It has been commonly taught that the Christians in the New Testament were of all nations. However, according to the Bible, all Christians were and can only be Israelites.
Acts:11:
V19- Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.
V26- And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
The Lord Jesus Christ addresses this issue in the following Scriptures:
Matthew 15:
v24- But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Christ explained clearly that He was only sent for the Israelites.
Did the Gospel change after He died and was resurrected? According to the book of Acts, it did not change.
Acts 5:
v31- Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.”
The term “church” today is very broad. It now includes anyone of any nation who gathers together for worship, of any religious denomination. Fortunately, the Bible teaches the contrary.
Acts 7:
v37- This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.”
v38- This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:
The “church in the wilderness” that received the Laws were the Israelites. Therefore the “church” is not the Roman Catholics, Baptists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Lutherans, or Seventh Day Adventists, etc.
The Epistle of Paul to the Romans:
Acts 2:
v5– And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
v10- Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
Acts 18:
v2- And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy (Rome), with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.”
This verse proves that the Prophet Paul wrote to the Jews that were in Rome and not the heathen.
The Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians:
Acts 18:
v8- And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.
The Corinthians in the synagogue with “Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue” were Jews. The other nations were forbidden to worship in the synagogues.
The Epistle of Paul to the Galatians:
Acts 16:
v5- And so were the churches established in the faith and increased in number daily.
V6- Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia…
Acts 18:
v23- And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.
Galatians 3:
V23- But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
The verse explains that the Galatians “were kept under the law” because they were Israelites.
Psalms 78:
v5- For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:
Therefore, the Book of Galatians was written to the Israelites.
The Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians:
Acts 18:
v19- And he came to Ephesus and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.
v20– When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not;
v21- But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.”
This proves that the Ephesians were also Israelites.
The Epistle of Paul to the Philippians:
Acts 20:
v6- And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days.”
The Feast of Unleavened Bread was one of the Lord’s High Holy days recorded in Leviticus 23:1-6.
This proves that the church at Philip, were a congregation of Israelites.
The Epistle of Paul to the Colossians:
Acts 2:
v5- And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
v10- Phrygia (Colosse), and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
The Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians:
Acts 17:
v1- Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:
This proves that the Thessalonians were Israelites.
The Epistle of Paul to Timothy:
Acts 16:
v1- Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:
The book of II Maccabees 4:10 & chapter 6:6: proves that the Israelites were at one time forced to become Greeks but in time repented and returned to God’s Laws.
In I Timothy the 3rd chapter, Timothy was instructed to set up Bishops and Deacons in the Church according to strict criteria that could only be held by Jews brought up in the Law.
The Epistle of Paul to Titus:
In book of Titus chapters 1 and 2; Titus was instructed to also ordain Bishops and leaders in the Church by the same strict criteria that could only be held by those who followed the Laws of the Most High.
The Epistle of Paul to Philemon:
Paul wrote about Onesimus, a Hebrew servant (i.e. Deuteronomy 15:12-15). This Law pertained to the Israelites.
The Epistle of Paul to the Hebrews:
Hebrews 8:
v8- 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:
This proves that the Hebrews were of course Israelites.
The Epistle of James:
James 1:
v1- James a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
The first epistle of Peter:
I Peter 1:
v1- Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
The Elder Peter wrote to the Israelites scattered abroad just as James did.
The Revelation of John the Divine:
Revelation 1:
v11- Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
This “Asia” is more properly called Asia Minor above the Mediterranean Sea under the power of the Greeks.
I Maccabees 10:
v33- Moreover I freely set at liberty every one of the JEWS that were carried captives out of the land of Judea into any part of my kingdom.”
Psalms 147:
v19- He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel.”
v20- He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord.
The Lord Jesus Christ did not change these words according to
John 17:
V14- I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
