The city of Philadelphia was located in the region of (or very close to) Galatia, "the Jews who are not" may refer to the Judaizers of whom Paul wrote in the book of Galatians, who tried to turn people back to the dead works of the law.
The Jews who thought were synagogues of the Lord rejected Jesus and the true synagogues were the believers and their gatherings. The early church always had a struggle against Jewish persecution and this is involved in the words to this church. People in the church are mot Jewish than natural Jews who reject Jesus, I believe.
Paul spoke to the Galatians and told them that they were like ISAAC who was persecuted by Ishmael. And Ishmael represented the Jews under Law who rejected Jesus when Jesus came, as they persecuted the church.
Gal 4:28-31 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. (29) But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. (30) Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. (31) So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
__________________ ...MY THOUGHTS, ANYWAY.
"Many Christians do not try to understand what was written in a verse in the Bible. Instead they approach the passage to prove what they already believe."
Romans 2:28,29
28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
A TRUE (Spiritual) Jew was one born again. There was the natural born Jew who was circumcised in the outward flesh, by man. But when a natural born Jew was born again, it was that inward circumcision of the heart, by God, that made him a True Jew. There were Jews who claimed they were children of Abraham. but Jesus told them they were not. That if they had been Abraham's children, they would love him. Abraham saw his day and was glad. Read Gal.3:24-29. Those in Christ are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. Jesus Christ was the "Seed" that all the nations of the earth was to be blessed. Read Gal. 3:16. And hearts are still being circumcised today and how blessed we are. Jew or Gentile, bond or free,
male or female. Man may try to make a difference, but God doesn't! It's WHOSOEVER WILL(a choice) COME and DRINK of The WATER OF LIFE FREELY! It feels SO GOOD TO BE FREE!!
The natural Jews were called such because they came from the tribe of Judea. Yes, God chose this tribe for Jesus to come through. In John 1:11, Jesus came unto his own by (natural birth), through a litle Jewish virgin. but when he was baptized by John, the Spirit descended upon him. The kingdom of God was at hand.
The Jews who thought they were synagogues of the Lord had rejected Jesus and the true synagogues were the believers and their gatherings. The early church always had a struggle against Jewish persecution and this is involved in the words to this church. People in the church are more Jewish than natural Jews who reject Jesus, I believe.
__________________ ...MY THOUGHTS, ANYWAY.
"Many Christians do not try to understand what was written in a verse in the Bible. Instead they approach the passage to prove what they already believe."
The Jews who thought they were synagogues of the Lord had rejected Jesus and the true synagogues were the believers and their gatherings. The early church always had a struggle against Jewish persecution and this is involved in the words to this church. People in the church are more Jewish than natural Jews who reject Jesus, I believe.
Agreed, Bro. Blume! That middle partition that was broken down between the
Jew and Gentile, destroyed enemity! It should have done the same between
servant and master, male and female. If any man be IN CHRIST he IS a new
creature. Old things are passed away, behold all things become new.
I think of the old lion lying out in the jungle. That old animal would lie down
with the lamb when he becomes IN CHRIST. The old nature is gone. New IN
Christ.
Agreed, Bro. Blume! That middle partition that was broken down between the
Jew and Gentile, destroyed enemity! It should have done the same between
servant and master, male and female. If any man be IN CHRIST he IS a new
creature. Old things are passed away, behold all things become new. I think of the old lion lying out in the jungle. That old animal would lie down
with the lamb when he becomes IN CHRIST. The old nature is gone. New IN
Christ.
Of course I am not speaking of a literal lion or lamb here. I'm speaking about
that animal nature. Peter told of a vision of a sheet let down from heaven. In
it was all manner of beasts and fowl. I believe this vision represented all
manner of people. But God could clean them up. They would no longer be
unclean after HE had cleaned them up. When He performs circumcision of
the heart, He takes care of that old heart of stone and gives us a new heart.
That old enemy nature is gone.
Actually the bible never said the lion would lay down with the lamb, but it said the WOLF and the lamb would lie down together. lol. Common misconception. It is an error from reading of the lion and the lamb in Revelation 5.
Anyway, I get your point, though. Wolf and lamb makes more powerful points because we hear of wolves in sheep's clothing, implying the idea total opposites.
Just saying.
__________________ ...MY THOUGHTS, ANYWAY.
"Many Christians do not try to understand what was written in a verse in the Bible. Instead they approach the passage to prove what they already believe."
Actually the bible never said the lion would lay down with the lamb, but it said the WOLF and the lamb would lie down together. lol. Common misconception. It is an error from reading of the lion and the lamb in Revelation 5.
Anyway, I get your point, though. Wolf and lamb makes more powerful points because we hear of wolves in sheep's clothing, implying the idea total opposites.
Just saying.
LOL!! You did got my point!
I, of course was just using the "nature of animals", which many that have not
the Spirit of Christ have. They act like heathen. But once they take on the
new nature, those who once hated one another, began to love and appreci-
ate one another, because of the love of Christ shed abroad in their hearts by
the Holy Ghost. (new creatures).
As Saul of Tarsus, with his carnal (animal), loveless, nature, whose natural eyes
were blinded! But after his spiritual eyes were opened, he became the great Apostle
Paul, a mighty man of God, useful in the kingdom!
Amen.. In fact, all the contrasting animals mentioned in Isa 11 show clean and unclean. Unclean and clean are paired up, which also indicates Jew and Gentile in one body! The church!
__________________ ...MY THOUGHTS, ANYWAY.
"Many Christians do not try to understand what was written in a verse in the Bible. Instead they approach the passage to prove what they already believe."
Wolf and lamb makes more powerful points because we hear of wolves in sheep's clothing, implying the idea total opposites.
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