If the Jews are God's chosen people........?

Question

then why do Christians say that Jews need to accept Jesus to enter the Kingdom of God. They are already CHOSEN. Why do they need to do anything else?. If you invite someone to a party, you dont UNINVITE them. I think that theory of Christians is just a crock, possibly caused by jealously. I say this with total respect for Christians, just think they are wrong in this case!

EDIT:

Thanks to EVERYONE for their excellent answers. Its going to be hard to select a winner!

OK, so a few more points. Firstly, Jewish people do NOT (and never have) accepted that Jesus is the Messiah. Nowhere in the Torah does it tell me that I need to accept Jesus. I dont read the New Testament. It was not written for Jews. So, any opinion in the NT is really of little interest to me. Sorry to be so blunt.

So which is right. Jews or Christians. Dunno, but I'm prepared to stay as one of God's chosen people, unless He tells me that I am unchosen :-)

Answer 1

Way to live up to your choice of screenname, Analyst. :)

I agree with you 100%. In fact, I myself have often asked what is basically the same question, but perhaps with slightly more detail: If G-d is omnipotent (all-powerful) and omniscient (all-knowing), and is not confined by the laws of space and time (that is, past, present, future - makes no difference for Him... otherwise why call Him G-d?), why would he give his Law to Jews, and stipulate that

1) its laws are to be kept for all eternity,

and

2) it will never be altered or exchanged,

only to change his mind later? You'd think that if the Israelites were hand-selected for the job of custodians of the Torah, G-d, again, knowing past, present, and future, would have made the right pick. If you ask me, it makes no sense to believe in such a wishy-washy G-d.

I once brought this issue to an evangelical preacher, and he actually suggested that G-d doesn't necessarily know what's going to happen in the future. But if you confine G-d like that, you're essentially stripping Him of His G-dhood, are you not?

I believe Montesquieu put it best in his "The Spirit of Laws," in a comment directed to the Spanish Inquisitors:

"You put us to death who believe only what you believe, because we do not believe all that you believe. We follow a religion which you yourselves know to have been formerly dear to God. We think that G-d loves it still, and you think that he loves it no more: and because you judge thus, you make those suffer by sword and fire who hold an error so pardonable as to believe that G-d still loves what he once loved."

In any event, you might be relieved to know that not all Christians maintain that all Jews are damned to eternal agony in the fires of Hell (isn't that nice?) - An idea that seems to be gaining acceptance, at least amongst Protestant moderates, is that of a "Dual-Covenant Theory," in which the teachings of Jesus constitute a new covenant with man, but the covenant that G-d made with Abraham, and reaffirmed with Moses and the entire Jewish people at Sinai, remains in effect. In other words, belief in Jesus is still considered the ideal means of "salvation" (this term, in the Christian sense, is meaningless in Judaism - the most important question a Jew asks is not "how do I get saved?" or "how can I get into Heaven?" but rather, "how can I serve G-d?"), but Jews can also keep the covenant that G-d already affirmed with them. This is good in that it gives a lot of Christians rationale to stop targeting Jews in their missionary activity. (I always say, if you want to win over atheists and idolaters, have at it - just let us be.)

Sorry for the ridiculously long answer (ridiculously long answers seem to be my trademark), but I hope this helps shed new light on the important theological issue that you raise.

Answer 2

Yes Jews are the chosen people of God.

Since they declined Jesus Christ (as per God' plan) God opened opportunity for the Gentiles to become his people (Early Christians apart from Apostles were not from Jews).

No Christians say they have to accept Jesus Christ to enter in the Kingdom of God.

Have you read, 1 Kings 19:18
Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

Like this same manner God will preserve 144000 Jews from this generation to enter in His Kingdom.

If Jews accept Jesus Christ Now they can be sure that they are the elect of God. Only God knows about the 144000.

