Well the standard seems to be pretty set in stone..."A Jew is anyone who was
born of a Jewish mother, or has
undergone conversion to Judaism according to
halachah (Jewish law)."
Sounds like more rapturist drivel. And that deception runs deep. Let's step back a bit and take this from the top.
In Matthew chapter 24, Christ himself plainly describes his return. He states that, "Immediately AFTER the tribulation of those days...they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall
gather his
elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." (Mat. 24:29-31)
Rapture proponents try to argue that the "elect" that Christ is referring to is a specific group of Jewish believers, and not the much larger group that they say has already been "raptured" by that point; but there aren't any verses that say that! If you look closely at this passage, you'll see they are forced to attempt this, because the verse states in a point blank way that this gathering of his
elect occurs
after the tribulation. In short, because they
want to believe in the rapture, they are now put in the position of seeking to redefine another key element of theology in order to defend the pre-conceived view! This is not the way to approach Bible prophecy.
The fact is, there are many, many passages in scripture where the term "elect" is applied to all believers -- both Jewish and Gentile. In fact, in the Old Testament in a passage that is universally understood to be a messianic prophecy, the word "elect" is used to describe Christ
himself.
Isaiah writes "Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles." (Isa. 42:1) In
Romans, Paul makes a clear distinction between the Jews as "Israel" and the "elect" as the believers in Christ when he says "What then, Israel hath
not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election
hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded." (Rom. 11:7) To the
Colossians, who were largely Greeks, Paul writes "...there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. Put on therefore, as the
elect of god, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies..." (Col. 3:12, 13)
In short, the
elect are the Christians, not the ethnic Jews that supposedly get saved after a rapture the scripture fails to mention.
[If you look up the word 'elect,' you'll see that Peter, Paul and John all called the Christians the elect in nine different books! "Brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure." (2 Pet. 1:10) The problem is obvious: If the "ELECT" are Jews...how do you make "SURE" you're born a Jew?]
The enormous problem with every worldview (including “Pre” and “Post-Tribulationists)” is a rudimentary misunderstanding of the Gospel itself. Jesus Christ repeatedly stated he came to save Israel – even as other verses state God loved the entire world enough to send his Son to redeem all who will respond to his call:
“I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel…the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world” (I John 4:14).
When we say that “Israel” rejected Christ, but those who did respond became members of the so called “Church” (a word associated with a generic group of people), we make Christ’s efforts to save Israel either a failure, or at the very least, an unfulfilled promise. The truth is, as Zecharias the father of John the Baptist proclaimed, Christ redeemed Israel in every way he promised:
“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people” (Luke 1:68).
As Jesus prayed the Father, looking throughout eternity, he flatly stated he had completed the work he was given, and had lost none of those the Father gave him:
“That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none” (John 18:9).
There is no “Church” apart from Israel, and there never was. There is no “Israel” apart from Christ, and there never was.
After the cross, there is no physical Jew, and there is no physical Gentile – as EVERYTHING is delineated on a Spiritual plane. There are now Spiritual Jews (the same thing as a Spiritual Israelite), and there are Spiritual Gentiles – thus, all who are truly in Christ, who stand completely in him, with no reliance upon relationships based on flesh and blood, are the “All Israel” which is saved (Romans 11:26).
Those who claim the Jews are chosen in their flesh (whether they see themselves as members of the “Church,” or whether they profess themselves to be “Jews”) manifest the Spirit of Antichrist, for the Scriptures repeatedly show that God prophesied he was going to translate Israel into a Spiritual house (I Peter 2:5).
So called “Hebrew Roots” believers universally claim the Jews are chosen regardless of their belief (or lack thereof) in Christ – an abomination of the first magnitude. Every Rapturist (regardless of “Pre-Trib” or “Post-Trib” orientation) separates Israel from the fictional “Church” – so they are all preaching another Gospel.
When Jesus told the Disciples” I have chosen you” (John 15:19), he defined being “chosen” as one who is Spiritually regenerated in him – regardless of their physical lineage. Thus, the “Post-Tribulationists” are teaching the same apostasy as the “Pre-Tribulationists” when they profess Israel is still chosen on a physical basis – but God is not mocked, for he has revealed the truth to those he has chosen:
“But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the LORD, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth” (II Thessalonians 2:3).
Ironically, the same Spiritual Stronghold which has been repeatedly detected in the “Pre-Tribulation Rapture” Cult also exists in the “Post-Tribulationists” who fail to hear the voice of the LORD in this matter – and it is directly related to the Strong Delusion which everyone has heard so much about.
“But ye brethren are not in darkness…Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness…For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God” (I Thessalonians 5:4,5; Galatians 6:16).
