But what does Jesus’ Jewish identity have to do with anything? This is never magnified in the New Testament. Jesus is the Savior of all who will repent and submissively trust in him. Rev. 7 states there will be people in God’s kingdom from every tribe, people, language and nation all redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus. Of what nationality Messiah was as He walked the earth is totally irrelevant.
http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/yeshua.htm#yeshua or jesus
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Has the real Christian Church gotten far removed from the Jewish roots of the faith? Yes.
Is ethnic Israel is essentially irrelevant? Yes.
Is Christianity essentially anti-Jewish in its perspective? Yes .
Is it possible to be a sincere Christian and yet be Jewish? No.
Is Christianity really Anti-Jewish? Yes..
The Jews, Messianic Jews today are falsely busy trying to rewrite the Bible to their own liking.. wasting their time banging their heads on the wall of all things.. why? cause they do not like the truths set forth by Jesus Christ, the Church and Christianity.. too bad for them. I too have never been to Israel and I have no desire to ever go there, expressing a clear indifference to Israel’s past, present, as Jesus is now my sole love. past, present, future..
Real Christianity assume a “New Testament priority interpretations now ” when reading the past “Old Testament.” We apply the terms of the Greek New Testament as we “read backwards” to the Old. It is impossible and absurd to to first take false pains to understand the meaning of the Hebrew Scriptures — and especially the Hebraic mindset — before we draw our conclusions about the meaning of the New Testament because God wrote both the old and New testament and he has issued a New Testament now. This new Testament applies to all “To the Hebrew first, and then to the Greek” (Rom. 1:16; 3:1-2). While the “Old Testament” are writings from God, by Jews solely to Jews the “New Testament” now applies both to the Jews and the gentiles as well.
Furthermore the use of carnal, fleshly human logic to ascertaining the meaning of any scriptural text is futile, a complete waste of time rather, as we must rely on the author, God the holy Spirit still to illuminate its real, true meaning, and not any supposedly valid even historical meanings, “hermeneutics., “which many Godless still people falsely fail to do and why there is so much Bible misinterpretations amongst so many now too.
John 4
23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
John 8
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 14
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
John 15
26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
John 16
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
Throughout the centuries, the doctrines concerning the Trinity and the DIVINE nature of Christ have constituted the Christian foundation, and the church has used these definitional doctrines as the standard for identifying true Christians. Jesus Christ the Messiah is the anointed descendant of David who not only will reign and rule over Israel forever and ever but is the Saviour of all mankind and will rule over everyone now too.. While the Church was was born in a Jewish cradle in Jerusalem, on a Jewish holiday, and the forebears of the faith were Jews they the New Converts they no longer remained Jews but became Christians, a new faith. While Seventy-seven percent of the Bible is the Hebrew Bible, the remaining 23 percent, the more prominent New Testament, was written in Greek indicating the significant change of the new faith. Christ,” from whence is derived the word “Christian” is the English term for the Greek “Khristos” meaning “the anointed one”.
Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Acts 4:27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
2 Corinthians 1:21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
Hebrews 1:9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
“Jesus” addressing Him by the Greek Name that His mother and Father gave Him since Greek was the main, common language in that area for 300 years is the Christ, the anointed one, the Messiah… He calls all those who are His Disciples to follow Him and walk as He walked (1 John 2:1-6). He dies to self, Jewish Nationalism, any earthly kingdom, ambitions too for the good of all mankind and not solely the Jews. All of the believers in Him should walk as He did teach too.. My kingdom is not of this world…. but a Heavenly one.. John 14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. In brief, also now the “church” of the First Century did not observe Judaism, As it didn’t have Jewish laws anymore doctrines. the “Church had replaced Israel” and THE CHURCH is now, “Spiritual Israel.” The “Church” of the First Century also observed a New world-view. It was not Torah zealous (Acts 21:20). It did not observe The Biblical Feasts and holy-days. It DID NOT observe a Biblical kashruit (kosher), it did not observed Jewish concepts or the Biblical dietary laws, or the Jewish Sabbath. With such major distinctive between New testament Greek and the old Hebrew scriptures we all should be very careful about formulating any of our theological doctrines from the past Hebrew only perspective.
Rightly dividing the word of truth Jesus Christ and his words the Bible over the Christian Church and Israel is easy.. The power of God unto salvation now has eluded many until they do open their mind to the once strange idea that Jesus and Paul were my apostles and the master builders of the Christian Church – separate and distinct from anything related to the nation Israel.By removing Israel out of the way they are able to see clearly the distinctive doctrine of Jesus and Apostle Paul’s gospel of grace and believe, and be saved. Many have remained lost after years of journeying through various denominations that blur the line between Israel and the Christian Church.
