This article isn’t about race as commonly spoken of in the secular world or in the media. This article is about;

1) How God chose and separated out the one national race of Israel, to ultimately be His agent or representative in the eternal “Kingdom of God” yet to come on earth. Believing Israel, as the seed of Abraham, was chosen to be a ‘blessing to all the families [non-Jews] of the earth.’ (cf. Genesis 12:2-3).

2) Conversely this article explains where the Gentiles (non-Jews) fit into God’s eternal plan for the heavens.

In order to re-establish His authority over “the heaven and the earth” after Lucifer’s rebellion and fall, God first had to “destroy [make “of no effect”] all the power of the devil” (Heb. 2:14). Lucifer and his fallen angelic host still today occupy the seats “principality, and powers, and might, and dominion” in the government of heavens. But the verses below confirm how Christ’s Cross work is the basis of God recovering His authority in heaven and on earth. One day the Gentile “body of Christ” will occupy those seats of rank and authority in the heavenly government when Lucifer and his fallen angelic agents are “cast down.” (See “The Dynaspheres” study at www.artlicursi.com) Paul prayer lays out Christ’s over-arching victory achieved by His death and resurrection.

“… that ye [grace believers] might know… ¹⁹ … what is the exceeding greatness of his [Christ’s]  Power to US-WARD Who Believe, according to the working of his mighty power, ²⁰ Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand In The Heavenly Places, ²¹ FAR ABOVE ALL Principality, and Power, and Might, And Dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world [Gk. aion, age], but also in that which is to come:” Ephesians 1:18-21 (KJV)

We will herein trace the progression of the books of the New Testament to note how some apply and don’t apply to the Nation Israel or the Gentile believers during God’s New Testament dealing with mankind as He works toward the time when God’s goal is to be manifested “in heaven” and “on earth.”

“… in the dispensation of the Fulness Of Times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him [Christ]: Ephesians 1:10 (KJV)

Adam, a Gentile (‘a non-Jew’) lived long before there ever was the Nation Israel on earth. Just as Lucifer corrupted the angelic host making “the heavens unclean” (Job 15:15), he then corrupted the first man, Adam, trying early on to thwart God’s eternal plan for His righteous people to reign both; on earth and in heaven.

It was not until God called Abram, who became Abraham, and his generations after that; the children of the lineage of Isaac and ‘Jacob,’ who then was called ‘Israel.’ It was after their time in bondage and deliverance from Egypt, that God birthed the children of Israel as a unique “holy Nation,” “set above all people.”

“Ye [Jews] have seen what I [the LORD] did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. ⁵ Now therefore, if ye [the children of Israel”] will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me Above All People: for all the earth is mine: ⁶ And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.” Exodus 19:4-6

With that God established the Nation Israel, having a call to function as His ultimate agent or representative on the earth. But as any Bible student knows, Israel as a Nation was always rebellious needing a Savior. The long-prophesied Messiah who was to come finally did come on earth in the form of Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus was a prophet and teacher to “the circumcision (Israel)” as well as Savior who died to redeem fallen them.

“Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision [i.e., Israel] for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers [of Israel; Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob]:” Romans 15:8 (KJV)

Having arrived at the time of Jesus as seen in the Gospels,… we will now look at the four (4) New Testament stages where it is important to note racial distinction that was instituted by God, and the later elimination of that racial distinction, as we navigate the New Testament, from The Gospels to Revelation.

1. From Jesus’ birth (4BC) to Jesus’ death (29AD), we have Jesus of Nazareth’s Ministry On Earth.

Jesus continued with racial distinction in effect from the O.T., declaring He had “come ONLY to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Jesus instructed His 12 Jewish Apostles to not go to the Gentiles with the gospel message of the long-promised hope of ‘the Kingdom to come on earth.’ Jesus in fact at that time referred to Non-Jews as “dogs” (cf. Mat 7:6, 15:26).

“But he [jesus] answered and said, I am not sent but [rather] unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matt. 15:24
“These twelve [Apostle] Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles [non-Jews], and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: ⁶ But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matthew 10:5-6 (KJV)

This above was the God’s racial posture throughout the Synoptic Gospel accounts. In reading your Bible, so long as the racial distinction exists you know you are reading from the Old Testament standard that existed until Acts 28:28. It was only after Acts 28:28 that this God-ordained racial distinction was done away, as it is seen during today’s Pauline Post-Acts “dispensation of the grace of God” (Eph. 3:2).

2. The Apostle’s Ministry - After the so-called Gospels we progress to the time of the ‘Book of Acts’ where we see the Apostle’s Ministry which included Jesus’ Twelve Apostles early in Acts, and then also Paul’s Act-period ministry throughout the remainder of the Acts Period until closing with the words of Acts 28:28.

