Times Of Swaziland: SAVED BASED ON CHOICES WE MAKE

SAVED BASED ON CHOICES WE MAKE
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Editor on 29/09/2022 09:08:00


Sir,
The first time the name ‘Israel’ appears in scripture is when it was spoken
to Jacob after his long night of wrestling with a heavenly messenger. The
messenger finally said, “Your name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel;
for you as a prince has wrestled with God and with men, and has prevailed,”
Genesis 32:28. Thus the name ‘Israel’ was at first a name of heavenly origin
applied to Jacob alone. Jacob had 12 sons, who later moved to Egypt. The
descendants of these sons eventually multiplied into 12 tribes, which were later
forced into slavery by Egyptians until the time of Moses. Then God told Pharaoh
through Moses, “Israel is my son, even my firstborn, let my son go,” Exodus
4:22, 23. Note here that the name ‘Israel’ is expanded to include Jacob’s
descendants.
Many years later, the Lord spoke through the prophet Hosea, saying, “When
Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.” Hosea
11:1. Indeed the Lord called the Israelites out of Egypt. The Lord then told the
ancient Israelites; “And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy
nation,” Exodus 19:6. In the New Testament, Peter applies these exact words to
the church: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy
nation, a peculiar people,” 1 Peter 2:9. So, according to the New Testament,
there are now two Israels. One group is composed of literal Israelites
‘according to the flesh’ (Romans 9:3, 4). The other is ‘spiritual
Israel’, composed of Jews and Gentiles who believe in Christ. John the Baptist
paved the way for this principle when he warned the Jews not to trust their
literal ancestry for salvation.
Repentance
“Bring forth therefore fruits meet (worthy) for repentance: And think not to
say within yourselves. We have Abraham to our father: For I say unto you, that
God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham,” Matthew 3:8,
9. Later, Jesus echoed this same principle in a showdown with religious leaders.
“They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto
them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham … Ye
are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do,” John
8:39, 44. Paul tells his Gentile converts, “Know ye therefore that they which
are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And if ye be Christ’s,
then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise,” Galatians
3:7,29. James, when writing to the church, addressed it as the 12 tribes that
are scattered abroad (James 1:1).
Eventually, this truth hit Peter between the eyes, and he told a room full of
Gentile converts; “Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted
with him,” Acts 10:34, 35. Thus in the New Testament, the name Israel not only
applies to the literal descendants of Jacob but also those who are born in
Christ. Those who have a personal faith in Christ! In other words, all true
Christians are now God’s spiritual Israel; Jew or gentile! Today, any person
can become part of God’s spiritual Israel through faith in Christ. In Jesus’
eyes, “There is neither Jew nor Greek” (Galatians 3:28). God does not have
one method of salvation for Jews and a different one for non-Jews. Everyone is
saved the same way, by grace through faith. “And so all Israel shall be
saved,” Romans 11:26. Dear beloved, God is not a racist. We are saved based on
choices we make regarding God’s provision, not on national status or physical
citizenship.