Dear Daisy,
Can you help me understand how I, a Gentile, can be part of God’s chosen people referred to in scripture? In the Old Testament books it says that God chose Jacob’s family, the Hebrew Israelites to be His chosen people. I don’t understand how, or if, I can be one of His chosen people too. I’ve seen you mention that “Israelites” in scripture is referring to all God’s followers. I don’t understand how that works. I want to be one of His chosen. Please help me understand. ~ Signed, can a Gentile be chosen too?
Dear can a Gentile be chosen too,
So glad you reached out to learn more about this important and eternal subject. The short answer is: YES!!! Let’s dig deeper and find God’s proof in His Holy Word.
The Word becomes human
In studying the Word of God in His Holy Bible, we learn that Jesus is the Word of God and the light of God. He is with us from the beginning to the end, along with the Holy Spirit from Genesis 1:1 through Revelation, the last book of the Holy Bible. When Jesus says, I am the first and the last, the beginning and the end (Revelation 22:13); He is telling us that He is the Word and in the Holy Word from Genesis through Revelation. In the New Testament, also known as the Second Testament, Jesus shows up in the flesh, becoming human so that He could shed His blood on the cross to die for all our sins. Observe how He is described in the book of John: (Note: there was John the disciple who wrote this book, and also John the Baptist who is quoted in this book. Two separate men named John. Also, I highlighted key points in the passage.)
“1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:1-14
We learn here that Jesus came for all humans. He even points out that He came to His own but they wouldn’t receive Him. So He went out from His people to share His Good News Gospel with the Gentiles to give them the opportunity to receive salvation through Him. All/any who believed in His testimony were saved by His grace for eternity.
Salvation for ALL people
To the Jew first, then the Gentile (Romans 1:16). But many of the Jews willingly chose to not believe in or serve God, their Creator, or in Jesus, the Son of God, the Savior and Messiah.
God breaks it down in Isaiah chapter 56, telling them about their salvation to come and His righteousness to be revealed. He told of how He would bless those who believed and obeyed His commands and kept from doing evil. In this same chapter, way before Jesus arrives on earth in the flesh, God tells of how non-Jews will believe and be saved. He says, “I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.” He offers this promise to all who willingly wholeheartedly serve Him. Observe a portion of the story:
“6 Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD,
to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants,
every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it,
and taketh hold of my covenant;
7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain,
and make them joyful in my house of prayer:
their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; f
or mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.
8 The Lord GOD which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith,
Yet will I gather others to him, besides those that are gathered unto him.”
Isaiah 56:6-8
Cause for celebration!!! Jesus came for you too!
“And he said,
It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob,
and to restore the preserved of Israel:
I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles,
that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.”
Isaiah 49:6
“I am sought of them that asked not for me;
I am found of them that sought me not:
I said, Behold me, behold me,
unto a nation that was not called by my name.”
Isaiah 65:1
This was prophesied way before Jesus came to earth in the flesh and said this. Non-Jews were invited all along to follow our Creator, Adonai, our God. Jesus was upholding God’s promises during His ministry on earth; not abolishing them.
Confused about the dogs?
There is a passage in Matthew 15 about the faith of a Canaanite woman that can be easily confused and misunderstood. In this story, Jesus seems to reject her and call her a dog. Her response showed her faith in Him in spite of not being an Israelite, and He blesses her because of her unwavering belief in His power. He is in the house of a Jewish man when this happens. Observe:
“24 But he answered and said,
I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
26 But he answered and said,
It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.
27 And she said,
Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.
28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her,
O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt.
And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.”
Matthew 15:24-28
Several things to notice here. One being, she did not demand or feel deserving of her request, she was relying completely on His mercy to do it, and her faith that she knew He could do it. At first Jesus ignores her request, this was intentional on His part, thereby testing her faith, and giving her opportunity to further consider her plea and prayer to Him. When He chose the precise time He planned to respond, His words were not meant to be mean to this woman. Jesus is wanting us to look for the deeper meaning in this story. While He is testing her faith, He is also honoring His host, and providing a lesson for all in attendance. One lesson here is that Jesus has come for anyone who has faith in Him and His promises, and who willingly chooses to follow Him wholeheartedly, regardless of their nationality. Will you persist in your faith through adversity like she did and believe in your Savior, Jesus?
Fun fact related to this:
Do you know the story of the 12 spies whom Moses sent to spy out the Promised Land in the book of Numbers? There was one person taken from each of the twelve tribes to go spy out the Promised Land for the Israelites. Ten of the twelve came back scared and told an evil report about the Promised Land saying that it was too scary to try to take the land in spite of all the mind-blowing miracles God had already performed for them to show His power and love for them. The other two spies, Joshua and Caleb, gave a good report and told reasons why they should take the land in spite of the scary challenges because they believed that their God was bigger than the scary challenges in the land. Due to the unbelief of the ten spies, God caused the Israelites to wander for forty years in the wilderness before allowing their descendants to enter.