The fullness of the power of God, the Holy Spirit, even unto salvation eludes them as a direct result. Now the Christian Church is not a continuation of Israel for many it is still quite a conundrum and difficult to see where Israel ends and the Christian Church begins because they are Bible ignorant, have not read, studied the New testament for themselves but have listed to the mostly lies of men..
Here is a model that works as an illustration of the God-directed transition from Israel to the Christian Church.
The ISRAEL Ltd. employee rebellion In this model Israel is called ISRAEL Ltd. – a strictly national earthly company that the heaven-based Owner chose to temporarily shut down due to a long running and widespread employee rebellion. Throughout the company’s history the Owner’s earthly representatives had been rarely obeyed and were more often ignored, rejected and/or killed. The rebellion came to a head when the Owner sent his Son from heaven to take hands-on earthly control of the corporation. The employees rejected his authority and had him killed. The Owner then raised his Son from the dead and recalled him to heaven to sit at his right hand. The Owner made one final bid for control of ISRAEL Ltd. by sending his Holy Spirit as an internal, invisible presence among his loyal employees on earth. The rebellious employees instigated a persecution of the Spirit-filled employees and declared their rejection of the Owner’s Holy Spirit by killing one of his brightest lights.
The new recruit – masterbuilder of CHRISTIANS Ltd. The Owner’s glorified Son then manifested from heaven to forcibly recruit the rebellion’s point man and give him the role of masterbuilder of a new corporation – CHRISTIANS Ltd. He was to go offshore and hire a foreign workforce. The Owner revealed to this new recruit that through his foreknowledge he had always planned the establishment of the new multinational corporation and that the death, burial and resurrection of his Son was not a setback but was really a great victory – secretly planned from the outset. His Son’s work had made it possible for each employee to have a direct link with him and his Son in heaven via the internal presence of his Holy Spirit – the ultimate in a ‘flat’, non-hierarchical management structure. The Owner also revealed that a small remnant of the staff of ISRAEL Ltd. had been kept on by the new corporation.
ISRAEL Ltd. employees had gone about establishing their own righteousness by obeying an array of laws and ordinances.
“For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” (Romans 10:3-4 AV)
CHRISTIANS Ltd. employees submit themselves unto the righteousness of God when they believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
“But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:” (Romans 3:21-22 AV)
Scriptural basis – ISRAEL Ltd. employee rebellion
The scriptures regarding Israel’s history of unfaithfulness to God, their poor treatment of most of his prophets and their rejection and murder of God’s Son are well known. Stephen, full of the Holy Ghost, summed it all up just prior to being stoned to death by his countryme
“Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it. When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.” (Acts 7:51-60 AV)
With the stoning of Stephen, the nation Israel’s rejection of God’s Holy Spirit was communicated to him in no uncertain terms. The battered body of the ‘man with the face of an angel’ was dumped on God’s doorstep. God then withdrew Israel’s ‘most favoured nation’ status – a reality that Israel and most Christians still haven’t cottoned onto. This change in status was first revealed to Peter in Acts 10.
“Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” (Acts 10:34-35 AV
God currently does not have a ‘most favoured nation’. He has only his new creature – the Church, the body of Christ, which in my model is represented by the new multinational corporation under the headship of his Son in heaven with each employee directly joined with him via the indwelling Holy Spirit.
“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.” (1Cor 12:13 AV)
“For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.” (Eph 2:18 AV)
God has a long-standing covenant with his beloved ISRAEL and he will honour it after the new corporation has reached its fulness and has departed the earth.
“For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.” (Rom 11:25-32 AV)
Scriptural basis – the new recruit, the wise masterbuilder
Saul (later Paul) was the zealous point man of ISRAEL Ltd.’s rebellion against the Holy Spirit. He was consenting to the death of Stephen and on his way to arrest other Spirit-filled employees at Damascus when the risen and glorified Lord intervened.
“And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” (Acts 9:1-6 AV)
The Lord gave Ananias at Damascus a glimpse of what was in store for Saul.
“Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.” (Acts 9:13-16 AV)
The Church at Syrian Antioch with its large Gentile membership was the first branch of the new multinational and where it got its name – CHRISTIANS Ltd. Saul did not plant this Church but ministered there in partnership with others.
