There will be no Gentiles in the Family of God
When we think of the word Gentile what comes to mind?
What is a Gentile?
Word most commonly translated -Ethnos
Gentile, heathen, nation, people.
You may recognize words like genealogy, generation, gender (Same root: gen)
Gentile is in the same fashion In latin Gens or Gent meant family or race and Gentils meant “of a family or nation” and that later morphed into Gentile in Middle English
IN the Bible, since it is mostly about the Israelites and later on the Jews because the other 10 tribes went into captivity and were later dispersed, it is generally from their perspective.
We would say something similar if we were in the US talking about other nations, it would be people other than us. Or if you were in France saying “other nations” then the US would be considered another nation.
That doesn’t necessarily mean anything one way or the other…the reason that I bring that up is because it seems to have a negative connotation.
It is a broad general term, in fact it was even used to describe at least what would later become the Israelitish nations
Genesis 17:5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations.
Genesis 17:6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.
Why then did it take on a negative meaning?
Deuteronomy 7:1 “When the LORD your God brings you into the land which you go to possess, and has cast out many nations before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than you,
Deuteronomy 7:2 and when the LORD your God delivers them over to you, you shall conquer them and utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them nor show mercy to them.
Deuteronomy 7:3 Nor shall you make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son.
So we can see why it took on another meaning, probably more along the lines with what we associate it in our minds.
When we consider how self-righteous the Scribes, Pharisees and Jews were at the time of the Christ, perhaps we can begin to see why it took on this pejorative nature.
Israelite/Jewish view of the plan of God
Acts 11:1 Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.
Acts 11:2 And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him,
Acts 11:3 saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!”
Lets go back in the story to Acts 10 and:
Peter and first Gentile convert
Acts 10:1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment,
Acts 10:2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always.
Acts 10:3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!”
Acts 10:4 And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?” So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.
Acts 10:5 Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter.
Acts 10:6 He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.”
Acts 10:7 And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually.
Acts 10:8 So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa.
Acts 10:9 The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour.
Acts 10:10 Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance
Acts 10:11 and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth.
Acts 10:12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air.
Acts 10:13 And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”
Acts 10:14 But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.”
Acts 10:15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.”
Acts 10:16 This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.
Acts 10:17 Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate.
Acts 10:18 And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there.
Acts 10:19 While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are seeking you.
Acts 10:20 Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.”
Acts 10:21 Then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, “Yes, I am he whom you seek. For what reason have you come?”
Acts 10:22 And they said, “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you.”
Acts 10:23 Then he invited them in and lodged them. On the next day Peter went away with them, and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him.
Acts 10:24 And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends.
Acts 10:25 As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.
Acts 10:26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I myself am also a man.”
Acts 10:27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together.
Acts 10:28 Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.
Acts 10:29 Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?”
Acts 10:30 So Cornelius said, “Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,
Acts 10:31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God.
Acts 10:32 Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to you.’
Acts 10:33 So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God.”
Acts 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.
Acts 10:35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.
Acts 10:36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all—
Acts 10:37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached:
Acts 10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
Acts 10:39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree.
Acts 10:40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly,
Acts 10:41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.
Acts 10:42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead.
Acts 10:43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”
Acts 10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.
Acts 10:45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.
Acts 10:46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered,
Acts 10:47 “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”
Acts 10:48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.
Though the first Gentile convert was through Peter, Paul was the main point of contact for the Gentiles
Paul
Romans 11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,
To the Jew first…
Romans 1:13 Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles.
Romans 1:14 I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise.
Romans 1:15 So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
Romans 1:17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”
Follow me as I follow JC
1 Corinthians 11:1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.
What did Paul do
Sabbath; Holy days; met every Sabbath together
Acts 13:13 Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem.
Acts 13:14 But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down.
Acts 13:15 And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, “Men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.”
Acts 13:16 Then Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen:
Acts 13:42 So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.
Acts 13:43 Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
Acts 13:44 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God.
Acts 13:45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul.
Acts 13:46 Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.
Acts 13:47 For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I HAVE SET YOU AS A LIGHT TO THE GENTILES, THAT YOU SHOULD BE FOR SALVATION TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH.’ ”
Acts 13:48 Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.
Acts 13:49 And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region.
Acts 13:50 But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.
Acts 13:51 But they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and came to Iconium.
Acts 13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 18:1 After these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth.
Acts 18:2 And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them.
Acts 18:3 So, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers.
Acts 18:4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.
Acts 18:5 When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.
Acts 18:6 But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, “Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”
Acts 18:7 And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.
Acts 18:8 Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.
Acts 18:9 Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent;
Acts 18:10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.”
Acts 18:11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
Acts 18:12 When Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him to the judgment seat,
Acts 18:13 saying, “This fellow persuades men to worship God contrary to the law.”
Acts 18:14 And when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or wicked crimes, O Jews, there would be reason why I should bear with you.
Acts 18:15 But if it is a question of words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves; for I do not want to be a judge of such matters.”
Acts 18:16 And he drove them from the judgment seat.
Acts 18:17 Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. But Gallio took no notice of these things.