So, during the Acts period ‘Israel had priority over the Gentiles.’ God’s racial distinction of the OT was continued as seen in Paul’s early epistles that were written during the 35-year Acts period. Paul had been commissioned by Jesus to go “to the Jew first” (cf. Acts 9:15, Rom. 1:16) with “the gospel of Christ.”

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; [but] TO THE JEW FIRST, and also to the Greek [i.e., non-Jew].” Romans 1:16
“But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, TO THE JEW FIRST, and also to the Gentile”: Romans 2:10 (KJV)

This is why we note in Paul’s early epistles the continued external religious tradition and rituals such as the ‘women’s head coverings’ and the ‘Lord’s table remembrance’ that Jesus gave to Israel. Paul traveled widely in his missionary journeys outside Israel going to those of the Jewish scattering. Paul always went the Jewish synagogues first to preach Christ’s Crosswork and his new pure “grace” message that he called “the grace of God.” Note in Acts 18:4-5 Paul was in a synagogue in Corinth reasoning with the Jews “every Sabbath.” In Acts 13, Paul in the synagogue declared to the Jews; “It was necessary that the word of God Should FIRST Have Been Spoken To You [Jews].” When they rejected Paul’s preaching, he then turned to the Gentiles.

“Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you [Israelites]: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, We Turn To The Gentiles. Acts 13:46 (KJV)

Many fail to consider that Paul, DURING the time of the ‘book of Acts,’ Paul was mainly serving and writing his early Acts-period epistles to and for “the Jew First,” declaring the Grace of the Cross and blood of Christ as he did in Romans and Galatians. Note that as late the last chapter of Acts, in Acts 28:20. Paul says he was at that time in chains “for The Hope of ISRAEL.”  What about the Gentiles? Race still mattered! At this time a Gentile believer among Israel was 2^nd class. He could not pass into areas of the Temple where a Jew could.

Israel’s epistles and Paul’s Acts-period epistles for “the Jew first” are listed below

Acts Period Letters written to Jewish Christians of that day	Paul’s ACTS-PERIOD Letters to Jewish Christians & Gentile Christians of that day
Hebrews	Romans
James	1 Corinthians
1 Peter	2 Corinthians
2 Peter	Galatians
1John	1 Thessalonians
2 John	2 Thessalonian
3 John
Jude
Revelation

Sadly, most Christians today cling to Paul’s Acts period early epistles as if it all applies to them. But Paul was addressing to “the Jew first.” Those Jews needed to learn the importance of the cross of Christ as much as all Christians need to. FACT: The truth of “the Mystery” of “the body of Christ” that is destined to “reign with Him [Christ]” in heaven (2Tim. 2:12) hadn’t been revealed to Paul, it was given after the Acts period.

3. Israel Was and Is Still Set Aside - With Israel’s rejection of God in the OT by killing the prophets that God sent, then killing “the Son of God,” and then, in Acts 7, Israel killed Stephen as representative of the Holy Spirit. The Acts period ended with the verses below confirming that fact that Israel Is Set Aside even unto this present day, now in favor of the Gentiles.

“And when they [the Israelite leaders in Rom] agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, “Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, ²⁶  Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: ²⁷  For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. ²⁸ BE IT KNOWN THEREFORE UNTO YOU [ISRAEL], THAT THE SALVATION OF GOD IS SENT UNTO THE GENTILES, AND THAT THEY WILL HEAR [HEED] IT.” Acts 28:25-28 (KJV)

Paul here below in Romans 11 speaks of ‘the fall of Israel,’ being ‘the reconciling of the world’s Gentiles,’ “through their [Israel’s] FALL salvation is come unto the Gentiles.” In v25 Paul says this will ‘until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.’

“Let their [Israel’s] eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway. ¹¹ I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. ¹² Now if the fall of them [Israel] be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?” Romans 11:10-12 (KJV)
“For if [since] the casting away of them [Israel] be the reconciling of the world [Gentiles], what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?” Romans 11:15
“For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery [Gk. musterion, secret], lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.” Romans 11:25 (KJV)

4. Today, we of “His body” we live under the pure grace gospel of the “dispensation of the grace of God” (Eph. 3:2) in which Racial Distinction and Nationality are IRRELEVANT. We have a new set of 7 Pauline Epistles written AFTER Acts. ALL the believers are of His “One Body” of “the fellowship of the Mystery” (Eph. 3:9)

We see this in Paul’s 7 POST-Acts Letters concerning ALL men alike, regardless of race.

1. Ephesians
2. Philippians
3. Colossians
4. 1 Timothy
5. 2 Timothy
6. Titus
7. Philemon