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LIGHT TO THE GENTILES
CHRISTIANITY OASIS
HAS
PROVIDED YOU WITH THIS LIGHT TO THE GENTILES
STUDY. WHO OR WHAT IS THIS LIGHT TO THE GENTILES AND
HOW DOES THIS LIGHT TO THE GENTILES AFFECT CHRISTIANS IN OUR
LIVES TODAY? COME AND LET'S SEEK AND FIND THE TRUTH OF THE
LIGHT TO THE GENTILES, SHALL WE?
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John
1:17
For the law was given by Moses, but GRACE and TRUTH came by
Jesus Christ …….
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The Law was
given to the Jewish people from God thru Moses in the
OLD Covenant.
But, in the
NEW Covenant, which is revealed in the NEW Testament …
GRACE is what
our Lord provides for those who believe in HIM.
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Hebrews 8:6-8
But now hath He obtained a more excellent ministry, by how
much also He is the mediator of a BETTER Covenant, which was
established upon BETTER PROMISES. For if that first covenant
had been faultless, then should no place have been sought
for the second. For finding fault with them, He saith,
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a
New Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of
Judah: |
The TRUTH
is that man was unable to adhere to the Laws within the
Old Covenant and all fell short. Our loving Father chose
to create a NEW Covenant and to do so sanctified the New
Covenant with the BLOOD of His own Son … Jesus.
This New
Covenant allows both Jewish and Gentiles to take part in
the PROMISE of this New Covenant. We read the word
“GENTILE” in the Bible.
What is a
GENTILE?
A Gentile
is a term used by Jewish people to refer to anyone who
was from ANY other country who was not Jewish. The
Jewish people believed that ONLY the Jewish people were
God’s people. The Jewish people had customs where they
could not even enter the home of a Gentile person.
Now, when
the New Testament began, it became clear that God had
allowed the Gentiles into Christianity:
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Ephesians 3:6
That the Gentiles
should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers
of his promise in Christ by the Gospel:
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This did
not go over well at first with the JEWISH Christians.
Peter even had to be told THREE times that God had
accepted the Gentiles into the Christian flock.
Why did
the Jewish Christians feel this way?
The Jewish
people (Even those who became Christians) had become so
accustomed to the Old Covenant customs that they had a
hard time accepting this NEW Covenant. So much so that
Peter and Paul were at odds over the issue at one time.
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Galatians 2:11-14
But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to
the face, because he was to be blamed. For before that
certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles:
but when they were come, he withdrew and separated
himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him;
insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their
dissimulation. But when I saw that they walked not
uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said
unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest
after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews,
why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? |
What does
Paul mean when he said … If thou, being a Jew, livest
after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews,
why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
This means
that the Jewish people were not able to handle the Old
Covenant laws and customs and Paul is asking how they
felt it righteous to demand of the new Gentile
Christians to abide by that which they could not bear.
This
statement was later confirmed by the Holy Spirit when
the Jewish Christians wrote the Gentiles and told them
that they were NOT under the laws and customs in the Old
Covenant written by Moses for the JEWISH people:
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Acts
15:28-29
For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon
you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye
abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and
from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if
ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
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THIS is
something not many seem to consider when they are out
there quoting OLD COVENANT laws to potential Christians.
The Jewish Christians admitted that they nor those
before em were able to hold to the customs and laws of
the Old Covenant and they as Christian leaders AND THE
HOLY SPIRIT laid down more GENTLE gentile laws.
Whoooooooa,
I am a bit confuzzled here. I mean … Jesus made it CLEAR
!!!
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Matthew 5:17-19
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the
prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For
verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot
or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all
be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these
least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be
called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever
shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in
the Kingdom of Heaven.
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How does
one bring accord to these two statements which were both
inspired by the Holy Spirit which APPEAR to be
completely contrary one to the other?
One simple
answer could be … Jesus was talking to the JEWISH people
when He made His statement who were under the Law of
Moses … NOT the Gentiles, who were not. Please allow me
to share a lil something with ya.
Jesus made
it clear that He was sent to the Lost sheep of ISRAEL
and NOT the GENTILES at THAT TIME. He even had His
Apostles avoid these gentiles.
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Matthew 10:5-6
These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying,
GO NOT INTO THE WAY OF THE GENTILES, and into any city of
the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost
sheep of the house of Israel.
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Now …
Check this
out …
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Isaiah 49:5-6
And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be
His servant, to bring Jacob (Israel) again to Him, Though
Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes
of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength. And He said,
It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to
raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved
of Israel: I will also give thee for a LIGHT TO THE
GENTILES, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of
the earth. |
Who
is this LIGHT TO THE GENTILES?
It is
OBVIOUSLY JESUS.
So, why
would Jesus not preach to the gentiles WHILE HE WAS HERE
and yet be considered a LIGHT to the gentiles?
It is
because the OLD Covenant was not yet completed.
