Do Ethnic Jews Go To Heaven?

The Question

Right now, in USA society, and really for quite some time from the past (all my life really), there has been a question that American Christians and government officials seem unable to deal with in a straightforward manner. The question, however, is really not hard to answer Biblically. And to even ask it today causes overreactions from both sides of the answer. The right wing conservatives will usually label you "antisemitic" if you even ask it. And the left wing will be offended at the Biblically-sound Christian answer to it.

The question is: Should we, as Christians, automatically support the modern nation of Israel?

The answer given by most western Christians has been a resounding, "Yes! After all, they are God's people!", and so, lobbying began to our government many years ago to persuade our leaders to support "God's people" (referring to the modern nation of Israel) because if we don't, God will curse us as a nation. This lobby was successful and still reigns today, for the government of the USA still supports the nation of Israel, sending them billions of dollars each year. And this support did not begin because it was a politically strategic thing to do (at the time). Instead, it was based on the above supposed "Christian" reasoning. But is this a good reason? Maybe there are those who now see that supporting Israel as a nation over in the Middle East (as it is surrounded by Muslim enemies) as a sound, strategic and politically good action. That's a horse of a different color. I'm more interested in the original reasoning coming from the "Christian" sector.

The original lobby is usually based on verses in the Old Testament promising the (then) nation of Israel, that God would do so; that is, curse all those that cursed them, and bless all those that bless them. And that God unequivocally, unconditionally, and irrevocably gave them the land in ancient Canaan, which is far more than they currently occupy as a modern state. The USA's financial support of the nation of Israel is also the main thing that has provoked the Muslim countries of the Middle East to hate us as a nation.

Believe it or not, unquestioning support for "the Jews" (the modern state of Israel, or the modern version of Judaism) is actually something fairly new for Christianity. The early church, instead, showed how being an ethnic Jew did not automatically garner God's blessing. Instead, beginning with John the Baptist and Jesus Himself, as well as the Apostle Paul, it was taught and fully realized that ethnicity was not the name of the game where God was concerned.

The Real Question

If you are a Christian, ask yourself this question out loud: "Where does an ethnic Jew go when he dies?" Your answer should be simple: "Well, ethnicity has nothing to do with it. If he dies as a believer in Christ, then he will be with God. If he dies as an unbeliever he will go to hell."

If the above answer is your answer, then the second question is begged: "Then what advantage is there to being an ethnic Jew?" Because it sure doesn't sound like a blessing to end up in hell just because you think you are automatically safe being "a Jew." And, if you are a Christian, and you are telling Jews that they are God's people (when they reject Jesus Christ), are you helping solidify their path to eternal damnation?! I believe so.

Have you ever thought of that before? Is God a racist? Does He promise that the blood descendants of Abraham have a special clause where salvation is concerned? No, He doesn't. In fact, as I've already mentioned, John the Baptist, Jesus, and the Apostle Paul warned against the Jews of their day trusting in their lineage as a means of salvation with God.

John the Baptist

• Matthew 3:7-10: But when he [John the Baptist] saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, "You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance! Don't think to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father,' for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that doesn't produce good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire."
• Luke 3:7-9: He [John the Baptist] said therefore to the multitudes who went out to be baptized by him, "You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore produce fruits worthy of repentance, and don't begin to say among yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father;' for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones! Even now the ax also lies at the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that doesn't produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

How is this not clear? John is warning them! What "wrath to come" was John referring to? If you know your history, 43 years from when John spoke these words, God's wrath indeed fell on the unbelieving Jews of that generation, in the form of the Roman army destroying Jerusalem, and burning the Temple to the ground in AD 70. Jesus predicted this very thing many times in His parables and especially in His now famous Olivet Discourse (mainly Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21).

John was not alone. The Lord Jesus Himself echoes the same warning. The most poignant spot where this occurs is John 8:31-59. Here are a few of the verses in that regard. Note the highlighted statements.

Jesus Christ

• John 8:31-44: Jesus therefore said to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you remain in My word, then you are truly My disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." They answered Him, "We are Abraham's offspring, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How do You say, 'You will be made free'?" Jesus answered them, "Most certainly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is the bondservant of sin. A bondservant doesn't live in the house forever. A son remains forever. If therefore the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are Abraham's offspring, yet you seek to kill Me, because My word finds no place in you. I say the things which I have seen with My Father; and you also do the things which you have seen with your father." They answered Him, "Our father is Abraham." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham didn't do this. You do the works of your father." They said to Him, "We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father, God." Therefore Jesus said to them, If God were your father, you would love Me, for I came out and have come from God. For I haven't come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why don't you understand My speech? Because you can't hear My word. You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and doesn't stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks on his own; for he is a liar, and the father of lies..."
• John 14:6: Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through Me."

Let me pause right here because these words are harsh coming from our Savior. You cannot extrapolate what Jesus says here and apply these statements across the board to modern-day Jews by default. Specifically, Jesus spoke to the Jews of His day that wanted to kill Him. And though the Romans nailed Jesus to the cross, it was the unbelieving Jews of Jesus' day that were held accountable by God for the Messiah's death.