“And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord. Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the Church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord. Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the Church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” (Acts 11:20-26 AV)
Paul (Saul’s Greco-Roman name) got the extremely hazardous task of going further abroad and setting up more branches of the new multinational corporation with a foreign workforce, (we heathen, pagan Gentile dogs in the face of hordes of hostile employees of the shut down ISRAEL Ltd. who did not believe for a moment that he was acting upon orders from their God. Paul was initially in partnership with Barnabas but later became the ‘apostle of the Gentiles’.
“Now there were in the Church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.” (Acts 13:1-4 AV)
“And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.” (Acts 22:21 AV)
“For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:” (Rom 11:13 AV)
“For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1Cor 3:9-11 AV)
“But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.” (Acts 13:45 AV)
“And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.” (Acts 14:19 AV)
CHRISTIANS Ltd. was regularly infiltrated by Judaisers (disgruntled employees of the shut down ISRAEL Ltd.) with an agenda to sabotage their freedom under grace and put them back under the law – preferably circumcised as well. They thought the Gentiles were being employed by ISRAEL Ltd. and should act accordingly.
“And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:” (Gal 2:4 AV)
To Paul was given the revelation of ISRAEL Ltd. being temporarily shut down.
“What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway. I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?” (Rom 11:7-12 AV)
Paul was also given the revelation of the mystery – God’s plan of salvation kept secret since the world began. (See the study – ‘Progressive Revelation and the Revelation of the Mystery’.)
“Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,” (Rom 16:25 AV)
Which employees of ISRAEL Ltd. were absorbed into CHRISTIANS Ltd.?
Most of the employees of ISRAEL Ltd. did not find employment in the new multinational corporation – only a remnant according to the election of grace. Those employees of ISRAEL Ltd. who continued to go about establishing their own righteousness were not eligible for employment in the new multinational corporation.
“But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;” (Rom 9:31-32 AV)
“For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” (Rom 10:3-4 AV)
The above scriptures declare that the criteria for ISRAEL Ltd. employees to be kept on in CHRISTIANS Ltd., was not merely whether or not they believed that Jesus Christ was their Messiah. It was whether or not they also ceased from ‘going about to establish their own righteousness’ by the works of the law.
James and his ‘thousands of Jews’ never left Judaism
The above criteria would exclude James’ multitude in Jerusalem, encountered by Paul in Acts 21, who were all ‘zealous of the law’ and keen for Paul to demonstrate that he also ‘keepest the law’.
“And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law: And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs. What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come. Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them; Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.” (Acts 21:20-24 AV)
Paul chose not to do battle with James over the issue of his continuing reliance upon the law for righteousness. He perhaps sensed the hopelessness of overcoming such deep-seated and widespread ignorance of the new dispensation. Imagine the uproar if Paul had immediately responded to the above comments by James with what he had already told the Galatian Churches.
“I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” (Gal 2:21 AV)
It is most likely that the James that led the Jerusalem church in Acts 21 is the same James that wrote the epistle of James in our New Testament. All scripture is inspired by the Holy Spirit so it is apparent that for a time there was a large body of Jews led by a man who had received the Holy Spirit and yet continued to be “zealous of the law”. I have come to see that this is a contradictory conundrum that I must avoid wading into (as I have done previously). That James was beloved of God is not in doubt so who am I to criticise God?
But for the sake of doctrinal clarity I prefer to think of James and his multitude as clinging to the doctrine given by Moses and remaining ignorant of the doctrine revealed to Paul. It was altogether too much for James and his Jerusalem church to accept that their contemporary, this ‘Johnny come lately’ upstart Paul, had received revelation of new doctrine which fulfilled and superseded that given to Moses.
Peter, John, Barnabas and many others became Christians
As with any major corporate restructuring there was a period of transition and confusion. Although I am swimming against the tide of opinion of many highly esteemed mid-Acts teachers, I believe that a small group of Peter’s little flock at Jerusalem, who acknowledged the ongoing revelation given by the Lord to Paul, were the elect remnant of ISRAEL Ltd., absorbed into the new multinational CHRISTIANS Ltd.
It is clear that Peter kept up to date with Paul’s epistles and went so far as to class them with ‘the other scriptures’ in his second epistle, written several years after Paul wrote Romans.
“And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.” (2 Pet 3:15-16 AV)
It is also clear by the word of God in the book of Acts that several Jews who had been members of Peter’s little flock were present at Antioch in the period reported in Acts 11. Barnabas, who was first mentioned in Acts 4 (5 chapters before Paul got saved), was among them.
