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Letters ON THE IDENTITY OF THE JEWS Dear B. M. August 16, 1993 ...The term "Jew" refers 1.) to a nation, 2.) to a religion, and 3.) to a spiritual people. Regarding the first meaning, the Bible speaks of "Jewry." As for the second, the Apostle Paul said, "I profited in the religion of the Jews above many mine equals" (Galatians 1:14). It is this third that chiefly concerns us seeing that although we are spiritual Jews, and members of spiritual Israel (Galatians 3:7; Romans 4:11,12), neither you nor I are a member of one of the 12 tribes. The Holy Spirit teaches us that "He is not a Jew which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh: but he is a Jew which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God" (Romans 2:28,29). And, again, "They are not all Israel, which are of Israel, but in Isaac shall thy seed be called" (Romans 9:6,7). Dear R. M. October 2, 1991 ...First, since I understand the Scriptures to teach that at times, "Jews" and "Israel" are one and the same, it seems only reasonable and necessary to address those who claim to be the Israel of the Bible, when attempting to declare their identity.... Second, I don't think it is a true statement to say "...the Jews can't even agree who the Jews are..." There are party factions among them, with the Orthodox being more sound than the Reformed who can be atheists. It is on account of divisions that there is so much friction among the lot. Do you not agree there are 3 uses of the word "Jew?" For instance, the Apostle says, "He is not a Jew which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh: but he is a Jew which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God" (Romans 2:28,29). Do you not agree this speaks of a spiritual people? Are not "Gentiles" circumcised in heart by faith in Christ? Are not people "Jews" because they worship "the religion of the Jews" (Galatians 1:14)? And, still, is not the state of Israel made up of people who worship "the religion of the Jews" like Sammy Davis, Jr., a proselyte of the Jews? Some countries became proselytes during the Dispersion, but Jews can be found in virtually every part of the world. ... Noah Webster identified these two terms "Jew" and "Israel" as the same people because this is the historic position for the past 2000 years. But, when Pete Peters quotes out of context John Bunyan, Isaac Watts, and many others, to make them mean that Englishmen are the Israelites of the Bible, we both know this is dishonest scholarship, and the vestiges of Armstrongism. Third, as to any confusion between the "Jews" not being God's chosen people, God has not cast away the nation of Israel (which He foreknew). God chose the nation of Israel to set His name in the earth; but He did not choose Korah, Dathan and Abiram. God works with individuals. If He has not cast away His people—the nation of Israel, as the context dictates, then it must mean the day is coming when He will again turn them, and cause them to rend their hearts and not their garments. He will do this by turning the hearts of the fathers to their children, and thus by working with individuals. Jews became blasphemers of Christ, and haters of God when they cried, "His blood be on us, and on our children" (Matthew 27:25), for no one can receive the Father who refuses His Son. Nevertheless, some of their children are nevertheless numbered among the elect of God. You say, "Neither did God give His Law to the Jews as custodians for the non-Jews", but to what people did God give the revelation of the moral law in the form of the Ten Commandments if not to the Jews? And is not this law binding upon all men—upon the Philistines as well as upon Israel? Must go.
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