Real Jews and Phony Jews

Saul Alinsky: A phony Jew

Just what is the definition of a Jew? According to the Random House Dictionary, a Jew is "a person whose religion is Judaism...one of a scattered group of people that traces its descent from the Biblical Hebrews or from postexilian adherents of Judaism; Israelite."

Most people would agree with that explanation, although many in the Islamic world are convinced that the Jews are descended from rather vile and unclean animals.

But how does the Bible define a Jew? Much differently than the world does. For example, the apostle Paul who was a Pharisee which was the ancient equivalent of a modern Orthodox Jew, defined a Jew this way: "A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the (Holy) Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God." (Romans 2:28-29)

Paul explained that a person who is truly recognized as a Jew by God is a person who has been born again by faith in Jesus Christ's death on the cross for their sins and His resurrection from the dead. At the moment a person confesses Christ as Lord, they are born again and their hearts are circumcised. 

Lest anyone believe that Paul made that up, consider that Moses said the same thing many centuries earlier when he spoke to the ancient Jews: "Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing." (Deuteronomy 10:16-18)

The outward circumcision therefore is symbolic for the true spiritual circumcision that happens when a person opens up their sinful, hardened heart by faith in Christ to allow the Holy Spirit to enter. This is how a person is born again and that's the only way a person gains eternal life in Christ. It doesn't happen any other way.

And according to the biblical definition, God recognizes everyone equally who've been born again in Christ. To that amazing fact, Paul wrote this: "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Galatians 3:26-29)

And so, a person may be considered a Jew by the world, but not by God. And that's what Christ meant when he declared the Jews who rejected Him as members of the synagogue of Satan. (Revelation 2:9, Revelation 3:9) Though the rabbis claim that Christ condemned all the Jews with those statements, He didn't, and only a complete fool would believe otherwise.

Just as Satan has his synagogue, he also has his church. Not everyone who professes to be a Christian is recognized by God as a Christian, but only those who have truly been born again in Christ. Christ Himself said this: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!" (Matthew 7:21-23)

There are a lot of phony Jews and a lot of phony Christians. A true Jew is a true Christian, and a true Christian is a true Jew. They are one and the same. The very term Jew comes from the word Judean that identified a person who belonged to the tribe of Judah, one of the 12 tribes of Israel. 

Jesus Christ came from that tribe. And a Judean was a person who praised and worshiped the true God of the universe. 

Certainly, many folks claim to worship God. However, unless they worship the one true God who sent His Son Jesus Christ into the world to die for the sins of mankind, then they're worshiping a false god. And they have no right to be called the children of the true God.