The New
Covenant ( which would include the gentiles) could not
begin until the Testator of it … Died:
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Hebrews 9:15-17
And for this cause He (Jesus) is the mediator of the New
testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the
transgressions that were under the first testament, they
which are called might receive the promise of eternal
inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of
necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is
of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength
at all while the testator liveth.
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So, the
New Testament and the Time of the Gentiles began after
the Death and Resurrection of Jesus.
TIME OF THE
GENTILES SIGN
There is a time
period mentioned
in the Bible
known as the
"Time of the
Gentiles" ...
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Luke
21:24
And
they
shall
fall
by
the
edge
of
the
sword,
and
shall
be
led
away
captive
into
all
nations:
and
Jerusalem
shall
be
trodden
down
of
the
Gentiles,
until
the
times
of
the
Gentiles
be
fulfilled. |
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Romans
11:25
For
I
would
not,
brethren,
that
ye
should
be
ignorant
of
this
mystery,
lest
ye
should
be
wise
in
your
own
conceits;
that
blindness
in
part
is
happened
to
Israel,
until
the
fullness
of
the
Gentiles
be
come
in. |
It is the period
of time which
begins after
Jesus'
Resurrection but
before the
promised 1000
years of peace
on Earth known
as the
Millennium. Just
before the
Millennium,
there will be a
7 year time
period known as
the End Times.
So, from the
Time of Jesus'
Resurrection to
these End Times
is the period of
time known as
the Time of the
Gentiles
which is a time
where Gentiles
(Individuals
from any nation
other than
Israel) have
been given the
opportunity to
accept Jesus as
their Savior.
How do we know
that the TIME OF
THE GENTILES
didn’t begin
until the death
of Jesus?
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Matthew
10:5-7
These
twelve
Jesus
sent
forth,
and
commanded
them,
saying,
Go
not
into
the
way
of
the
Gentiles,
and
into
any
city
of
the
Samaritans
enter
ye
not:
But
go
rather
to
the
lost
sheep
of
the
house
of
Israel.
And
as
ye
go,
preach,
saying,
The
kingdom
of
heaven
is
at
hand. |
As you can see,
the LORD has
allotted a
specified period
of time for the
Gentiles to
accept Jesus as
their Savior
which began at
His Resurrection
and the start of
the
NEW COVENANT
and continues
until the End
Times.
Of course, if
you read
ROMANS, Chapter
11
... You’ll find
that one of
God’s chosen
people of Israel
CAN be saved
during the TIME
OF THE GENTILES
as well.
Preachers
like Paul, were chosen by God to bring the message of
TRUTH to these Gentiles.
Paul made it clear that he was called to reach and
preach to the GENTILES:
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2 Timothy 1:11
Whereunto I
am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher
of the Gentiles. |
Paul also
said these words.
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Acts 13:46-47
Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was
necessary that the word of God should first have been
spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge
yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to
the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded US, saying,
I have set thee to be a LIGHT OF THE GENTILES, that thou
shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. |
So, Paul
and Barnabas are the Light of the Gentiles? I thought it
was JESUS.
So, is it
Paul and Barnabas or Jesus that is the LIGHT OF THE
GENTILES?
Here is
where most people get CON-fused. You will REALLY need
your Spiritual thinking caps on to grasp what the Holy
Spirit is about to share.
We must
remember that Jesus IS and ALWAYS WAS the Word of God:
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John 1:1-3
In the beginning
was the Word,
and the
Word was with God,
and the
Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God. All things
were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing
made that was made. |
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John 1:14
And the Word was
made flesh, and
dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as
of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and
TRUTH. |
In the Old Testament Jesus (Being the WORD of GOD) makes
it so clear ... even saying, Come close and listen! It's
never been a secret! I've existed all along!
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Isaiah 48:16
Come ye near unto me, hear ye this;
I
have
not spoken in secret
from the beginning;
from the time that it was,
there am I:
and now
the Lord GOD,
and
His Spirit,
hath sent
ME.
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Jesus IS the WORD of God. LISTEN to what HE is saying …
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Isaiah 52:6
Therefore
MY
people shall know
MY
name: therefore they shall know in that day that
I
Am
He
that doth speak: BEHOLD IT
I.
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Do
you HEAR what Jesus is saying?
It is HE who is talking to us.
HE, being the WORD of God. He spoke thru Isaiah, Paul
and many others.
So, the way we make sense of Paul, Barnabas and Jesus
all being the LIGHT OF THE GENTILES is really kinda
simple. It is JESUS (The WORD OF GOD) within ALL those
which He dwells within which will be the LIGHT to the
gentiles.
As the gentiles are no longer those who are not Jewish …
But are now those who are not Christian.
Since the
Holy Spirit lives within each of us …
That means
YOU too are a LIGHT to the gentiles. HE, within YOU … IS
their guiding LIGHT.
Keep that
LIGHT burning as many may come to depend upon HIS LIGHT
within YOU.
Take
care and have a SON-derful day.
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DID YOU ENJOY THIS STUDY AND FIND THE TRUTH WITHIN? WOULD YOU
LIKE TO ASSIST US IN SEEING THAT EVERYONE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCOVER THIS
TRUTH?
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