does God show favoritism, election, sovereignty

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Does God Show Favoritism?

Jim writes - I will never question or doubt God's plan, but for someone reading the Bible all the way through for the first time, it seems He is concerned only with the Israeli people, and others are doomed to fail. ...I know that's not the case, but it is in the back of my mind.

Bible Bell's Reply

Yes, God chose the Jews to be His covenant people.
For you (the people of Israel) are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. Deu 7.6

But God also chose YOU -- whether you are Jew OR Gentile -- if you have faith in Jesus.

A "Jew" is anyone descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The term, "Gentile," refers to anyone who is not a Jew.

He (God) chose us in Him (Jesus) before the foundation of the world, that we (those who have faith in Jesus) should be holy and without blame before Him in love...

having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will
to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved. Eph 1.4-6

God did NOT choose the Jews to be the final repository of His blessings.

READ IT AGAIN! God did NOT choose the Jews to be the final repository of His blessings.

Instead, God chose the Jews to be the VEHICLE through whom He would bless all people of the world.

As we explain these statements, remember: a Jew is any person descended from Abraham AND Isaac AND Jacob.

And so...

God's Covenant with Abraham

God made a covenant with Abraham.

God promised that, through Abraham, He would bless ALL families of the earth.
(God told Abraham...) I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Gen 12.2-3

God's Covenant with Isaac

When Abraham died, God passed His covenant of world blessing to Abraham's son, Isaac.
(God told Isaac...) I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed Gen 26.4

God's Covenant with Jacob

Later on, God passed His covenant of world blessing to Isaac's son, Jacob.
(God told Jacob...) Your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth. You shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south. In you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Gen 28.14

God's Covenant with ALL Jewish People

God's covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is also God's covenant with each and every Jewish person.

Why? Because God said, "in your seed all families of the earth shall be blessed."
The Jewish people ARE the seed (descendants) of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Therefore, the Jews are God's chosen vehicle through whom He blesses ALL humankind.

The Blessings God Sent Us Through the Jews

What blessings did God give ALL the world through the Jewish people?

There are many. We shall name just five...

Blessing #1 - Jesus

Jesus was born of a Jewish virgin named Mary.

According to the flesh, Jesus IS a Jew.

Thus, the Savior of "whosoever believeth" came into the world through the Jewish people.
And she (Mary) brought forth her firstborn Son (Jesus), and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Lk 2.7

Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed (Jewish people) of David according to the flesh Rom 1.3

Blessing #2 - Salvation

Jesus said, "Salvation is of the Jews."

That is, the Savior Jesus, who offers salvation to each of us, was born of the Jewish people (according to the flesh).
(Jesus told the Samaritan woman...) You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. John 4.22

Blessing #3 - The Bible (and More)

In Romans 9.4-5, quoted alongside, the words "covenants" and "law" are generic terms for the Bible.

These verses record that God used Jewish people...

To write the Bible (that is, God breathed His word into them - 2 Tim 3.16)
To enable our adoption as His children in Jesus
To manifest His glory to the world
To provide us with prophets and prophecies and hope
To bring forth the Savior, Jesus

...who are Israelites (Jews), to whom pertain

the adoption
the glory
the covenants, the giving of the law
the service of God, and the promises

Of whom are the fathers

From whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen. Rom 9.4-5

Blessing #4 - The Planting of the Church

The first church was planted in Jerusalem, by God working in and through Jewish people.
And the Lord added to the church (in Jerusalem) daily those who were being saved. Acts 2.47b

Blessing #5 - Preaching the Gospel to Gentiles

The first evangelists, and preachers were Jews -- Peter, Paul, John, James, Barnabas -- all of them.

And from Jerusalem the Jews carried forth the Gospel into all the world.
And those of the circumcision (Jews) who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. Acts 10.45

BUT... Is God "Fair"

God chose the Jews to be His people -- the vehicle through whom He blessed all humankind.

Being "chosen by God" is FAR from being a road to ease and riches.

Those who want to attack God cannot lay hands on Him. The mere idea is ludicrous...

But they CAN lay hands on the next best target -- God's chosen people.
Down through the years the Jews have suffered beyond description, at the hands of those who hate God.
And now that Christians ALSO (not "instead") are chosen, we too must sometimes suffer for His name.

Is it "fair" of God to choose? History proves that being chosen HURTS at times, but the blessings are forever.
(Jesus said...) And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. Mt 10.22

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. Rom 8.16-17

As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.'' Rom 8.36

(Jesus said...) And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit everlasting life. Mt 19.29

Want to be chosen?

Believe on Jesus, and God HAS chosen you -- even before the foundation of the world!
Fair enough???