“And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,” (Acts 4:36 AV)
Barnabas and several other members of Peter’s little flock were among those who were ‘first called Christians’ at Antioch.
“And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the Church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” (Acts 11:26 AV)
John’s gospel, written long after Paul had been martyred, is overwhelming evidence that John had also come to understand that belief or faith in Christ was the ‘end of the law for righteousness’.
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13 AV)
“For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17 AV)
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:14-16 AV)
After Paul was well down the road of establishing the new corporation, he declared in his epistle to the Romans that the employees of the shut down company ISRAEL Ltd., now fell into one of two categories: they were either among the remnant according to the election of grace or they were blinded.
Who would dare include Peter, John and many of the other saints at Jerusalem among the blinded portion of Israel?
“Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded” (Rom 11:5-7 AV)
Who would dare tell Peter that he was not a Christian
“But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.” (1Pet 4:15-16 AV)
Why did Paul rebuke Peter at Antioch?
Paul’s action in rebuking Peter for his dissimulation (hiding his true feelings) at Antioch is very clear evidence of his concept of the body of Christ. Peter and Barnabas had been mixing freely with the Gentiles until certain Jews came from James. The arrival of James’ people caused them to remove themselves from among the Gentiles and eat in the ‘Jews only’ section. James’ people retained a patronizing attitude toward Gentile believers and this infected Peter and Barnabas. They still had the old “wall of partition” in place in their minds.
“But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.” (Galatians 2:11-13 AV)
Paul’s rebuking of Peter would not have been necessary if he considered Peter to be in a separate Church, or body, to the Church, the body of Christ. But Paul strongly opposed Peter’s actions thereby revealing that he considered Peter to be a member of the same Church as he and the Gentiles – the Church the body of Christ.
Note that Paul did not rebuke the “certain Jews who came from James”. Why not? I believe it was for the same reason he did not argue ‘law vs grace’ with James on the occasion of his direct encounter with James and his multitude of believers in Acts 21. Paul was “walking circumspectly” and choosing his battles. James and his multitude were virtually indistinguishable from unbelieving Israel and were “old wine bottles” of law that would burst with the wine of the new dispensation of grace.
“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:15-17
Is Christ divided?
The Church, the body of Christ, is constituted of all who have received the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit, regardless of whether or not they had hands laid on them or were water baptized before or after receiving it. If these Jewish rituals are the determining factors then our apostle Paul does not qualify as a member of the body. Paul received the Holy Spirit through water baptism and the laying on of hands – not on the road to Damascus but three days later. The manner of his receiving of the Holy Spirit was in direct continuance of the spreading of the Holy Spirit among the Jews and Samaritans after the initial outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost.
“And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.” (Acts 9:17-18 AV)
“But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” (Romans 8:9 AV)
We are right to believe that the grace dispensation did not begin until some time after Israel had rejected the Holy Spirit by killing Stephen in Acts 7. We are wrong to exclude any who have received the Holy Spirit (and continued in faith) from the body of Christ. If once having received the Spirit by the hearing of faith, members (such as James and his people) do not continue by the hearing of faith (but rather by the works of the law), they are excluded – not by a judgment of God as such, but because it is faith (not works) that GETS us into the body of Christ and it is faith (not works) that KEEPS us there.
“But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;” (Romans 10:8 AV)
“Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:” (Romans 11:20 AV)
“O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:1-3 AV)
The ministry of the Spirit changed over the time between Acts 2 and Acts 28, as establishment Israel’s hardening against the Lord became set in concrete. As the enemy of Christ (the spirit of antichrist) takes on different tactics and guises, so the Spirit of Christ ministers according to the circumstances believers are placed in and the Lord’s will for them.
“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:15-17 AV)
The supposed division of Peter’s Jewish remnant from the Church, as taught by most mid-Acts teachers, would have been in effect at the time Paul first wrote to the Corinthians, some of whom were ‘Peter’ Christians and some of whom were ‘Paul’ Christians. I will let the apostle have the final say on this matter. (No doubt most of you are aware that Peter is also referred to as Cephas in the NT.)
