ARE YOU STILL AN ISRAELITE OR A BELIEVER? By Awotiku Akinlayo David

 I was studying the 10th chapter of the book of Romans and my eyes was open to the fact that there are differences between a believer and an Israelite. What do I mean? Let us look at (Rom 10:1 – ‘Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.) Though the apostle knew that the Jews were now in a state of rejection, yet he knew also that they were in this state through their own obstinacy, and that God was still waiting to be gracious, and consequently, that they might still repent and turn to him. Paul prayed for Israel’s salvation though he was quite aware of their zeal and enthusiasm for God but it was not in line with what God desires and demanded from us. They were ignorant of this one true salvation gotten through Christ Jesus for anyone that believes.
An Israelite in this context is someone that practices self righteousness while a believer is one who believes that Christ is his righteousness. In other words, a believer is one who believes that the finished work of Christ for the salvation of mankind has given us right standing before God, this is what the Bible refers to as ‘God’s righteousness’
Now, who are the Israelites Paul was referring to?
If you are still thinking of pleasing God by church rituals on Sundays, you are an Israelite.
If you are depending on the good things you do to provoke God’s blessings for you, you are an Israelite.
If God’s message to you still brings fear and trembling to your soul (example: when someone reminds you of the rapture), you really might be an Israelite.
If you are serving God to escape hellfire, you are not better than an Israelite.
If you still think the only way to enter heaven is for death or rapture to catch you while doing good deeds, you are an Israelite.
If your mentality is paying tithes to provoke God’s blessing on your financial life, you are an Israelite.
If you preach that people should serve God as slaves serve their master, you are an Israelite.
If you are still looking for different means to find Christ, going as far high as heaven or as low as the abyss , just in search of Christ, you are an Israelite.
If you think you are saved because you were born into a Christian family, you are an Israelite.
It is time for you to come to clear understanding that God’s righteousness is not something we attain, it is a free gift to anyone that has faith in Christ’ sacrifice. (Romans 3:22 – ‘This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe… Titus 3:4-7 – ‘But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life’). The message is clear enough, all we need to do is study God’s word, believe it and let the Holy Spirit give understanding to you read.
Now let’s know who a believer is: A believer by its name is someone who believes in Jesus Christ.
A believer loves God so much that he naturally obeys His commandments.
A believer is someone who love fellowshipping with God and with God’s family on earth.
A believer is someone that is open to God’s corrections, discipline and he is also ready to learn, relearn and unlearn from the scriptures to hold on to the truth therein.
A believer does good works not to make heaven but because doing good works is part of their nature.
A believer gives either in tithes or offerings not to provoke God’s blessing but just out of love and a cheerful heart.
A believer enjoys church rituals and liturgical procedure but don’t see it as a means to please God.
A believer doesn’t try to please God because they are aware that pleasing God is not by their works but by believing in him.
A believer is aware of the assurance of heaven, so hell fire is not an option for him, it’s either he enters heaven or he is in heaven already.
A believer knows that long length prayers can’t attract God’s blessings because he is already blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus.
A believer does not search for Christ in far places, meeting prophets, going to different churches, as high as heaven and as low as abyss, because he is conscious of the fact that heaven is in his heart through the Holy Spirit.
A believer’s heart desire and prayers to God is for those who are categorized as Israelites to be saved and come to the knowledge of Christ since he knows of their zeal for God and their ignorance of believing in Christ as God’s righteousness for us all.
Our responsibilities as believers is to reach out to these people, present this truth of the word of God before them and pray for their eyes to be open to it. Teach them to submit to God’s righteousness, make them realize that Christ is the end of the law and all they have to do is just believe.
Expose their intellect to the fact that heaven is in their heart once they believe with their heart and confess with their mouth unto salvation. Point their attention to the fact that salvation is not attained by being a Jew or having a Christian family background but by believing in Christ because salvation is for all men.
CHRISTIANS means: Christ In All Nations; Saving. It is committed to us to enlighten them (Israelites) of the truth in the word of God but hidden from the world. They can’t call on Him when they don’t believe, they can’t believe when they haven’t heard, also they can’t hear unless they are told. Jesus has sent us to them when he was going, He told us to bear witness of Him, to our home, family, neighborhood, nations and throughout the world. Since faith comes only by hearing the good news of Christ, and hearing by the word of God.
How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things. Stand up right now and take up your responsibility to reach out not only to souls that have rejected Christ’s salvation alone but to souls who costly assume to be Christians when they are not. Let them know what it really mean to be identified with Christ. God’s desire is not only that all men be saved but that they might also come to the knowledge of the truth of the word of God and that is really what it means to be saved.
First you obtain them by preaching to them, then you retain them by disciplining them and teaching them the mysteries of the word of God, and the reality of a Christian as the spirit leads you.
I love y’all
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