Please Help Us Keep These Thousands of Blog Posts Growing and Free for All

$5.00

Are Jews still considered God’s chosen people in the Christian context? This article navigates through biblical passages, historical events, and theological perspectives to discern the role of Jews in Christianity. Explore the transformative journey of Jewish worship, the impact of their apostasy, and the implications for their divine favor in the present day.

The 1948 foundation of a Jewish homeland provoked substantial controversy among Christian theologians, many of whom had long propagated that Jews were destined to eternal wandering due to their supposed transgressions against Christ. The cessation of this wandering sparked fresh scrutiny of longstanding questions. In light of the perpetual Middle Eastern turmoil, one might ask: Are Jews still God’s chosen people? Is God displaying a particular affinity towards them?

Historically, God promised the Israelites that they could become His treasured possession among all people, and evolve into a holy nation of priests for humanity, provided they adhered to His word and upheld His covenant (Exodus 19:5-6). However, this preferential status was not absolute; it was contingent upon their persistent devotion and obedience to Him.

This was emphatically demonstrated in the events of the 8th century B.C.E., during the era of the prophet Hosea. The Israelites, despite being chosen, primarily renounced the true worship of Jehovah. God responded by distancing Himself from them and vowed never to forgive their apostasy (Hosea 1:6, 9). Consequently, the apostate Israelites fell out of favor, leaving only a faithful fragment that would eventually regain divine blessings (Hosea 1:10).

In alignment with this prophecy, God permitted the Israelites to be enslaved by their foes and their temple to be decimated, graphically demonstrating their loss of divine approval. A minority of loyal Israelites (subsequently known as Jews) managed to escape from captivity in 537 B.C.E., reconstruct Jehovah’s temple, and reclaim their status as His chosen people.

However, the succeeding centuries saw the Jews severely affected by Greek philosophical ideologies, leading to a radical transformation in their worship. Thus, their adoration could no longer be solely based on Moses’s teachings and the Hebrew prophets’ lessons.

In recognizing the persistent apostasy, Jesus prophesied that the kingdom of God would be transferred to those who produced its fruits (Matthew 21:43). Despite this, most Jews ignored the warning and continued to reject Jesus as Jehovah’s appointed one. This led to the subsequent destruction of the reconstructed temple in 70 C.E. (Matthew 23:37-38). Was this an indication that God was now repudiating all Jews?

The apostle Paul, himself a Jew, clarified: “God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew… So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.” (Romans 11:2, 5) He further expounded that God’s forbearance was an exhibition of undeserved kindness.

Subsequently, this faithful Jewish remnant was joined by non-Jews who also desired to serve God. Paul noted that both Jews and non-Jews could be God’s chosen people (Romans 9:22-25). Consequently, individuals from any national background who demonstrated fear and righteousness were acceptable to God (Acts 10:34-35).

Presently, God does not accord special favor to individuals based on their birthright. Opportunities to foster a relationship with Him are available to all, irrespective of nationality. Hence, it is only those, whether Jew or Gentile, who accept Jesus Christ and become Christians that can be considered God’s chosen people. Regrettably, many Jews still await the arrival of Christ, rejecting Jesus of the first century. Furthermore, Messianic Jews continue to hold on to the notion of special favor due to their birth, a concept that is neither biblical nor acceptable.

About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).