Most of us are quite aware that the Church (Iglesia) are those who are called out of the world and called to participate as members of the body of Christ. They also are referred to as the Elect or the Chosen People of God. They have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. According as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. Ep 1: 3,4

We were not called for any merit of our own. In fact we were all guilty of sin, for there is none righteous, no not one; ” for if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life”.   Ro. 5:10  We are also called the children of promise or the children of Abraham. For this very purpose Jesus was crucified; The scripture says; ” Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, cursed is everyone that is hangeth on a tree; that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Gal.3: 13,4

The wonderful promise that was given to Abraham also included us. ” Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Gen.12: 1-4

This aspect of the promise was soon forgotten by the Jewish people. They remembered with great pride that God had promised to make them a great nation and that He would bless them. They took pride in being the chosen people. But they failed to remember that God had called them to be a blessing unto all the families of the earth. They missed it all together. They thought it was more important for them to be blessed than it was for them to be a blessing unto all the Gentiles.

They also took pride in that God has chosen them to receive the “law of Moses”.  They failed to realize that they would never be able to keep such a holy law. The reason being they could not see the depravity of their own souls.  They trusted they could keep the law. Even after failing to do so after many years, they continued insisting for others to keep a law that they themselves had never been able to keep.

The law was a tremendous blessing that our Heavenly Father had in trusted unto them. Unfortunately their faith became misguided. They trusted in the works of the law but failed to believe the promises of God. They developed a religious sect and believed they were the only ones that had understanding of God. They became a people without compassion; zealous for a law that they had misunderstood but insisted they had great revelation. For example the fourth commandment which is the keeping of the Sabbath. This became of the up-most importance to them. It’s amazing that they could be so zealous for a law that they could never keep nor did they ever understand. The law was given as a type or a for-shadow of something better to come. (see Heb.10:1) Our Lord God was not content just to give us one day to rest, nor a week but eternity. Christ Jesus calls us to rest in Him for ever.    “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.  But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.

But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?  Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.  But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.  And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:  And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.  And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?  How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.” Ma.10:28- – 11:12

Their hearts were so hard that when the Prince of Peace the author of the law walked among them they did not know Him and condemned Him for healing the sick on the Sabbath. Paul wrote about the Jewish people and aske the question; ” What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is their of circumcision? Ro.3:1 He said much every way. Then in verse nine he said: ” What then? are we (the Jews) better than they (the Gentiles)? No in no wise; for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin. As Jews they had great advantage but they were no better than anybody. The would say we alone have the law but they weren’t true to the law. Right doctrine will not trump right living. There should be no difference in the claim and the conduct. (see Ez.36:20)  Those who claim knowledge of scriptures and fail to walk in the light of the same are defaming the Lord God. Being a Jew did not give immunity. Those who don’t have great teaching but walk in obedience and love will put to shame those who boast in their knowledge of the word. It’s not good to take pride in what we know and not regard the righteousness of God.

No one bat’s a 1000, if your batting average is 295, we consider that good but that is a long way from a 1000. Jesus said be ye perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect. Obviously we all fall short of the glory of God, Jews, Gentiles, even Baptist, Pentecostals, simply all.

The Jews were in trusted with the Torah and were given great and precious promises, they failed to keep the law but even worse they failed to believe the wonderful promises of God. The law was given to them as a school master to bring them to faith in Christ. Gal.3:19-29They missed the purpose of the law even with Jesus the Son of God coming into their presence with signs and wonders.

Jesus has in trusted the Church with the gospel and commissioned us to take the gospel unto all nations. It appears our batting average isn’t very impressive. We have received the blessing of the gospel and take much pride in having received it. We also boast much of the vast resource of teaching among us. We quickly point out the hypocrocy of the Jews but cannot see or own. We preach that we are justified by faith (rightly so) and speak much about  it’s importance but are we truly demonstrating  this faith in our daily living? With our knowledge of the word we can justify our lack of faith or just about any other wrong doing. Nevertheless we all know without faith we cannot please God.

I might ask is their any advantage in being a Christian? Of course in every way. Are we who profess to be Christians any better than anyone else? In no way! If we claim to believe the promise of God but fail to take this good news, that has been given to our charge, unto the nations. We are no different than the religious sect called the Jews.

We cannot claim to be saved by grace unless we see our own depravity of soul and truly realize that in me dwell es no good thing. Ro.7:18 Grace is given to the weak not the strong. In order to walk in the salvation of God it is parmount to understand that without Christ we are all vile sinners.

It’s not a matter of the law verses faith but the works of the law verses the works of faith. The Jews were boasting in their ethnic pride, if anyone is fellowshipping where they boast in their own group, flee for they have lost their way.
Beloved let us rest in God’s faithfulness to keep His promise.