Acts 18:18 So Paul still remained a good while. Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, for he had taken a vow.
Acts 18:19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there; but he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.
Acts 18:20 When they asked him to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent,
Acts 18:21 but took leave of them, saying, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing.” And he sailed from Ephesus.
Acts 18:22 And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up and greeted the church, he went down to Antioch.
Acts 18:23 After he had spent some time there, he departed and went over the region of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.
Acts 18:24 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus.
Acts 18:25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John.
Acts 18:26 So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
Acts 18:27 And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace;
Acts 18:28 for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.
Act 20:6 But we sailed away from Philippi after the Days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days joined them at Troas, where we stayed seven days.
Acts 20:16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the Day of Pentecost.
He had desired to be with them for the Days of Unleavened Bread, but due to circumstances he could not make it. So now he was more determined to at least be there by Pentecost.
He gives the analogy
“Let us keep the feast [of Unleavened Bread], not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:8).
Paul gives this analogy without explaining what it meant…the audience obviously knew and comprehended the meaning as applied to the Days of Unleavened bread.
Colossians 2:15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
Colossians 2:16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths,
Colossians 2:17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. [but the body of Christ]
Colossians 2:18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
Colossians 2:19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.
Colossians 2:20 Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations—
Colossians 2:21 “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,”
Colossians 2:22 which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men?
Difficult scripture
Acts 15:19 Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God,
Acts 15:20 but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood.
Acts 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden (circumcision nor any other judgment than this ->) than these necessary things:
Acts 15:29 that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.
These were issues that had to be addressed to the Gentiles specifically, not a Jewish problem
This argument of silence also comes up short when you consider the negative side of the equation. For instance he didn’t tell the Gentiles in this case to not keep the Sabbath.
This would have been a prime opportunity
Why not a complete list
No where in the Bible is there a exhaustive list. That’s why we have the whole Bible. We are not to take one scripture and make a religion, philosophy or doctrine out it, without first examining in context and in light of the rest of the scripture.
Isaiah 28:9 “Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts?
Isaiah 28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.”
Isaiah 28:11 For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people,
Isaiah 28:12 To whom He said, “This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest,” And, “This is the refreshing”; Yet they would not hear.
Isaiah 28:13 But the word of the LORD was to them, “Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little,” That they might go and fall backward, and be broken And snared and caught.
I can attest to the fact that every message I give is not exhaustive…it can’t be, because we would never get to the subject at hand. The message has to be built upon other knowledge. I cannot go and fully prove the existence of God and the proof of the Bible before I speak every time to rule out those that would say there is No God and the Bible is a book of fables.
Paul in addition to this gave other lists of how the Gentiles as well as we should be in pretty much every epistle that he wrote. …and who did He write to …it was the Gentiles
But there is a catch to all of this
Spiritual Israelites
God specifically chose Paul to begin the work of making all people into spiritual Israelites
They would technically no longer be Gentiles
All become the seed of Abraham through Christ
Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:11 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—
Ephesians 2:12 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.
Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Ephesians 2:14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,
Ephesians 2:15 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,
Ephesians 2:16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.
Ephesians 2:17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.
Ephesians 2:18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
Ephesians 2:19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
Ephesians 2:20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,
Ephesians 2:21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,
Ephesians 2:22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
Through Christ’s death, we were reconciled to the Father
There is no longer neither Jew or Gentile, but we are all one in Christ (Galatians 3:26–29).
Galatians 3:26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 3:7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.
Galatians 3:8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.”
Galatians 3:13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”),
Galatians 3:14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
John 4:22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.
Romans 2:28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh;
Romans 2:29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.
Not only that but those that were once of the body (Israel) could leave and be counted with those that weren’t of the body
Romans 11:16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
Romans 11:17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree,
Romans 11:18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.
Romans 11:19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.”
Romans 11:20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear.
Romans 11:21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either.
Romans 11:22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.
Romans 11:23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
Romans 11:24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
Romans 11:25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
Romans 11:26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “THE DELIVERER WILL COME OUT OF ZION, AND HE WILL TURN AWAY UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB;
His instruction to the Gentiles
14 of 21 epistles
Our instruction too
God wants all to be saved
Put into motion long time ago
1 Timothy 2:4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
This was part of God’s masterful plan from the beginning (2 Timothy 1:9).
Ephesians 4:4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;
Ephesians 4:5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
Ephesians 4:6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
When God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, he instructed the Israelites and the stranger (alien) among them to keep the Sabbath Day holy. When instructions were given for keeping the Passover, these instructions also included the stranger among them. There was to be one law for the Israelite and the stranger.
Exodus 12:37 Then the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children.
Exodus 12:38 A mixed multitude went up with them also, and flocks and herds—a great deal of livestock.
Exodus 12:48 And when a stranger dwells with you and wants to keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as a native of the land. For no uncircumcised person shall eat it.
Exodus 12:49 One law shall be for the native-born and for the stranger who dwells among you.”
Gentiles could become naturalized citizens of Israel any time, and thousands did.
Conclusion
Zechariah 14:16 And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.
In the end there will only one law, one body and one people