“For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?” (1 Cor 1:11-13 AV)
see http://www.johnbisset.com/Rightly%20Dividing%20Israel%20and%20the%20Christian%20Church.htm
THE FACT THAT THE NEW TESTAMENT IS FALSELY MISUNDERSTOOD & MISINTERPRETED BY TOO MANY OF THE CULTS, JUDIAZERS, JEWS AND MESSIANIC JEWS IS AN ONGOING REALITY WHERE SADLY THE DEVIL HAS MANY INDIVIDUALS EVEN NOW FALSELY RETURNING TO THE HEBREW AND JEWISH ROOTS , OR THE OBSOLETE JEWISH FAITH THAT WILL NOW CAUSE THEM TO EVEN GO TO HELL WHEN THEY DIE TOO.
The first truth that should come to our minds right from the start is that the earliest expression of Christianity in the first century was not a Jewish one nor Hebraic one from its very core doctrinally, as real Christians undeniably were all kicked out of the Jewish synagogues for their holding non Jewish views.
When did the religion of the Jewish Christ-Messiah change for the non-Jew, when the Jews had clearly, falsely, undeniably rejected Jesus Christ as their Messiah.. While firstly God chose the Jewish people and the Jewish religion when revealing “the Christ” to humankind thousands of years ago from even the birth of Judaism. But now also the “the mind of Christ,” is a not “Jewish” mind and not a Gentile or non-Jewish mind but solely to THE MIND OF THE Holy Spirit of God.. As what the Bible equally calls, in 2 Peter 1:12, the “present truth.”
2 Peter 1: 1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.
At firstly one that is a Jew who follows after Jesus Christ they might have originally thought it would be best to be a part of the New Jerusalem Church, but as a Jew even, unless you had made a full-conversion to Christianity, you still then rightfully would have been an “outsider,” going to Hell..
Hence, the problem for the Christians: What is Christianity to do with the Jews who want to come to the knowledge of God, but they still not make full conversion to Jesus Christ when we realize that the revelation of Christ in the New Testament, personified by Jesus, and that the followers of the Jewish Christ-Messiah were solely Christians now and not Jews, even if all 26 books in the New Testament were penned by ex Jews, it should begin to awaken us to the fact that the earliest expression of Christianity was not Jewish one and that the first century “Church” was not a Jewish Church at all; as it was not a synagogue at all.
Acts 2:42 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. (KJV)
1Co 12:12-31 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body…. And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.
If one has done any serious study into the history and origin of Christianity, The New testament then they have, without a doubt, noticed this truth, fact even in the Apostle’s Doctrine and as a result we find Judaism and Christianity polarized at different, opposite ends of the theological spectrum. The Christian Church, since the first century C.E., has been under a mindset that primarily comes from a Greek New testament perspective. For almost eighteen hundred years, the expression of Christianity has existed devoid of the any continual, applicable Hebraic understanding of the sacred Scriptures in the New Testament Bible even the “faith once given the saints.” Here thus we have an honest, clear view of the Early Christian Church worship, beginnings.
No you cannot be a Jew or a Messianic Jew and still even claim to be a Christian as for one trying to keep any part of the Jewish religion he is s till and ungodly infidel rather going to Hell and not Heaven. Jesus died for the Jews but most of them they chose not to accept him.. The Jews to God today are like the Apostle Judas who betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. The Jews and all Messianic Jews have become the lost Sheep and are all are still now going to hell . Yes Judaism is not… Christianity minus Jesus. Judaism is the left over shell that Jesus had discarded..Matthew 23:38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
Luke 13:35 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Acts 1:20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.
Galatians 4:27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.
Many Jews falsely still refuse to admit the truth that the “New Israel of the Holy Spirit”, the Church now supersedes the “old Israel of the flesh”. And all of God’s past promises to ‘physical’ Israel have been terminated now, cancelled, as they rather have been transferred to the new ‘spiritual’ Israel – i.e. the Church all as a result caused when the Jews had falsely rejected their Jewish Messiah Jesus Christ.
The reality is that the Christian Gentiles and Jews solely were now on the receiving end of the past Jewish chosen status, the past once Jewish only blessings.
Israel ‘s past spiritual heritage itself as the Bible indicates was disgraceful as they continually departed
from God and from the Observances of his laws to them! The still even lying Messianic Jews are still falsely trying to come into Heaven itself by a back door through their revised false Messianic Yeshua Hebrew Roots movement who falsely demand that we all follow the Old Laws still. The complete Bible, including the New Testament, however, is not a book about Israel , and Israel alone but it is about the coming of Jesus Christ to save the whole world, the Gentiles included and not just the Jews.
