Christmas: The Beginning of a Great Union
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Isaiah 9:6, penned 700+ years before Jesus was born
*Written Christmas morning, 2019
Merry Christmas everyone! Although Jesus wasn’t literally born on this date, today is the day we celebrate His birth! The enemy wants people to focus on Christmas having pagan roots. But in all actuality, missionaries worldwide used countless local customs in foreign cultures to teach people about Jesus; to find commonality. Why? To turn them from darkness to light (see Acts 26:18).
So what matters most? God’s Son was born and if we believe in Him we will have eternal life–His life! (See John 3:16, 10:28-30, Colossians 3:4). Who cares if today was not the actual day? We can still celebrate!
Jesus came for both the Jew and the Gentile, to create a brand new union, a unique family! Paul told the Galatians Christ was born under the Law to redeem those who were under the Law (see Galatians 4:4-5). Who was under the Law? Only the Jews. We Gentiles were never given the Law (see Romans 2:14, Ephesians 2:12). Some have hijacked it and acted as if it’s theirs, even today, but it never has been.
Currently, the Jews who don’t believe Christ was their Messiah, wail at an old wall, begging God to hurry up and send a savior. But the wailing is over! The wait is over! Christ has come!
Although the Word decided to manifest Himself as a Jew (see John 1:1), the good news is He didn’t just come for the Jews. He also came for us Gentiles! A Gentile is anyone on this planet who isn’t a Jew—Jesus was born for us too!
The dividing wall of hostility, which Jesus tore down, the one Paul mentioned in Ephesians 2:14, was the Law:
“For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has torn down the dividing wall of hostility”
The Law of Moses is that barrier! 613 commandments, not just ten! IT IS OBSOLETE FOR ALL WHO WILL BELIEVE CHRIST DIED FOR THEM! To be clear, it’s still handy for those who don’t believe. Its only use, just like from the time it was written, is to show a Law-lover’s need for grace…for Jesus…for a better way (see John 14:6, Hebrews 7:19, 8:13, 1 Timothy 1:7-11, Romans 5:20, 6:14, Galatians 3:12,21).
The two becoming one, from Ephesians 2:14, was the Jew and the Gentile. When Christ said, “Blessed is the peacemaker,” He’s telling His Jewish audience they’d have to make peace with us (see Matthew 5:9). To them, we were aggressive heathens; low-life, dirty rotten Gentiles who never had the privilege of carrying God’s oracles. We were considered dogs and pigs, not righteous like those who “obeyed” the Law (see Romans 3:2, Matthew 7:6). But Jesus gave us the opportunity at a great union through Himself!
So now, the Jew and the Gentile, the Jew and the Greek, the American, Ethiopian, Russian, Mexican, Iranian—everyone on planet earth—WE ARE ONE THROUGH CHRIST! ONE BODY WITH ONE HEAD! JESUS! His birth didn’t bring in the New Covenant but His death did bring it to pass! (See John 19:30, Galatians 3:28, Hebrews 2:14-15, 9:16-18, 10:9, 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, Romans 12:4-5).
So today, my friends, know this: After Jesus was born, and when He gave His blood thirty-three years later, He didn’t make us non-Jews, Jews. He completely removed our race–as well as the Jews’–and gave us both a new lineage: CHILD OF GOD. Through faith in Him there’s neither Jew nor Gentile! We’re a new creation all together! We are family! (See John 1:12-13, Galatians 6:15, 2 Corinthians 5:17).
A prayer for you: Father, thank you for Jesus. And Jesus, thank you for coming to earth. We are so grateful for you! Thank you for giving us hope in a life with you! Right now, I lift up all who are reading this, directly to you. Because of the holidays, so many of these dear readers are in pain, please comfort them. Let them know you’re there. Ease their minds about whatever they’re worried about or feeling. Remind them you care deeply about what’s hurting them. But also, many are enjoying today! They’re enjoying you and their families! Only through Jesus can we do such a thing in the most authentic way possible. We can choose to forgive and love, and to let you live through us! We’re so grateful for your life, your death, and your life after death! We’re grateful for you bringing the world together! Amen!
This devotional is from The Christian Identity, Volume 3. Get your copy here!