What Is a Jew?

With so much Jewish elitism and the ‘Hebrew Roots’ craze running rampant in so many ways on every front, I think that it’s a good idea to know how God defines being a Jew. “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter [flesh]; whose praise [recognition] is not of men, but of God” (Rom. 2:28,29). So we see right away that God recognizes someone as a Jew only if they are circumcised in their heart. The same apostle addressed this issue in another place in this manner: “In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ” (Col. 2:11). So being a Jew, and being circumcised, is defined as someone who has truly had sin taken out of their heart, so we need to see what it is that actually does that. Clearly the scriptures show that it is receiving God’s Spirit that washes a person from sin, thereby sanctifying and justifying them (I Cor. 6:11; Tit. 3:5; Rom. 8:9). So we see that the circumcision of the heart is accomplished by the holy Ghost, so let’s see how the scriptures tie these things together for us: “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3:26-29). So in terms of being justified by God, there is no advantage in nationality, gender, or social position. That is what verse 28 us about, and it is not about anything else, as is often and erroneously supposed.

Now we see that baptism into Christ is what makes us a child of God, and thereby the true seed of Abraham [i.e. a Jew]. We also see here that there is no difference between natural Jews or Gentiles when it comes to being the seed of Abraham. So then all that is left is to know for a certainty is what baptism it is that puts us into Christ and circumcises our heart from sin, making us a true inward Jew, which is what God recognizes. “For BY ONE SPIRIT are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (I Cor. 12:13). Again we see that baptism is what puts us into Christ, making us the seed of Abraham, taking our sins away by the spiritual circumcision of the heart. And it is abundantly clear by this passage that it is the baptism of the holy Ghost that accomplishes these things, and makes us a Jew in the sight of God. So again we see that there is no difference between the natural Jew and the natural Gentile, but only that we are baptized with the Spirit. The apostle Paul, to whom all of these quotes belong, battled continually against the spirit of ‘Jewish elitism;’ and that spirit has gained much ground since then, infiltrating the entire body of Christ, all of Christianity, and in fact the entire nation and society that we live in. If you really want to support the Jews, then honor those who are baptized with his Spirit, and continue to be led thereby into his holiness (Jn. 16:13; Rom. 8:14). This article is not to take away from the reality and truth that God will turn back to Israel, and that Jesus will reign from there when he comes back to earth. Nonetheless we should keep in mind “that God is no respecter of persons [or nationalities],” but rather of those who “fear him, and work [his] righteousness” (Acts 10:34,35). Amen.