom 7:12)

Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law. (Rom 3:31)

Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.

Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. (Rev 22:14)