Are the Jews God's Chosen People?
Q & A
Question
Does your preacher believe that the Jews are God’s chosen people?
Answer
Thank you very much for your question.
Our congregation does not actually have a preacher, but rather the able and willing men of the congregation share the teaching and preaching. This is an effort on our part to be like the first-century church (Ac. 15:35). We are not without leadership, however, as the congregation is shepherded by two elders.
Concerning your question...
We believe that Israel is God’s chosen nation, but some clarification may be in order:
Under the old covenant, Israel consisted of all the descendants of Jacob, and all Gentiles who had become Jews (Esth. 8:17; Ex. 12:48).
Under the new covenant, Israel consists of all the descendants of Jacob who have put their faith in Christ,1 and all Gentiles who have done the same (Rom. 9:6, 24-25; Gal. 3:7; 1 Pet. 2:9).
This does not mean that the present Israel is a replacement of the former. Rather, the present Israel is a continuation of the former. God has not changed His chosen people; He has changed only the terms of admission into the nation.
Gentiles who put their faith in Christ are grafted into the olive tree of the original Jewish nation (Rom. 11:17-18).
Most first-century Jews, because of their rejection of Christ, were broken off the olive tree (Rom. 11:16). Through faith in Christ, however, any and all Jews can be grafted back into “their own olive tree” (i.e. their own nation) (Rom. 11:23-24).
I’d like to add one more thing: God remains very interested in “Israel after the flesh” (1 Cor. 10:18).
When the Jews acquired control of Jerusalem in 1967, that appears to have been the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise in Lk. 21:24.
Furthermore, Rom. 11:25-27 indicates the time is coming when many of the Jews will turn to the Lord—that is, many among “Israel after the flesh” will become part of the “Israel of God” (Gal. 6:16). “And so all Israel will be saved” (Rom. 11:26). That will be a wonderful day! Perhaps we may live to see it.
By “put their faith in Christ,” I speak of faith the way Scripture often does—a faith which includes obedience, even though obedience is not specifically mentioned. This use of the word “faith” is discussed in Faith = Salvation, Right?