Why I love Jews
By Dean Honeycutt
Mitchell County
While in seminary in Texas I worked at a nearby Christian college. This college had students from Israel both Jews and Palestinians. I had conversations with some of these students. I sat down beside a Jew from Bethlehem and asked him “Who is Jesus to you?” He replied, “Jesus is my Lord, my God, and my Savior.” This left no doubt in my mind that this young man was saved not by his lineage but by his faith in Jesus Christ. I love Jewish people because God loves His children and God loves all people. It is unconscionable that some people are anti-Semitic. God is not willing that any should perish but that all come to repentance and faith.
From a very early age, I understood the children of Israel are God’s people, and never questioned my connection to them. I understood that the nation of Israel was birthed by God through Abraham. And Abraham’s grandson Jacob (Israel) had the twelve sons who became the 12 patriarchs of the tribes of Israel. As a small child, I was introduced to the children of Jacob, who is Israel, through Sunday school lessons out of the Old Testament. We would sing a song called Father Abraham. It went like this, “Father Abraham had many sons, had many sons had Father Abraham and I am one of them and so are you, so let’s just praise the Lord.” It was in Egypt that the nation of Israel grew and became a mighty people. And after four hundred years of bondage, Moses delivered Israel from Egypt and Joshua brought them into the land of Cannan. God promised Abraham that he would multiply his seed as the stars of heaven and that through him all the nations of the world would be blessed.
Through the family of Abraham God sent Jesus into the world to make atonement for our sin. Jesus was born by an immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary. Both Mary and Joseph are from the family of Judah and the lineage of David. So, Jesus is the Godman. One hundred percent God and one hundred percent man. Jesus is referred to as the Son of God and the Son of man. Jesus is referred to as Immanuel which means God with us. God of all glory came from heaven and humbled Himself taking on human flesh lived sinless in a sinful world and gave His life as a ransom for many. We are separated from God by our sin; however, Jesus paid our sin debt.
We understand from the Bible that this blessing to all the nations comes through Jesus Christ from the tribe of Judah and the family lineage of King David. The Old Testament portrays Jesus as the coming Messiah. The Old Testament is God’s promise to bless all the nations of the world. That Promise is fulfilled in Jesus Christ in the New Testament. The blood of Jesus His sacrificial death is the New Testament whereby whosoever believes in him shall have everlasting life. Abraham believed this promise and God sealed Abraham’s faith declaring him righteous. (Gn. 15:6) Abraham looked forward to the cross, believers today look back on the cross. And we both come into a saved relationship with Jesus Christ through our faith in Christ.
By birth, Jesus is a Jew. That is why he was referred to as the King of the Jews. And that statement was written on a placard and affixed to His cross at Calvary. The Bible says he came to His own (Jews) and His own received Him not. (John 1:11) We can understand why Jesus had a great passion for His children. He made the statement: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” Matthew 23:37
We know that Jesus died for all people, red, yellow, black, and white are precious in His sight. Any person of any nationality can be saved in and by Jesus Christ. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation both to the Jew and gentile. Do not be misled the god of Islam is not the God of the Bible. Religions that uphold other writings as sacred besides the Holy Scriptures (the Bible) and do not teach, as doctrine, that Jesus Christ is God and He arose from the dead are false religions and have false prophets. These include Muslims, Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Buddhists, and all practices that do not teach the Trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost.
Many people are being deceived and led astray by false teachings. I stand with Israel, I stand on the Word of God, and I stand by faith in Jesus Christ alone.
God bless you,
Pastor Dean Honeycutt
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Pastor Dean Honeycutt shepherds Snow Hill Baptist Church in Bakersville, NC. He may be reached at 828-385-0213, snowhillbaptist@gmail.com, or visit their website at www.snowhillbaptist.com.
You can read more good Christian news from Dean HERE.
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