Answer 3

God chosen the Jews because of the fact they have been the smallest in huge form and weakest of the international locations on the time. it truly is to teach that the weakest people of mankind...who have faith and with God on there section .. is plenty extra effective than any good great united states that would not have faith in God . Examples of it is obvious throuougt the bible.... Ex: David over Goliath- Jacob the youngest chosen over Esau. Joseph over his brothers. Hezakiah over the Assyrian military. The little city of Galilee ( homestead of the Messiah) Jesus..over Jerusalem. And Jesus coming from the smallest of the 12 tribes of Israel . of direction the Jews rejected Jesus ... Which then unfolded The covenant to those (chosen people) that have faith in Jesus Christ as your savior

Answer 4

Ooooh, very good Unknown Perfect.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

And Yes, it does state in Revelations that every knee shall bow and every one shall acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord.

See, Jesus was sent by God to be the perfect sacrifice for the Jewish nation for their forgiveness.

Some Jews accepted Gods' gift and became Christian and many others did not.

That's why there's the differance and why Christians are favored because God is angry at those (Yes, His chosen people included) who spat at His gift.

If you gave someone a gift and they threw it back in your face you too would be upset.

Answer 5

(I'm jewish)

actually interestingly enough the spectrum of how various sects of christianity treat jews, covers both extremes, and pretty much everything in between.

I remember one time when I was heavily into debating religion online, in one day, I had one person saying they were christian,just about (metaphorically) run away screaming and crossing their fingers like I was a vampire, screaming"Spawn of satan" at me.
then the same day have a person claiming christianity act (again... metaphorically) like I was jesus himself, practically kissing my feet.

but most seem somewhere in between... some just leave it alone and take the view your talking about, that jews are an exception to the rule since they had an agreement already standing.

what I think the vast majority think, is the illogical view you are referring to, which I think is "logically" based on the idea that since jews rejected the person they think was supposed to be the jewish messiah, that god said "screw this, deal's off, the people who belived him is are my new favorites!" ... which of course the muslims did as well after christians....

but of course, thats absurd, as if god would go back on his covenant like that....

(which on a side note, is also funny, as the attributes most christians attach to jesus, would ESPECIALLY make it so he DEFINITELY was not the jewish messiah. that is, that the jewish messiah would have to have a biological father, and not die or be sacrificed in the process of doing the whole thing... and not be god incarnate, or any more divine than anyone else.

>>"If I were to invite someone to a party and they chose not to listen to me anymore or obey the rules of my house, I would throw them out."<<

but would you rewrite the rules? and also remember god is all forgiving, all patient, and all loving as well.

though, I admit I expected this to be something more along the lines of "if jews are gods chosen people why are they such a small group, and had so much trouble throughout history" which of course would be easily answered by "if we weren't chosen, we wouldn't still exist at all!"

Answer 6

If you will do a serious study of the Bible you will understand that the Jews in fact are God's chosen people. They have given us
the Bible, the Messiah, and against all odds continue to remain a strong culture for thousands of years. The Christians are simply people(the first fifty thousand or so Christians were Jews) are simply people who take the Bible to its logical end.
I Cr 13;8a
10-5-6
True Christians love all people, especially the Jews.

Answer 7

If I were to invite someone to a party and they chose not to listen to me anymore or obey the rules of my house, I would throw them out. If they stood outside and realized that they were wrong and was willing to listen and follow the rules of my house, I would of coarse forgive them and let them in.

Try reading the new testament. It was written by some pretty cool and influential Jews.

In response to your recent posting:
1) Becoming a Christian doesn't change your Jewish status.
2) How do you feel about the OT prophecies about Jesus?
- And I want to reiterate the fact that the NT is written by Jews. Jesus was called "rabbi".
3) Do you follow the laws set forth in the Torah?

Answer 8

With all do respect, what you think has no bearing on reality and the reality of it all is:

John 14:6
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

You should read Romans chapter 11 or the book of Hebrews.
How do you think God feels about His chosen people choosing religion over HIM?

2Cor 3:6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit;* for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Answer 9

Seeing that Yeshua Ben Joseph (Jesus) was an Orthodox Hebrew who was a member of the Order of the Essenes, should you accept Jesus, that would make you a Hebrew and not a Christian, so I suppose that the Christians are right. Accept Jesus, become Hebrew, follow the Talmudic Scriptures and go to Heaven on Judgement Day.

Answer 10

The Jews were "chosen" by God to spend eternity packed like sardines in that tiny little piece of dirt called Israel. The Born Agains will spend eternity floating around in the clouds somewhere. The rest of us get to spend eternity partying in Hell.