God's chosen people and Christianity.....?

Question

In a conversation about religion in general, a friend of mine brought up question to which I didn't have an answer, nor anyone else in the room. Christianity is taught from the Bible. The Bible states that the Jews are God's chosen people. Jews do not believe that Jesus Christ was the Messiah. Christianity teaches you must accept Christ as your Saviour to be accepted into Heaven. Are God's chosen people (Jews) going to Hell, because they do not believe Christ is the Savior? If not, why are they the exception to the rule? Any legitimate insight into this is appreciated.

Answer 1

As you may know, Abraham was the first of God's chosen people from which the Jews have come. And, the bible says that he was saved by faith before God made a covenant with him to choose Abraham's line as His own people. So, before there was such a thing as a Jew, Abraham was saved by faith. And, so were all of the Jews after him.

The commandments and laws were not demanded of them until centuries later during the time of Moses. Even then, they were saved by faith and not by obeying the commandments. The bible says that the laws were given to show that no man could obey them and attain heaven by his own efforts, and, to show our dependance on God letting us into heaven purely as an act of grace on His part. Justifiably He couldn't just do that, and thus the need for the sacrifice of Jesus (but that's another lesson).

Yes, most Jews today do not believe that Jesus was that Messiah. But, you and I probably have many details of our own faith messed up too, and we won't go to hell for it.
Luckily, the bible says that God looks at a man's heart (not if he has his facts straight). If a Jew refuses to accept Christ because in his heart he doesn't want to follow God, he will perish. Just like we will if that's our reason for not accepting Christ. But, if God looks at his heart, and sees that he wants to follow God, but is decieved about who the Messiah is, then he will not perish.

This is a stumbling block for some Christians because they read where it says "There is only one way to the Father, and that is through the Son, Jesus Christ". And, this is true.
The way to the Father can only be accessed through what the Son did for us (not by our correct understanding of who He was). Otherwise, what happened to the millions of people who died in the 2,000 years before Abraham was born? They were neither Jew nor Christian. They could not accept that Jesus was the Messiah because they died having never heard of Him. But, the bible says that any man has only to look at the earth and the stars to know that he has a creator.
And, God says that if any man knocks the door will be open to him and if he seeks he will find. So, even a man born in the jungle in a long lost tribe will try to worship God. They might end up worshipping the sun or a totem pole because they don't have correct information but God looks at their hearts. Even in that tribe there will be some whose hearts want to know God and some that deny Him. Some will go to heaven and some won't. Those that do, will only get there because of Jesus Christ, but they won't know that part of the story until they meet Him face to face in heaven.

So, we have a level playing field. An equal chance for any man from any period in history from any faith to get into heaven, if his heart is right, but his facts are wrong. But, aren't you glad you have the facts right? What a blessing!

So, what is the benefit of being one of God's chosen people (a Jew)? Paul asked this same question and then answered it. It is an honor to be a member of the nation through which God has chosen to move through out history (His Story). It is a different blessing from ours. Not better, just different. But, only while that Jew is here on earth. In heaven, God is an equal opportunity creator.

Answer 2

You found in which there are many one of the greatest contradictions in the bible and with christian believers congratulations you are now becoming a free thinker

You probably wont get any good anwers from christians this question is strickly forbidden to ask in church

Do you like the rationalizations so far interestin huh the bible is very clear about the jews no they will not go to hell God ripped apart killed and destroyed for the jews the christians will try to navigate around by christ changed all the rules after his death but that is incorrect the covenant still stands

Answer 3

Jews are God's chosen people. But you must remember that the Jewish leaders are the ones that curcified Christ. The only way to Heaven or eternal life is a personal relationship with the one true God which is Jesus Christ! There's no other way to get to Heaven except through Jesus.