But the principle that can be carried over is this: God does not include you as being His just because of ancestry, even if your ancestry extends all the way to Abraham! In fact, the stout words of truth Jesus spoke shows that if you didn't believe in Him, you are children of the devil! 

Is this to say Jesus was an antisemite? Nope. Jesus was an ethnic Jew as well, a direct descendant of King David of the tribe of Judah, who, in turn was a direct descendant of Abraham. Is this a tirade against ethnic Jews then? Of course not. It is showing, however, in a very poignant way that God is not a racist. He doesn't care what color your skin is, or what sin you are caught up in. Salvation is dependent on your faith in Christ Jesus, not on your bloodline nor your works!

If God stressed bloodline as a means of salvation, what would you think of Him? How many of the modern "ethnic Jews" can trace their ancestry back to Abraham anyways? Probably a handful if any. What would it matter? None, where salvation is concerned.

And in John 14:6, Jesus makes it clear, that to be in God's family, you must have faith in Him. He is the only way. And may I point out that modern-day Judaism, by definition, rejects Jesus Christ. They specifically argue against Him as their Messiah; often in very harsh and blasphemous ways. So, ask yourself, are they still God's people even when they openly reject His Son? Ironically, the Muslims believe Jesus to be a Prophet of Allah, and believe Jesus ascended and will return in the future!

How incredibly ironic. Of course, Muslims do not believe Jesus died on the cross for our sins. So, like the rest of us, they need to hear the Gospel of Jesus to be saved.

Even Peter, agreeing with Jesus in John 14:6, and before we get to the Apostle Paul, said, "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that is given among men, by which we must be saved!" (Acts 4:12).

The Apostle Paul

Although there are many places that could be quoted, here are Paul's most poignant points in this regard:

• Romans 9:6-8: But it is not as though the word of God has come to nothing. For they are not all Israel that are of Israel. Neither, because they are Abraham's offspring, are they all children. But, "your offspring will be accounted as from Isaac." That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as heirs.
• Romans 2:28-29: For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.
• Galatians 3:7,29: Know therefore that those who are of faith are children of Abraham... If you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring and heirs according to promise.
• Philippians 3:3-9: For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh; though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has confidence in the flesh, I yet more; circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless. However, I consider those things that were gain to me as a loss for Christ. Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be a loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own, that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith...

Also, Paul argued that there is One Tree, Jesus Christ. And the natural branches (ethnic Jews) were all cut off, leaving a tree without branches at all! But through faith in Christ, it is possible that the natural branches (ethnic Jews) can be grafted back into their own natural Tree. And also he explains that non-Jews (Gentiles) belong naturally to wild trees. But even they, through the same faith in Christ, can be grafted into the Tree of Christ and enjoy the same salvation. (see Romans 11:16-24).

And this should be the Christian's attitude! We should love the ones calling themselves "ethnic Jews" enough to tell them the truth... that they, just like us, are not children of God, because we have all been cut off from God because of our sin. But that the only way to God is through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.

More clarification from Paul with this attitude:

• Romans 3:22-23: Even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all those who believe. For there is no distinction, for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.
• Galatians 3:28: There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
• Ephesians 2:11-19: Therefore remember that once you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "uncircumcision" by that which is called "circumcision" (in the flesh, made by hands), that you were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off are made near in the blood of Christ. For He is our peace, who made both [Jew & Gentile] one, and broke down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the hostility, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, that He might create in Himself one new man of the two, making peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, having killed the hostility through it. He came and preached peace to you who were far off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. so then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God...
• Romans 10:12: For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich to all who call on Him.
• Colossians 3:11: Where there can't be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondservant, or free person; but Christ is all, and in all.

The Proper Christian Attitude

[For this last section, refer to the picture at the beginning of this article.]

Thus, today's ethnic Jews are not God's people by default. Instead, like the rest of us, they need Christ in order to be included in God's family. In other words, preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them just like you would any other person, regardless of ethnicity, for God is no respecter of ethnicity! And take Paul's warning to heart:

"You will say then, 'Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.' True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. don't be conceited, but fear; for if God didn't spare the natural branches, neither will He spare you. See then the goodness and severity of God. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off." (Romans 11:19-22).

This is what love is all about. There is no favoritism due to ethnicity. Period.

The picture:

• The whole world is made up of two types of trees. The Wild olive tree represents the Gentile nations. The Natural olive tree represents the Jewish nation whose natural roots started with Abraham.
• When Jesus came, all the Natural branches were broken off because of sin. The Wild tree had no original connection to the Natural tree anyway. The root of the Natural tree is actually the "offspring of Abraham" (i.e. Jesus Christ), not Abraham himself. Paul says so: "Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his offspring. He doesn't say, 'To descendants', as of many, but as of one, 'To your offspring', which is Christ" (Galatians 3:16).
• After Christ, since all men are sinners, those from the Wild olive tree can be cut out of their Wild tree and grafted into Christ, through faith in Him. And the Natural branches that were all cut off, can be easily grafted back into their original tree from which they were cut.

So, should we as Christians, support the nation of Israel?

The answer can now be based on your politics. Do not let it be based on fear of being cursed by God if you don't. God is not a racist. Neither should you be. Especially if you are Christ's.