The Jews had also falsely rejected their Messiah because he made it clear he was not going to support or to rebuild the State of Israel to any world prominence, and while sixty million supposed Christians may support Zionism the return of the Jews to their past promise land, the New Testament and 2 Billions Christians do not support this, as this Revised Judaism is still a work of the carnal, Jewish Flesh and not the Work of God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit.
· The New testament Scripture says that the old law and Judaism is obsolete.
· Paul says that salvation is by faith, not by trying to keep the law.
· The old Law can only declare us guilty, not rescue us.
· The Old law cannot affect the promise of salvation by faith.
· The law of Moses was only for the Jews and was designed to be temporary.
· Being obligated to the law of Moses is falsely being slavery.
Hebrews 8:13 also describes the Old Covenant between God and His Jews as obsolete, replaced by the New Covenant in Christ. A major theme of Hebrews is the superiority of the New Covenant of Christ over the Old Covenant of Moses. While it is true that the Old Covenant has become obsolete due to the failure of the Jews to keep its precepts, the New Covenant is explicitly intended for them as well as the Gentiles. It is of this Covenant in Christ that the author of Hebrews says, “For this is the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those days, says the Lord. I will put My laws into their minds and I will write them upon their hearts. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (Hebrews 8:10) The Old Covenant is obsolete not because God has forsaken the Jews, but because He has offered them something better, namely life in Christ.
The Negative Connotation of “Judaism, Jews” Continues even today sadly. Unfortunately, those who have called themselves “Jews” even the Messianic Jews who are known for their hatred of Christians and the church too today even, with their visible superior attitudes they have not behaved themselves well over the centuries as the still false deniers of Jesus the “Christ.” Particularly heinous is the treatment BY the Jewish people THE Christians AND THE OTHERS over the centuries and even today as we can see in Palestine too..
Like all Jews, Messianic Jews, cults, Jehovah witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists, church of God, Mormons, etc., they present “another testament of Jesus Christ,” mainly a false ones rather that we all need to avoid too as they falsely, wrongfully do rejects what the real, orthodox Christianity affirms . They for sure are not Christianity by definition or description.
Christians alone now are the chosen people of God.
Here is what the Jews, even the Messianc Jews they falsely still fail to admit.. As Jacob was upon his death bed, he made prophecies concerning his various sons. Concerning Judah he said: The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. – Gen 49:10
The Hebrew word for Shiloh is thought to mean peaceable or tranquil however the term is used here in direct reference to the Messiah. The text asserted that the tribe of Judah would have governmental authority until the Messiah came. This authority commenced with the ascent of David to the throne. In the days of Solomon’s son Rehoboam, the kingdom became divided and the southern part was called Judah. It consisted of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin and some of Levi and a handful from the remaining 10 tribes, but its kings were always from Judah. After the Babylonian conquest, there were no longer any Jewish kings; however, there continued to be great lawgivers from the tribe of Judah, such as Nehemiah and Zerubbabel, and this continued until the times of Jesus. Then with the Roman invasion around A.D. 70, the Jews were dispersed to a greater degree than ever before and their genealogical records were destroyed. Though the Jews have been partially regathered to their homeland in recent times, none of their current political leaders can prove themselves to be of the tribe of Judah.
The sceptre undeniably and clearly therefore fell from Judah forever in the times of Jesus, for Jesus Christ alone is the Messiah.
Furthermore, the prophet Hosea wrote: For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days. – Hos 3:4-5
Anyone should plainly see that this prophecy is an exact description of the state of the Jews from the times of Jesus until now. This prophecy also defines a time in which the sceptre has clearly departed from their hands. The sceptre has been taken from them because it belongs to Jesus Christ, and it can never be rightfully possessed by another. Not by the Jews even.
All People who think they can improve their standing with God through the law are misunderstanding its purpose and are not accepting the biblical evidence that salvation is simply by faith, without any role for human efforts. We receive the Spirit by faith and are counted righteous by faith, without any need to add the Law of Moses. As the Law of Moses has fulfilled its purpose, showing that no one can live under it, so next it has become obsolete: “Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law”. Because of Jesus our relationship with God depends entirely on faith. “You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus”. When it comes to inheriting Abraham’s promise, there is neither Jew nor Greek — all ethnic groups may inherit. In Christ, even slaves can receive an inheritance from Abraham. In salvation, there is likewise no difference between male and female — all have equal rights to inherit the promise.
The Jews themselves even at the time of Jesus Christ here on earth have been surprised that any biblical command including the sacrifices and rituals had become unnecessary.
