Back to the Mystery

The main reason I am writing this blog is that there is a huge misconception out there that causes great confusion among many Christ followers.  This misunderstanding has caused many to throw their arms up in frustration when they study the Bible.  This lack of information has caused some to think that the Bible is beyond their understanding and that their faith is a blind faith that they are not even sure they could explain to anyone else.  The shame of this is that nothing could be further from the truth, but it is easy to see where this confusion stems from. 

First, if you studied my writing on the Seed then you learned that Christ Jesus was very much a part of prophecy.  Israel expected a Seed, a Messiah, a King (they forgot some of the suffering parts) and they were waiting.  They were waiting until a kingdom would be set up in which the nation of Israel would have a land, a king and in which through them all the nations on the earth would be blessed.  Look at Daniel 2:44 “And in the days of those kings (the days of the Roman empire) the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.”  Also, look at Isaiah 42:6-7 this is what Israel was waiting for all those years. 

Here is the rub, we know by looking back that all the nations of the earth are blessed because of the gospel of Christ.  We are blessed because we have salvation through faith in Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection.  However, this is not the literal blessing of a land, a king and a nation that Israel was waiting for.  When Christ came to this earth, He was not here with the Gentiles immediately in mind John 1:11, “He came to his own (Israel), and those who were His own did not receive Him.”  Look at Matthew 15:21-28, 10:5-8 and Luke 1:31-33.

What does Jesus say about the Gentiles?

So when we take the gospels and don’t look at them as Christ coming to His chosen people, the Jews, we get all confused.  Christ was still under the law and speaking to a people who knew that, so when we take the words of Jesus without understanding His audience and His purpose we confuse ourselves.  We find ourselves trying to apply all matter of things that were not intended for us, because we are no longer under the law.  So what are we to do with the gospels?  Contrast these passages, do you see any contradictions? 

Matthew 6:15 and Romans 3:24-25

Matthew 5:18-20 and Romans 3:10-12

 Read next time to find the answer to these contradictions and find out more about the Mystery.