Answer 4

God chose to begin His redemptive work on earth for all people through the descendants of Abraham and his seed after him, et.al., Isaac, Jacob (renamed Israel) and his 12 sons which represent the twelve tribes of Israel, up to the time of Jesus' birth through Mary and his step Father Joseph.
The atoning work of His death on the cross made it so that all races of people could enjoy eternal life through faith in Christ.
Zionists today amoung the Christian denominations mostly believe that the bible teaches that there are two facets of this "chosen" aspect which deals with the church and modern day Jewishness as both being a part of what comprises God's chosen people.
This is not what the bible teaches however. In Matthew 23;37 Jesus announces His removal of a blanket favortism of the Jews and shortly thereafter is crucified by order of Pontius Pilate. From that point forward the salvation which was of the Jews first was sent also to the Gentile nations. Todays chosen people are those who regard Jesus as the promised annointed messiah as their Lord and Savior, regardless of race. Most Christians in the west do not know that American evangelicals view of Zionism is rejected by Orthodox Jews. Zioniism amoung Christians is the belief that the Jews will someday be all returned to Israel and a new temple will be built. This interpretation of scripture which is primarily a dispensationalists interpretation but has permeated the bulk of Christianity in western culture. It began with the writings of the Scottish theologian, Darby who created a paradigm shift in eschatological interpretation of scripture in the 19th century. If you was to search a little deeper in historical Christianity you will find that for 1900 years Christians held a preterist view of scripture. This is the belief that most of the events Jesus discussed on the Mount of Olives regarding endtimes were fulfilled in 70AD with the dispersion of Christians to the ends of the world and the destruction of Jerusalem along with the Great Tribulation that followed. Zionism makes God out to be a racist regarding real estate holdings in the middle east and has caused much suffering to the Arab, Jewish and Palestinian Christians in the Holy Land. The only ones benefitting from the wests Zionist world view is the secular society of todays nationalist Jews who care less about your religion as long as they continue to get the money pouring in from wrong eschatological ideologies of otherwise well intentioned Christians.

Answer 5

The very first step in becoming a christian and going to heaven is to believe in Jesus Christ as your savior. If you do not believe in him then you will simply go to hell. End of story. Jews are not an exception. I personally believe that Christians ignore the old testament (except for the most famous passages from Noah, Moses, and genesis) and pretty much believe in the new testament. It's funny how the 10 commandments are different between Jews and Christians, and how the Sabbath is different as well... hmmm. What's up with that?

Answer 6

It is clear from the actions of Christ and the apostles, and from the teachings in scripture, that ALL who wish to obtain heaven must do so through Jesus Christ.

The chosen people rejected their Messiah and relentllessly persecuted those he empowered to save them.

After a generation (40 years) of grace, God permitted the Romans, who are the same folks who crucified him, to come in and put a definitive end to the old Jewish temple worship system.

It is now obsolete, and of little or no salvific value.

Any Jew who fails to accept Christ, no matter what his status as one of the Chosen People of God may be, places his eternal destiny in jeopardy.

Still in all, Jesus is the judge, and only he will decide.

Answer 7

God's chosen people were not "Jews" alone. It was to be "Isreal". Not the nation but the nation of Isreal meaning the 12 tribes from Abrahams seed through Jacob. The Jews were only one of the twelve, the tribe of Judah. Christ came from this line as did King David. It was throught this covanent with Abraham that a great nation would be from his seed. It isn't something that can be easily "told" in a forum like this. Over the years it became common for people to call "Isreal" the present day Jews. This isn't so. It was also through Abraham that the present day Arabs have descended. Only it was through a son (Ischmial) (spelling sucks) The covenant was meant to be with his wife Sarah, not the hand maiden. When Abraham waited for many years without a son from Sarah, he was given permission from his wife to have a son with her handmaiden. (a common thing then) Only God wanted it with Sarah. Later she, even at her age, did produce Isaac, who had Jacob. He had (at least) 12 sons from which the tribes originated. It's more involved but I hope this helps a little.

Answer 8

Both Jews and Gentiles are saved by faith in Christ. In the old testament, people were saved by looking forward to Christ through types and shadows like the system of sacrifices. Today, people are saved by looking back to Christ in the gospels.

Answer 9

Christians are trying hard to distance themselves from Judaism. In a few centuries, they'll have figured out a way to get rid of the Old Testament.

Answer 10

The label of "God's chosen people" was given to Israel BEFORE the birth and ministry of Jesus.

And according to Christianity, the gates of heaven are open and the gates of hell were closed with the resurrection.