In deep study of this story, Joshua represents Jesus and the Jews, Caleb represents the Gentiles; he wasn’t a Jew but was a foreigner that wholeheartedly followed the Lord and traveled with His chosen people, the Israelites. Caleb who represents the Gentiles, his name actually means “dog, faithful” (Numbers 14:24). So the reference of the dog in the story with Jesus and the Canaanite woman had the hidden message that they were referring to and foretelling about the Gentiles inclusion here and how they would be blessed for their belief and faith in God then, and Jesus later.
Also fun to note here: Because of Caleb’s faith in the God of Israel, even though he wasn’t a Jew, God allowed him to be first into the Promised Land to choose the area of land he wanted for his family. This is also a Rapture reference here showing that the “Gentile” will be first into the Promised Land, Heaven, in the Pre-tribulation Rapture, for all those who believe in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Messiah.
Further prophesied proof about the Gentiles being included, scripture says Jesus came as a light to the Gentiles, as well as glory to Israel. This was prophesied about Him by a man named Simeon who baptized Jesus as a baby. Thus foretelling and confirming that Jesus came to die for all sins, Jews and Gentiles.
“A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.”
Luke 2:32
Who are the real Christians?
Did you know that Jesus is the Christ, Savior, Redeemer, Messiah according to scripture? All those who believe in Jesus the Christ and willingly wholeheartedly follow Him are called Christians. Anyone who is a follower of Christ is a Christian. This is a name for those who love, believe and follow Jesus Christ. I don’t know how to be more clear.
Jesus is the Christ. John the Baptist paves the way for Him, telling others who is to come (John 1:23). Then Jesus arrives and John baptizes Him.
“For the law was given by Moses,
but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”
John 1:17
“29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith,
Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
30 This is he of whom I said,
After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.”
John 1:29-30
In that last sentence, John the Baptist is leaving you clues to search out. John was physically born months before Jesus was physically born in the flesh. He is saying here that a hu(man) born after him was actually “here” way before him. Jesus has been here since the beginning. John is confirming God’s Word. Most people miss that clue.
As for God’s people, the enemy of Jesus, Satan, has spent all his energy in trying to keep humans from knowing Jesus, serving Him, believing in or following Him. One of his many tricks of deception in his ploy to get you to turn from the true Messiah, is to deter you from the true meaning of a Christian and see it as a denomination title rather than it representing all followers of Jesus.
That’s where labels and denominations came into the picture. The enemy was able to turn the name of a follower of Jesus Christ, into a title of denominational belief. Then he created other denominations and religions and threw Christians into the bowl of confusing titles. As an example, denominations or people groups who are called Jewish, Catholic, Mormon, Jehovah’s Witness, Methodist, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, etc., see Christianity as a separate religious people group. As a result, each denomination believes they are the one people group that will get into Heaven. They have been taught to believe that Christians are a denomination that is competition for Heaven and in fact the enemy incarnate.
In our time, 2024, people have come to see Christians as an evil group of people to be persecuted. It should come as no surprise though, Jesus told us in scripture that this would happen. He was persecuted for saying He is the Christ and the Son of God, and He tells us in scripture that His wholehearted followers would be persecuted for believing in Him.
The point here is that Christianity is for all followers of Jesus. It is NOT a religion or a denomination you join with man-made rules. It is who you are if you believe in the true Messiah, the Son of God who came and died for your sins, Jesus Christ.
“Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you,
and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you,
and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.”
Luke 6:22
“18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own:
but because ye are not of the world,
but I have chosen you out of the world,
therefore the world hateth you.”
John 15:18-19
(Note: If the “world” “loves” a “pastor or public” figure, according to scripture here, that is your sign that he is not of God. He says His chosen ones are hated.)
Assignment: Think of public figures that are “loved” by the world.
“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus
shall suffer persecution.”
2 Timothy 3:12
Don’t be afraid to be hated by the world for your faith and righteous living for Jesus. He warned us this would happen and He promised He would be with us and protect us. That’s doesn’t mean we won’t suffer. Job suffered but God protected his life. He will protect ours too.
So do you believe Jesus is the Messiah, or not?
During Jesus’ ministry on earth, He performed many miracles, signs, and wonders for the Jews, yet most of them continued to question He was who He said He was. Jesus points out that only those who are His will recognize Him, regardless of their nationality. Rather than believe Him, the Jews kept trying to stone Him instead. They failed each time because God had the perfect plan for Jesus to die on the cross for the redemption of sins, not by being stoned to death. When you read the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) you see there are many times the Pharisees attempted to stone Him, but God blinded their eyes, and He walked away each time. God’s plan will prevail.
