Are Gentile Believers SPIRITUAL JEWS?
While Gentile believers are obviously not Jews in a physical sense, they are indeed spiritual Jews. Let’s consider the scriptural evidence for this from three angles…
“A Person Is a Jew Who Is One Inwardly“
God’s chosen nation in the Old Covenant was the Israelites, aka the Hebrews (Exodus 6:7, 19:5 & Deuteronomy 7:6). While Abraham was the physical forefather of the Israelites/Jews in the inferior Old Covenant, he’s more importantly the father of all believers in the superior New Covenant (Romans 4:11 & Hebrews 8:6). This can be observed here:
16Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.
18Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
Romans 4:16-18
Notice the LORD’s original intention for Abraham:
“No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.”
The name ‘Abram‘ means “exalted father” whereas ‘Abraham‘ means “father of a multitude” or “father of many nations.” God made one nation through the loins of Abraham, Israel, but many nations through the faith of Abraham, which is one global spiritual nation regardless of sectarian tag, i.e. the Church of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:9).
This explains why the Scriptures say that “not all who are descended from Israel are Israel” (Romans 9:6). The same was pointed out by Christ when he told the unbelieving Jews — who prided themselves on being children of Abraham — that, if they were truly Abraham’s offspring, they’d do the things Abraham did, which they didn’t (John 8:39). Thus the Lord told them frankly that the devil was their father (John 8:44).
In short, there are two kinds of Israelites or Jews:
- The ethnic variety, meaning people physically descended from Abraham.
- The faith-oriented variety, meaning people who have the spirit of faith, i.e. those who turn to God in faith as their father of faith did (Romans 4:17).
There are some people of the first definition who are not of the second. Yet there are some of the second definition who are also of the first, like Paul. Today, you’ll hear the latter people referred to as Messianic Jews.
Those of the second definition are truly “Abraham’s seed” or “Abraham’s offspring” and are thus spiritual Jews, as it is written:
If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.
28A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.
Romans 2:28-29
This isn’t just a New Testament phenomenon as it can also be observed in the Old Testament. For instance, Numbers 13-14 details how Moses sent twelve Hebrews from each tribe into the Promised Land in preparation to take it, but ten came back with a spirit of fear, discouraging the masses, while two had a spirit of faith — Joshua and Caleb (Numbers 14:6-9). The ten doubters were dyed-in-the-wool Hebrews, physically speaking, but they weren’t children of Abraham because they didn’t have a spirit of faith. Joshua and Caleb, by contrast, were Abraham’s true offspring, not just in flesh, but in spirit as well.
All Believers — Whether Jew or Gentile — Are Spiritually Reborn of the Seed of Christ
All believers are spiritually regenerated of the seed of the Living Word of God, Christ (1 Peter 1:23). In 1 John 3:9 ‘seed’ is translated from sperma, which is the Greek word for sperm. In other words, all true believers are spiritually reborn of the sperm of Christ and, physically speaking, Yeshua was a Hebrew of the tribe of Judah (Matthew 1:1-16, Luke 3:23-38, Genesis 49:10 & Isaiah 11:1). So, while Gentile believers are obviously not physical Jews, they are indeed spiritual Jews.
Consider Paul. Before he became the great apostle he was Saul, the great persecutor of the Church (e.g. Acts 8:3). Saul was a physical Jew, but not a spiritual Jew. Once Saul was born-again of the seed of Christ, however, he became a spiritual Jew, renamed Paul. If a Gentile man experiences the very same spiritual regeneration through Christ as Paul did, how would he not also be a spiritual Jew since both were reborn of the same spiritual seed? It’s a s simple as 2+2=4.
Gentile Believers Are “Wild Olive Shoots” Grafted Into Israel
This can be observed here:
11Again I ask: Did they [the Hebrews] stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. 12But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!
13I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry 14in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. 15For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 16If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.
17If some of the branches have been broken off, and you [Gentile believers], though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. 21For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.
Romans 11:11-21
Paul was addressing believers in Rome (Romans 1:7) and relating Israel — God’s people in the Old Covenant — to an olive tree. Some of the “branches” of Israel had been broken off due to unbelief (verses 17 & 20) and Gentile believer were grafted in like wild shoots. Grafted into what? Israel. And Israel is made up of Hebrews, aka Jews. How is it that Gentiles are grafted into Israel? Through spiritual rebirth via the seed (sperm) of Christ. If Gentile believers are grafted into Israel through spiritual regeneration, that makes them Jews — not physically, of course, but spiritually.
Related Topics:
HEBREWS / ISRAELITES / JEWS — Why Did God Choose Them?
Hermeneutics — Proper Bible Interpretation
REDEMPTION — God’s Plan of Liberation for Humanity & Creation
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