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Friday, March 1, 2013

Your People Shall be My People: Why Gentile Converts Should Adopt Jewish History as Their Own

My ancestors were immigrants to this country, spoke very little English.  One ancestor of mine came from Italy.  He not only learned the English language but he taught it to others, helping those in transition.  He embraced America and the American history.  The American story BECAME his story!

Now, I know that there are Gentiles out there being told that they are hurting Israel's distinctiveness when they celebrate Passover or any other Shabbat or wear kippot, tzitzit, etc.  First, Gentile converts belong to Israel (Eph. 2) through the New Covenant in Yeshua's blood (1 Cor. 11:25).  Second, WHAT ABOUT RUTH?!

Ah, they forget about her, don't they?  Did Ruth say "Your people will literally become my people"?  No, she implied that they would covenantally become her people (and their G-d would become her G-d).  So it means she had to imagine that they were her people. 

Not all converts look like native Israelites.  Your skin might be black.  Yet, as a convert, you must imagine that Israel is your family.  The Israel story MUST become your story.

"That's identity-confusion!" they say.  No, that's identity-strength.  The covenant is more real than birth.  If you don't understand that then I feel sorry for you.

Shabbat Shalom, my Gentile and Jewish brothers and sisters. 

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