The idea that contemporary Jews are “God’s chosen” is a delusion and a heresy — Paul spent his life warning against judaizers, and  Jesus Christ battled the Jews and warned the church against their influences.

This article focuses on Paul’s rejection of Jews as “God’s chosen.”

— Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
— For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
— Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;  concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
 — But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Phillipians 3:2-7

For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh.  But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from people, but from God.
Romans 2:28-29

and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision performed without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ,  having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And when you were dead in your wrongdoings and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our wrongdoings
Colossians 2:11-13

The idea that present day “Jews” are God’s Chosen deludes believers into thinking that there is salvation outside of Jesus Christ.  And if the Jews don’t need Jesus Christ, why would a Gentile?  There is no salvation outside of Jesus Christ, neither for Jew nor Gentile. 

Jews and Judaism (which is the same as Talmudism and Phariseeism) have two great enemies: 1) Jesus Christ and 2) the Apostle Paul.   We have covered extensively the enmity between Jesus Christ and the Jews, here we will look closer at Paul.

Who are the “dogs, the evil workers and the concision?”  The answer is in the following verses.  First, he describes the true circumcision, those baptized into Jesus Christ: “For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”  Those who worship Jesus Christ and who take NO CONFIDENCE in the flesh.

Who are those who take confidence in the flesh? Again, in the following  verses Paul claims that no one has a greater claim to a fleshly confidence than himself: “Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;  concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.“

Paul  counts this all but loss.

If a Jew is to be exalted, it is only a spiritual Jew (with zero boasting or relationship to the flesh, the religion, or the biological ancestors of today’s false Jews): “he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit.” Both Jesus Christ and John the Baptist warned Jews not to rely on their ancestor. Here is John the Baptist: “Do not say you have Abraham as a father — for God is able to raise up Children from these very stones!”

Fleshly circumcision means nothing — it is neither a requirement nor a bar to salvation, unless one puts hope in the flesh (and then it becomes a bar).  Who are the truly circumcised? Not those who have done so outwardly: “in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision performed without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ,  having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.“

Those today claiming to be “Jews” are “false Jews, of the synagogue of Satan.”  Paul warns Christians in Europe (Phillipi was in Europe proper) to beware of the Jews, the Judaizer, and by extension Judeo-Christians.

There is a fashionable movement among some groups to celebrate Jewish holidays, blow ram’s horns, and go on pilgrimages to the current state of “Israel” and Jerusalem.

Why?

• Jesus Christ cursed Jerusalem and the Temple.
• Jesus Christ chose not to live in Jerusalem or Judea.
• The Jews constantly conspired to murder Jesus Christ and thus Jesus spent no more time in that region than he had to.
• Jesus Christ spoke Greek upon his Resurrection.
• All the Scripture written since the Resurrection are in Greek.
• Paul warns against those, including Peter, who would seduce the Church back toward forms of Judaism.

Christians become Judeo-Christians because they yearn for the approval of the world — they fear man rather than God. They are more terrified of being called anti-Semites than honoring the words of  Jesus Christ who calls Jews “of the synagogue of Satan.”

This is a divide that may not be bridged.  Who will stand with Christ? Who will stand with the Jews?  You cannot stand with both.

• Baptism in Jesus Christ utterly replaced fleshly circumcision.
• Matthias utterly replaced Judas.
• The New Covenant utterly replaced the Old Covenant
• The Blood of Jesus Christ — celebrated in Holy Communion — utterly replaces the blood of bulls and goats.
• The Heavenly Jerusalem utterly replaced the earthly Jerusulem.
• The Bride of Christ — the Church — utterly replaces any and all fleshly connection to a “chosen” people under the Old Covenant.

Why do “Christians” think they can reform Jesus Christ and make him better? 

Fritz Berggren, PhD
17 January 2022
Virginia