If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation. Rom 10.9-10

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Does God Show Favoritism?
Jim writes - I will never question or doubt God's plan, but for someone reading the Bible all the way through for the first time, it seems He is concerned only with the Israeli people, and others are doomed to fail. ...I know that's not the case, but it is in the back of my mind.
Bible Bell's Reply Yes, God chose the Jews to be His covenant people.		For you (the people of Israel) are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. Deu 7.6
But God also chose YOU -- whether you are Jew OR Gentile -- if you have faith in Jesus. A "Jew" is anyone descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The term, "Gentile," refers to anyone who is not a Jew.		He (God) chose us in Him (Jesus) before the foundation of the world, that we (those who have faith in Jesus) should be holy and without blame before Him in love... having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved. Eph 1.4-6
God did NOT choose the Jews to be the final repository of His blessings. READ IT AGAIN! God did NOT choose the Jews to be the final repository of His blessings. Instead, God chose the Jews to be the VEHICLE through whom He would bless all people of the world. As we explain these statements, remember: a Jew is any person descended from Abraham AND Isaac AND Jacob. And so...
God's Covenant with Abraham God made a covenant with Abraham. God promised that, through Abraham, He would bless ALL families of the earth.		(God told Abraham...) I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Gen 12.2-3
God's Covenant with Isaac When Abraham died, God passed His covenant of world blessing to Abraham's son, Isaac.		(God told Isaac...) I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed Gen 26.4
God's Covenant with Jacob Later on, God passed His covenant of world blessing to Isaac's son, Jacob.		(God told Jacob...) Your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth. You shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south. In you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Gen 28.14
God's Covenant with ALL Jewish People God's covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is also God's covenant with each and every Jewish person. Why? Because God said, "in your seed all families of the earth shall be blessed." The Jewish people ARE the seed (descendants) of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Therefore, the Jews are God's chosen vehicle through whom He blesses ALL humankind.
The Blessings God Sent Us Through the Jews What blessings did God give ALL the world through the Jewish people? There are many. We shall name just five...
Blessing #1 - Jesus Jesus was born of a Jewish virgin named Mary. According to the flesh, Jesus IS a Jew. Thus, the Savior of "whosoever believeth" came into the world through the Jewish people.		And she (Mary) brought forth her firstborn Son (Jesus), and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Lk 2.7 Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed (Jewish people) of David according to the flesh Rom 1.3
Blessing #2 - Salvation Jesus said, "Salvation is of the Jews." That is, the Savior Jesus, who offers salvation to each of us, was born of the Jewish people (according to the flesh).		(Jesus told the Samaritan woman...) You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. John 4.22
Blessing #3 - The Bible (and More) In Romans 9.4-5, quoted alongside, the words "covenants" and "law" are generic terms for the Bible. These verses record that God used Jewish people... To write the Bible (that is, God breathed His word into them - 2 Tim 3.16) To enable our adoption as His children in Jesus To manifest His glory to the world To provide us with prophets and prophecies and hope To bring forth the Savior, Jesus		...who are Israelites (Jews), to whom pertain the adoption the glory the covenants, the giving of the law the service of God, and the promises Of whom are the fathers From whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen. Rom 9.4-5
Blessing #4 - The Planting of the Church The first church was planted in Jerusalem, by God working in and through Jewish people.		And the Lord added to the church (in Jerusalem) daily those who were being saved. Acts 2.47b
Blessing #5 - Preaching the Gospel to Gentiles The first evangelists, and preachers were Jews -- Peter, Paul, John, James, Barnabas -- all of them. And from Jerusalem the Jews carried forth the Gospel into all the world.		And those of the circumcision (Jews) who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. Acts 10.45
BUT... Is God "Fair" God chose the Jews to be His people -- the vehicle through whom He blessed all humankind. Being "chosen by God" is FAR from being a road to ease and riches. Those who want to attack God cannot lay hands on Him. The mere idea is ludicrous... But they CAN lay hands on the next best target -- God's chosen people. Down through the years the Jews have suffered beyond description, at the hands of those who hate God. And now that Christians ALSO (not "instead") are chosen, we too must sometimes suffer for His name. Is it "fair" of God to choose? History proves that being chosen HURTS at times, but the blessings are forever.		(Jesus said...) And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. Mt 10.22 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. Rom 8.16-17 As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.'' Rom 8.36 (Jesus said...) And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit everlasting life. Mt 19.29
Want to be chosen? Believe on Jesus, and God HAS chosen you -- even before the foundation of the world! Fair enough???		If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation. Rom 10.9-10