If God had given these laws, who could say that do away with them too? Today we look to the New Testament to see the reasons of God for doing away with Mosaic laws.
The New Testament quotes clearly why some of these Old Testament commands as being inadequate or in need of replacement (Matthew 5:31-37).
Now the New Testament it clearly declares the laws obsolete. In Acts 15, it is “the Law of Moses.” In 1 Corinthians 9:20, it is “the law.” In Galatians 3:17, it is “the law” that came 430 years after Abraham, that is, at the time of Moses. In Ephesians 2:15 it is “the law with its commandments and ordinances,” the law that separated Jews from Gentiles. In Hebrews 8:13 it is the Sinai covenant. Although various terms are used, there is a consistency in what is meant. The old law is being declared obsolete. it does not mean that the law package itself is i obsolete.
What is the New Testament explanation for this significant change in divinely given laws? It is the new change in covenants, or the agreements between God and humanity because of the death of Jesus Christ. Why should the death of Christ cause God-given laws to become outdated? The Bible gives a simple explanation: The law demanded a penalty for law-breaking, and Jesus Christ experienced the worst penalty of the law.. Christ brought a new covenant. The book of Hebrews makes this clear in chapters 7 to 10. Although the focus in Hebrews is on the ceremonial laws relevant to the priesthood, the conclusion is more broadly stated — it is the covenant itself that is obsolete (8:13). A new covenant has replaced the Sinai-Moses covenant. The new covenant has some similarities to the old, but it is a new covenant. Apostle Paul tells us that the Law of Moses was a temporary addition to the Abrahamic promises (Galatians 3:16-25). The Sinai covenant, which includes civil laws and ceremonial laws, was designed to come to an end when Christ came.. the laws there are no longer binding. The law brings penalties, not blessing. “All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law’”. The law is not a way to earn favor with God. It functions in the reverse way, since we all fall short of its demands. If we think we have to observe the Torah, if we want to be under the law, we will be under its condemnation. “No one is justified before God by the law, because, ‘The righteous will live by faith.’ The law is not based on faith; but on the contrary on one’s own good works. Law-keeping cannot earn us God’s favor. If we look to it, it can bring only a curse, since we all fall short. But even in the curse, there is good news — in the crucifixion of Christ: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree’”.
Now the Idea of a Jewish State ruling the world had Become Obsolete when Jesus Christ himself the Messiah had declared my kingdom is not of this world.. John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence in itself now not a New one but has been a fact even the last 2000 years too.
Why Did Many Jewish Leaders did, do falsely Hate Jesus Christ and the Church? It is because really the New Covenant Makes the old Biblical Laws Obsolete.
Jewish hostility toward Jesus Christ and His church began long before the Jewish exiled from Israel in 70AD when Jesus taught that Jewish nationalism and commitment to the “oral law” (“traditions of men”) distorted the sole purpose of the written law (Torah) (Mark 7:1-20). He declared that Israel’s dominant religious leaders were not in the honest tradition of Moses, David, and the prophets, but were mainly servants of Satan (John 8:37-44).
Their “Judaism” depended on legal righteousness based in “oral law” (the “traditions of men”; see Mark 7:1-23) and “works” that artificially distinguished them from the Gentiles whom they regarded as ritualistically unclean. Adherents of this perspective believed falsely that their legal righteousness would assure them of the future Messiah’s approval when he appeared on the scene to cast off the Roman yoke and institute the false worldwide Jewish rule.
John the Baptist proclaimed the worthlessness of legalistic righteousness (Matthew 3:1-12),
Jesus declared that the legalistic righteousness of the Pharisees was pitted against the genuine law of God He had come to uphold.
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:17-20 NIV).
Instead of leading them toward fulfillment of the promises God had given Israel, the Jews legalistically based self-righteousness motivated them to reject and kill the Messiah and His followers (Matthew 21:23-46; John 8:42-59; Acts 4-5; 7-9; 12:1f; 13:42-51; 14:2-5; 14:19; 17-18; 24:5; 26:9-11; Galatians 1:11-16; 4:29; Philippians 3:5-7; 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16).
Jesus called into question the meaning of the primary Jewish symbols—Sabbath, food taboos, ethnic identity, ancestral lands, and ultimately the Temple itself.
Is the Antichrist Jewish?
Is the Antichrist Jewish? Although there is no definitive answer, two Bible verses provide us with good reason to believe he will be. The first appears in the Book of Genesis when God prophesies the coming of Israel’s Messiah and Satan’s Antichrist.
