It is good for us all to follow the example of John the Baptist and testify to the world about Yeshua, the true Light. Let our lives and our words be testimonies that lead others to Christ. But let us be clear that we share the heritage of the Jewish people. God did not start over with a clear slate when they rejected Yeshua. We should take care not to disregard the Hebraic roots of our faith, but rather we should seek to understand them and embrace them.
Most of the Jewish people did not receive Christ, though He came to them as God’s chosen people. As many of us as receive Christ are granted the right to become children of God. We can be grafted in to the vine, joining rather than replacing, those of God’s chosen people who have received Christ.
The Witness John
6There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. 8He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.
9There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. 10He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Let us not be confused. We are not replacing God’s people. The Jewish people remain God’s chosen people, though many reject Him. We are grafted in, joining those that receive Him. We do not replace them as a new people. All of God’s ways remain. They have not been thrown out. He did not start over. Those of us who are not Jewish but receive Christ now share a common heritage with the Jewish people. We should seek to understand and live according to His ways. We should not make up our own new ways.
17But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, 18do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. 19You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; 21for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. 22Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.23And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?
We should take care not to disregard the Hebraic roots of our faith, but rather we should seek to understand them and embrace them. It may seem strange to us as gentiles at first, but we should strive to be teachable and seek out the ways of the Lord and how He has related to His people. The Bible is a great resource. We need only accept and study the Old Testament, recognizing that it is relevant still today. It helps us understand the New Testament properly. Yeshua constantly pointed back to it, and we should as well.
To learn more…
FOCUSED MINISTRIES – UNDERSTANDING HEBREW ROOTS Understanding Hebrew roots – “God’s ways” not “Jewish traditions”
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