Conference yukon::christian_v7

    a)  because G-d does (see Romans 9-11)
    
    b)  because the history of G-d's working with man is bound up with
    	the Jews
    
    c)  because the Messiah is a Jew
    
    d)  because the gifts and calling of G-d are irrevocable
    
    e)  because Gentiles are grafted into the commonwealth of Israel when
    	they become believers (not the other way around)
    
    f)	Genesis through Revelation (with the possible exception of Luke and
    	Acts) were written by, for, and about Jews
    
    g)	see a) above

      Genesis through Revelation were written for all mankind.
    
                                              Tony

    Pardon - you're correct...I was mixing the written "by" with ultimate
    audience.
    
    In fact, this brings up an important point, Tony - thanks....
    
    There is usually a lot of consternation over the issue of the phrase
    "Chosen People"; for to not be "chosen" must be a bad thing, right?
    
    Well - no.  Not at all.  The Bible is clear that Israel isn't chosen
    because of their own merit (contrary teaching on this matter
    notwithstanding).  The prophets seem clear on this matter.  However,
    G-d did choose Israel for something.  Namely, to be a light unto the
    Gentiles (Jews and Gentiles together are the intended audience for Gen
    - Rev).  This doesn't make the Jewish people better or preferable to
    Gentiles in G-d's eyes.  This simply means there is a calling on the
    people of Israel that is different than that of the people not of
    Israel.
    
    There are, then, interesting implications for those grafted into
    Israel, whether natural or wild branches (again, Romans 9-11).  The
    "middle wall of partition" has indeed been broken down and because of
    Messiah, Jews and Gentiles can *together* worship the G-d of Abraham,
    Isaac, and Jacob - and *together* be a light unto all the nations; all
    the people's of the world.
    
    Awesome....
    
    Steve

More on grafting:  Does anyone know what you get on a pear branch that
has been grafted into an apple tree?

I am thankful for the "Jewish light" that leads to Messiah.
I am grateful that Messiah has seen fit to include Samaritans, dogs,
and gentiles, such as I am.  I am grateful that Paul opposed Peter
over the matter of becoming a Jew in order to become a Christian
and did not constrain me by the letter of Jewish law so that I can 
be free to be contrained by the Spirit's law of love.  I am so glad
that nothing >I< do brings me closer to God, but that God draws close 
to me, though unworthy; He loved me first.

Mark

    Great question.  I'd guess pears.  Am I right?
    
    I, like you, am deeply grateful for G-d's mercy, compassion, wisdom,
    and forethought - His love expressed for *me* in Yeshua.
    
    Too much to consider!!!
    
    Steve

    Besides Steve's list, and the stuff I've been posting in one of the
    Catholic topics, you'll completely misinterpret prophecy too.  Some
    prophecies are for the Church, and some are for Israel.  You need to
    know how to distinguish the two, otherwise you're likely to incorrectly
    adopt mid-trib or post-trib.
    
    Mike

I think that by trying to erase the Jewishness of our faith in the Jewish 
Messiah, we have lost the context of so much of Scripture and have 
consequently misunderstood what God has been telling us.

Only in recent years did I even know of the Biblical festivals and as
I began to learn about these and the Jewish traditions surrounding them,
all the words and deeds of the Yeshua the Messiah were thrown into a
much clearer, more dramatic relief.  Because of them I have grown in the 
depth of my appreciation for God and all that He has done.  And as I 
*begin* to understand the Jewish outlook on family, on hospitality, on 
sexuality, on prayer, on worship, and so many things, more and more I come 
to the realization that every aspect of life belongs to God, everything 
should be holy, every moment, everything I do becomes infused with a 
conciousness that God is present.

Also, I have begun to really appreciate the continuity between the Old and
New Testaments.  I see that God is the same then, now, and forever.  And I
see that nothing can defeat God's purposes or cancel out His plans, or 
annul His promises.  The covenants God has established shall not fade away.

Also, as I study this, I have come to realize that God is yet working with
and through the Jewish people.  I appreciate that I owe them a great debt,
because they were an instrument of God that rocked history, events pertaining
to them that occured from the time of Abraham and forwards have impacted
my life today.  I appreciate that they are the apple of God's eye, and He
is protecting them from all the attempts of Satan to destroy them - the 
dispersion, the expulsions, the pograms, the holocaust, and even from 
assimilation today, and the attempts that have been made in recent times
by Arab nations to annilate the nation of Israel.  Such a small people, with
the forces of the world arrayed against them, it can be nothing less than
the hand of God that perserves them.

Yes, the counsel of Jeruselam declared that gentiles did not have to convert
to Judaism in order to have fellowship in Yeshua and that is good, but it does
not mean that we should ignore God's work through the Jews, or the Jewish roots
of our faith.  It does not mean that being a believer and follower of Yeshua 
requires Jews to give up their Jewishness, their culture, and following the 
Torah.  It does not mean that we gentiles should ignore this people by
whom God chose to bring blessing to all the peoples of the earth.  And if fact,
I would go so far as to say it did not prohibit gentiles who became believers 
in Yeshua from converting if they felt drawn and called to Judaism, it just
meant that converting was not a requirement to being fully and completely
part of the body of Yeshua, and that the full hand of fellowship should be
extended by believing Jews to believing gentiles.  Unfortunately, things 
swung too much the other way, and the church has tried in the past and to some
extent today (though I think this is changing) to impose the requirement on 
Jews to become gentiles before they are welcomed into the fellowship of 
believers in Christ.

Leslie

    Leslie,
    
    You are way ahead of me in this pursuit, Sis.  I hope to catch up
    though!
    
    Love in Him,
    Nancy

    STUDY Romans 11 for more clarification of this topic.

.4>More on grafting:  Does anyone know what you get on a pear branch that
.4>has been grafted into an apple tree?

.5>    Great question.  I'd guess pears.  Am I right?

That's right.  I'm no expert, and would like one who knows better than
me to confirm, but I believe it has to do with the unique genes in the
branch (for pears) which can be life-supported by the compatible apple
fruit tree.  I like the idea of it, because we will bear much fruit,
and not all of it will be just one kind of fruit.

Mark