Two more observations may be noted concerning Christianity:

1. Every believer is interested in the meaning or idea conveyed by the Scriptures rather than specific words.

We all consider ourselves witnesses for our Lord. And we know that the name of our God is Jehovah.

Yet, unless we belong to that particular sect, we do not tell people we are Jehovah's Witnesses. Even so, the term is technically correct for all believers. Likewise, all believers belong to the Church of God. Yet, a believer may say, "No, I am not of the Church of God, but a Baptist." So, believers relate words to specific meanings. They use or do not use them according to the meaning they convey.

In the same way then, a believer should know that when he asks a Jew to become a Christian, the Jew will understand the question as, "Would you like to become a member of an idolatrous, heathen, Jew-persecuting religion?" The believer would best not ask that question. (It may be argued from the Scriptures that only Gentiles were called Christians or Messianics in New Testament Days.)

2. Christian comes from the word Christ. The English word Christ has its roots in the Greek (a Gentile) language.

If one would ask the average Jew what Christ means, he would have no idea. Actually, the concept of Christ did not originate with the Greeks. It is found in the Hebrew Scriptures. The Hebrew word for Christ is Messiah.

I could not appreciate a man telling me about the English word Christ if I only understood Chinese. Although he might be explaining the concept correctly, I simply would not understand him. So, a Jewish person from a Hebrew background could have no appreciation of the word Christ; and because it has no meaning, it can have no relationship with his needs or problems.

But any Jewish person, whether he agrees with one's theology or not, knows that the word Messiah--Anointed One--signifies a coming deliverer, the redeemer of Israel. Although he would not know what the English word Jesus means, he would understand when told that Jesus' Hebrew name is Yeshua, meaning salvation (see pages 16-17 for further explanation). The Jewish person would at least understand the concept of Yeshua the Messiah.

Just as no one ever asks a Gentile if he would like to accept Yeshua as his Messiah, one should never ask a Jew if he wants to accept Jesus Christ. Yeshua (Jesus) is, first of all, the Messiah of the Jews.

The Gentile believer might counter that Galatians 3:28 states that "There is neither Jew nor Greek...in Christ Jesus..." It is true that all men need God, and all men, without distinction, may have access to God through His Son. But the same Scripture says there is neither male nor female--also true. In the Messiah both have equal access to God. But just as male and female exist, so do Jew and non-Jew. Nearly every Gentile I have ever met wished to remain a Gentile. Likewise, almost every Jew most emphatically wants to remain a Jew.

I do not pretend to have all the answers concerning God's plan for His nation, Israel; but the Scriptures do reveal that God, Who has nearly overturned heaven and earth to preserve the Jewish people for 2,000 years, has not done so merely to bring them back to Israel so that they could become Gentiles.

"If this fixed order [the sun, moon and stars] departs From before Me," declares the Lord, "Then the offspring of Israel also shall cease From being a nation before Me forever" (Jer. 31:36).

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