Most of us Gentiles (non-Jewish people) will not go to hell because of what Jesus did when he came to earth. But Jesus’s plan when he came to earth was to save the Jewish people (Israelites). Hence, Jesus did not come to earth to save us (Gentiles).
A short time before Jesus was crucified, he prayed to God. Matthew 26:39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
The lifestyle we have today was reserved for the Israelites (Jewish people) only. The Jews are God’s chosen people; we have no idea why he chose them, but it is written in the bible he did. Around the time when Jesus lived on earth, most Jews were faithless, unbelieving people.
God devised a new way to redeem all people. This new system was a faith/belief system; it could do what the commandments and laws could not. However, this new system was very different from what the Jewish people had been taught and believed in all their lives.
The Jews were very religious people. They tried to obey the commandments and other religious traditions they lived by, including Moses’s Laws. They thought you could be saved by obeying the commandments and rules (by works).
Jesus said this about us Gentiles Matthew 13:15 KJV – 15 For this people’s (Gentiles} heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Some of us Gentiles did understand his message and believed in the faith/belief system. And he was obligated to extend his welcome to us, but that is not what he came to earth for, nor was it what he wanted to do.
Here is why Jesus did not want to help the Gentiles (us). Remember the Woman whose daughter was possessed. Matthew 15:22-28 NIV – 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” 23 Jesus did not answer a word.
So, his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” 25 The Woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. 26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” Is the salvation
(The “Children’s Bread” is the salvation Jesus extended to the Jews, and yes, Jesus reference us “Gentiles” with dogs)
27 “Yes, it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” 28 Then Jesus told her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.
Jesus came to earth to save the Israelites only, and since we are not Israelites, we probably would have ended up in hell or some other place. And the Israelites were expecting someone to come and save them.
Most of the Israelites did not believe Jesus was who he said he was, the savior/messiah, plus they had very little faith or belief in him. Their religion and traditions taught them to expect someone powerful enough to rescue them from their oppressors.
The Israelites were not expecting a nobody like Jesus. They knew Jesus, his father (his earthly father), his mother, sisters, and brothers, and they all were nobodies. Who in the world who knew his family would believe he was the savior/messiah?
Jesus could not demonstrate much of his power of miracles to convince the Israelites that he was the savior/messiah because for Jesus to perform miracles, the Israelites would have to believe he could, but they had no faith and/or belief in Jesus.
My Gentile brothers and sisters, that is how we got the invitation to salvation. Thank God.
by: Staff
Christian Briefs 