“From now on, you and the woman will be enemies, and your offspring and her offspring will be enemies. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:15 (NLT)
Later on, when Jacob is blessing his sons, he makes this prophecy about Dan:
“Dan will govern his people like any other tribe in Israel. He will be a snake beside the road, a poisonous viper along the path, that bites the horse’s heels so the rider is thrown off.” Genesis 49:16-17 (NLT)
This reference to a serpent striking a heel may indicate that the Antichrist will be a Jew from the tribe of Dan, but it isn’t certain and many reasonable people are divided on this issue.
In addition to this reference to the tribe of Dan, the Book of Daniel points out that the Antichrist will worship himself above all else:
“Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.” Daniel 11:37 (KJV)
This passage is often referenced by those who believe the Antichrist will be of Jewish heritage. The fact that he will have no regard “for the God of his fathers” is viewed as a reference to the monotheistic God of the Jews. Adding further fuel to speculation that the Antichrist might be Jewish is the following passage from the Book of Revelation:
“Then I saw another beast come up out of the earth. He had two horns like those of a lamb, and he spoke with the voice of a dragon.” Revelation 13:11 (NLT)
This verse states that the Antichrist will “come up out of the earth,” a biblical phrase often associated with the promised land and the Jewish people. Throughout the Old Testament, the earth is used as a symbol for Israel, while the sea is used as a symbol for the Gentile peoples:
“And now in my vision I saw beast rising up out of the sea. It had seven heads and ten horns, with ten crowns on its horns. And written on each head were names that blasphemed God.” Revelation 13:1 (NLT)
The verse above is a reference to the Antichrist’s kingdom, which as stated before, will be a revived form of the Roman Empire – thus emerging from among the Gentile people. But all the authority of this kingdom will be exercised by “the beast from the earth” referenced in Revelation 13:11:
“He exercised all the authority of the first beast. And he required all the earth and those who belong to this world to worship the first beast, who death-wound had been healed.” Revelation 13:12 (NLT)
The first beast, whose “death-wound had been healed,” is the revived Roman Empire. The Book of Daniel clearly states that this world empire will re-emerge in the last days, thus becoming healed of its mortal wound. But the one who rules it will “come up out of the earth.” Could this be a reference to the Antichrist’s Jewish heritage?
Will the Jews Accept the Antichrist as Messiah?
All the speculation surrounding the Antichrist’s possible Jewish heritage lends itself to another question: Will the Jews accept the Antichrist as their Messiah? Many believe that the following statement by Jesus is really a prophecy that the Jewish people will accept the Antichrist as their Messiah:
“I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.” John 5:43 (KJV)
The Antichrist would have to be Jewish in order to be accepted by Israel as the Messiah. Many believe this scripture points to a specific person in the future who will “come in his own name” and be accepted as the Redeemer of Israel.
Conclusion
It is an absolute certainty that the Antichrist will arrive on the world scene as the ruler of a revived Roman empire. However, it is less certain whether or not he will be of actual Italian descent or some other ethnic background. Several scriptures offer the possibility that he could be Assyrian, Greek, or Jewish. But none of them offer us the definitive statement contained in Daniel 9:26.
So how do we rectify these seemingly contradictory prophecies concerning the Antichrist’s nationality? Is he Roman? Italian? Jewish? Assyrian? Greek? He doesn’t necessarily have to be exclusively one or another. He could be an Assyrian Jew born and raised in Italy, or any number of possible combinations. We don’t know for certain, but history indicates that each of these prophecies will be harmonized when the Antichrist finally appears.
Two thousand years ago, the seemingly contradictory prophecies of the first coming of the Messiah were all harmonized in the life of Jesus Christ who was a Nazarene born in Bethlehem who came out of Egypt. With the benefit of hindsight, we can see how this was possible, but for the Jewish scholars who lived before the birth and ministry of Jesus, these prophecies were a topic of intense debate. Would the Messiah come from Nazareth, Bethlehem, or Egypt? The answer, of course, was all three.
In similar fashion, a debate continues today in regard to the prophecies of the Antichrist and his national identity. But no matter how much we speculate on the ultimate meaning of the scriptures, we won’t know the absolute truth until God’s appointed time.
– See more at: http://www.inplainsite.org/html/the_antichrist_powerful_human.html#sthash.M2qv7WSX.dpuf
Galatians 3:
1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.
16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.
21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 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.
29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
JESUS SAYS COME 
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