Observe here who He says are His from the Father:
“22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake:
but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another:
for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel,
till the Son of man be come.
24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.
25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord.
If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub,
how much more shall they call them of his household?
Have No Fear
26 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered,
that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
27 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light:
and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.
28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul:
but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing?
and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men,
him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
33 But whosoever shall deny me before men,
him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.”
Matthew 10:22-31.
God chooses who are His; He decides, it is not by anything we do or say, or have or have not, that makes us His, but by His mercy and compassion (Romans 9). Who are we to question our Creator? He tells us a number of times the story of the potter and the clay, how the clay does not question the potter who forms it, nor are we to question Him.
Be sure to read Romans chapter 9 to learn about His plan for the Jews and the Gentiles as taught by the Apostle Paul. He explains that God will call a people that were not His chosen ones, and will call them His also (vs 25-26). He goes on to explain that even though the Israelites number as the grains of sand, that only a remnant will be saved (vs.27).
We are taught in scripture that God’s chosen people rejected Him, and they rejected His Son Jesus that He sent to die for their sins. It was the Gentiles, those who were not His people, who chose to believe in Him by faith.
This does not mean that God has forgotten the Israelites. On the contrary, He blinded their eyes, so that the Gentiles could come into faith. God will again open their eyes to see who He is, and a remnant will believe in Jesus as their Messiah.
All have heard the truth, it is written on our hearts (Jeremiah 31:33). Since the Jews wouldn’t believe, Moses said that God would provoke them to jealousy by inviting non-Jews to believe (Romans 10:19). This does not mean He has cast away the Jews, God forbid. He will save a remnant when His timing and plan are ready. Scripture says that through the fall of the Jews the Gentiles have come to salvation to provoke them to jealousy for denying Him (Romans 11). This same chapter breaks it down further; study to see.
Jesus loves all of His wholehearted followers from any and every nation. Though it be only a remnant from each nation, He loves them and died for their sins so that He could spend eternity together.
All who believe can be saved
“8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth,
and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,
and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead,
thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness;
and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture saith,
Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek:
for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Romans 10:8-13
Peter’s Vision
After Jesus has died for our sins and ascended into Heaven, Peter, who is a Jew and one of Jesus’ disciples, is given a vision (a type of dream while awake) where in it, Jesus is telling him it’s time to preach His Good News Gospel to the Gentiles. Once Peter understands the message and his mission, he sets out to do what God created him to do. You can read about it in Acts chapter 10.
In verse 28, he explains to the people how he had received this message from God and would now be about his new mission. Many disagreed and questioned him because Jews were not allowed to associate with non-Jews.
“And he said unto them,
Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew
to keep company,
or come unto one of another nation;
but God hath shewed me
that I should not call any man common or unclean.”
Acts 10:28
Peter then proceeds to share the Good News with the Gentiles. After the Gentiles heard the truth of God’s Word that day and about their Savior, Jesus, scripture says the Holy Spirit fell on those who believed.
The Holy Spirit Falls on the Gentiles
“44 While Peter yet spake these words,
the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished,
as many as came with Peter,
because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.
Then answered Peter,
47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized,
which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.
Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.”
Acts 10:44-48
Many Gentiles believe through faith in hearing the Word of God, without ever having seen or known Jesus in the flesh, while the Pharisees who knew Him in the flesh, rejected Him. It was all part of God’s plan so that Gentiles could find salvation also.
Heart check time
Now that you have scriptural proof that you can be a part of God’s Chosen people group, what’s next? Jesus is coming back soon to get His Bride. Let’s make sure your heart is right with Him. Don’t complicate the process for salvation. Keep it simple. Whether you have prayed this before, rededicate your life today and go “all in” with Him. It’s time for a deeper relationship with your Creator, Adonai.
Do the ABC’s and repent today.
- A: Admit that you are a sinner. (Romans 3:23, Isaiah 64:6, Ephesians 2:8-9)
- B: Believe in your heart that Jesus is the son of God and that He died for your sins and rose from the dead for you. (John 3:16-18, 1Corinthians 15:1-4)
- C: Call on Jesus and repent of your sins and turn back to Him and ask Jesus to show you the way. (Romans 10:9-13, John 14:6)
In closing,
Always ask Jesus what you should do in every situation. The Holy Spirit will lead you and guide you. If it’s not okay with Him, He will check your spirit and you will have an uneasy feeling and doubt about going forward. Always follow Jesus; NOT your heart; our hearts are fickle and can’t be trusted. Listen to the Holy Spirit; He is trying to protect you. You have a choice to obey or ignore. Choose to obey and stay under His protection.
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”
Jeremiah 17:9
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.“
Proverbs 3:5
“When you know you grow!”