April 25, 2006
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B"H
OK, here's part one. A sort of continuation of my interchange with John over issues of unity between Jewish and non-Jewish believers. Let me say this one thing right up front. My dear brother John, I love you, although we have not yet met IRL. As I've said before, I appreciate you and the questions you have raised, but I disagree with some of the key points. Please don't take my assault on your ideas in a personal way. I'd like to think that we can agree to disagree, if need be, but still walk in 'the unity of the Spirit.'
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A COMMON MISUNDERSTANDING
Also, if Peter was a Jew, and if the unclean things that he saw in his vision (Acts 10: 9-14) were now to be clean to him, and that God said to not call them unclean anymore, then why would the kosher diet and other cultural practices enacted by the Torah be binding on any Jew?
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Before I start let me repeat my primary concern for unity within the Body of believers. I think that it's imperative that we hold to a model of unity that respects our differences rather than diminishes them. There is a vast array of cultures that are each fully capable of displaying the Good News of GOD's love and care for His creation. In the Book of Revelation we see that in the new heaven and new earth there is a huge gathering from every tribe and nation. A good analogy of this is a mosaic. No one group or individual contains the complete picture, but together each plays an invaluable part that no other can supply. The modern sociological movement towards multiculturalism teaches us a very important lesson through the slogan of celebrating our differences. We need to learn to appreciate each other as being distinct and special. We each bring something unique to the table of fellowship.
THE BIBLICAL CONCEPT OF ONENESS
The unity that the LORD has called us to is not based on sameness. GOD has purposely made us different so that we might compliment and enhance one another. The wide variety of cultures and ethnicities that exists within the global family of believers is part of GOD's plan to unite all things in him, that is the Messiah. (Eph 1:10) We are called to unity, not uniformity. There is intended to be a mutual blessing experienced within the varied parts of humanity. Male and female are different yet GOD calls them together to become one flesh. Neither one is better than the other, but they both serve GOD in ways that they alone are equipped for. This is also true in terms of generational differences. In the Body there are youth and elders and those who are in-between. Each is to serve GOD according to their own abilities. (See 1 John 2 : 12-14 ) Youth have zeal and enthusiasm. Middle age brings strength and stamina. Old age possesses wisdom and experience.
In the Body GOD has also purposed a mutual blessing between Jew and non-Jew. Israel and the Nations are intended to enrich each other through mutual service and sharing. The concept of being the chosen people is often misunderstood in terms of being special and therefore favored, rather than comissioned and thus empowered for service. The missing factor here, in my opinion, is regarding stewardship. Israel was called to be a kingdom of priests, but this calling never implied that Israel was somehow better than the other nations. Israel needs to be faithful to GOD in obeying His voice and keeping the covenant He established, but the love of GOD extends to all of His creation ( John 3 : 16 ). As I mentioned in a previous post, the Jewish Witness depends upon the distinctiveness of the particulars of the lifestyle that the Torah prescribes. If Israel, or any particular Jew for that matter, assimilates into the dominate culture, then the purpose of their calling is negated. This is not a slam on other cultures besides Jewish culture, but the point I am establishing here is the reason why GOD called Israel to be different from all other people. Once again, different doesn't mean better. Israel's election doesn't imply that they are better, but rather it establishes their responsibility, or stewardship, to use their distinctiveness to provoke the other nations to jealousy.
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I'm not really happy with the direction this post has taken. It's not that these are not my true thoughts and feelings, but I haven't really addressed the Bible passage in question. It may seem like I have overeacted, but throughout Church history various assaults on Torah observance by non-Jews have established a culture of hostility towards any type of distinct Jewish identity among believers. I think that this is completely contrary to GOD's purpose and betrays a misunderstanding of true Biblical unity.
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Blessings in the name of the Messiah Yeshua (Jesus),
Shlomo
Comments (5)
Shlomo,
Perhaps I was too eager? I didn't mean to infer that all of these questions are my personal beliefs - I just meant that I have these questions from reading the Scriptures, and I haven't been able to receive answers until now. I didn't intend for these questions to be key "points" for debate or anything like that.
I apologize if I offended you...I'm just plugging for answers.
John
Just stopping in to say Hi Shlomo!
Hope you have a wonderful Wednesday!!
Candy
B"H
Nice to see you visiting here again Candy.
Shlomo
why hello there. i have noticed you commenting on my dan's site, but never known you.
to whom do i owe the pleasure of this meeting?
Shlomo,
I am going to be transparent, here. I think I have always been very....umm....what's the word I'm looking for? Well, at any rate, I have always, as a person, felt rather second-rate. I guess that I am self-deprecating to an extent. In reading your posts I have come to realize that I have been rather unconsciously concerned about how Israel's premier standing in God's kingdom overshadows us Gentiles. In a way, when reading the Scriptures it makes me feel as if we Gentiles are the last shoo-in, as if we should consider ourselves lucky to even be glanced-at, much less included in the plan for salvation. This is not to say that I am not grateful, nor that I don't realize that we ARE very lucky and blessed and SHOULD take any grace that we are given, but I have always felt as if we are considered second-rate.
It's as if we were the bride of a widower - always feeling the disconcert of not being God's first love, and that saddens me, I suppose.
My grandmother's parents did not allow her to marry the man she truly loved, and then she married my grandfather - who was a widower. He died during the depression and she eventually married another widower whose wife died during the depression - this seemed to have affected her greatly - never having that special relationship of being her husband's first and true love.
Wow. This is very revealing, and I have never discussed it, but this seems to be what I have been struggling with. Reading Scripture, in particular the relevant passages in Deuteronomy and others in the Prophets, I see that it has always been in the Father's plan to extend his plan of salvation to all mankind, but I still seem to struggle with this.
Do you have any discussion for this direction of thought?
John
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