Tag: Jewish Law
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The Jewish and Christian God
Jews and Christians have almost nothing in common except their God. He is one and the same God. Jews believed they were chosen by God for special blessing, that this blessing was an inheritance due to their birthright, originating with their father Abraham if they would only faithfully live by His Law (discussed, below). They didn’t concern themselves with “going to heaven” (at least until the advent of their Pharisees in the first century BC), but were very concerned about their survival from hostile surrounding nations. And so, to them, God would “save” them, His chosen people, from these earthly enemies. But when they died, they were dead. Christians, on the other hand, believe they are “saved” from God’s final judgment of creation by their belief in the life, message, atoning death and resurrection of their Lord Jesus Christ. They believe that they die physically, but that they live on in the presence of their Savior forever. Most Christians are taught that the Law given to the Jews has no claim on them – that they have “freedom in Christ” through their faith. Some, probably a significant percentage if not a majority, believe that after death Jews who have not turned to Christ are sent, as punishment for this decision, to suffer in hell for eternity. So how could His people be so different in their beliefs? And how could there be such disdain of one for the other? The purpose of this piece is to explore these questions and to see if there is any room for a middle ground, based on what the Bible says.
A Pilgrim's Search 