In Matthew 10:5,6 and 24:14 Jesus is preparing His disciples (followers) to become apostles (sent ones).  They were not to go to the Gentiles, nor to the cities of the Samaritans.  Rather, they were to find the lost sheep of the House of Israel and tell them the good news (Gospel) about the Kingdom of God.  “And this Gospel will be preached in all the world for a witness to all nations, then the end (of the world) will come.”  Jesus commissioned the apostles to take the Gospel to the Israelites who, along with most of the Jews, had been scattered throughout the world.  To this day all but about 5 million Israelites live outside the nation call Israel today.  Hundreds of millions of Israelites are unaware of their ancestry and having assumed the social, religious and linguistic characteristics of the people among whom they live, believe themselves to be Gentiles.

Recall that when the New Testament Church came into being on the Day of Pentecost 31 A.D., people had traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover-Pentecost Holy Day Season from “every nation under heaven” (Acts 2:5).  By this we know that the other tribes of Israel, who had been scattered many generations earlier than the Jews, were living in the same areas of the world as the Jews (in “every nation under heaven”).  When Peter told the visitors from throughout the world to return to their homelands and to tell their people (Jews) about the arrival of their Messiah, he included all other Israelites, saying: “… let ALL THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL know assuredly that God has made that same Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36).  In verses 38,39 he said: “Repent and be baptized every one of you (Jews) in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins, and you will receive the GIFE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.  For THE PROMISE IS TO YOU AND TO YOUR (JEWISY) CHILDREN, AND TO ALL WHO ARE AFAR OFF ….”  Who, other than the dispersed Jews, were included in “all the House of Israel” who were “afar off?”  This command included all of the 13 tribes of Israel except the Jews who remained in the Middle East to whom Jesus Himself had ministered during His earthly ministry.  Can we not assume that, following the return of the Jews to “every nation under heaven,” where they came from and later where the apostles went bearing the Gospel, that “all who were afar off” heard the news about their Messiah and what He had done for them?  Read White Fields.  Key word–White.

But hearing the news about the Messiah was only the beginning of God’s plan to regather the descendants of Abraham unto Himself, along with those Gentiles who had become spiritual Israelites by obeying God’s Law.  The Apostle Paul said about himself and the other apostles that they had been given the “ministry of reconciliation” in which they were to reunite all of the tribes of Israel and to then reunite them, as one nation, to their God (2 Cor. 5:18).  Having Israelites know that their Messiah had died for their sins was merely the first step in their salvation process.  Knowing this information is comparable to believing that Jesus died for our sins and accepting Him as the Messiah, which justifies, converts and saves NO ONE.  What is called “salvation” today is merely an introduction to the salvation process and to the One who provided it.  Read The Process of Salvation and Hope and Salvation.  Key words–Salvation and Hope respectively.  With the spreading of the Gospel, the work had only just begun.  They would need pastors and evangelists to teach them what the Christian “walk” entailed.

As the apostles would tell those to whom they were sent by the Lord (Mat. 10:5,6; 24:14), there is much to be learned, believed and obeyed for the remainder of one’s life before salvation can be received.  As the Lord makes clear in many places, it is only upon His return that salvation will be awarded, and then only to those who obeyed God’s Law until the end of their lives (Mat. 10:22).  The Apostle Peter made this clear in 1 Peter 4:18 where he states that not everyone in God’s church will be saved, that only the righteous will make the cut, and they just barely.  This is the message the apostles would be teaching those “afar off” who would believe the Gospel of the Kingdom and would be willing to pay the price of their convictions.  Read Persecution using the title as the key word.  Recently I wrote about a t.v. preacher who guaranteed instant salvation for repeating his prescribed words.  I mentioned earlier that I had seen a false prophet on t.v. that was offering instant salvation.  There is now world famous evangelist who, within a one minute time element, is guaranteeing eternal life in heaven to the masses.  The first part of the ad is given over to a plea for money.  Being curious as to this false prophet’s time element relative to salvation, I counted the actual time dedicated to his “alter call” at the end of which salvation was granted to all who had parroted his words–approximately 30 seconds.  Think about it.  Those who believed him went from hell-bound sinner to heaven-bound saint in half a minute.  And they didn’t even have to run the “race” of life that Paul wrote about.  The world-famous evangelist’s listeners were assured that there was no need for them to break a spiritual sweat because Jesus had run the race for them.  There was absolutely no need to obey God–if that was even possible–because Jesus had obeyed for them.  There is no need for righteousness; Jesus is righteous in their stead.  Praise the Lord and pass the popcorn.  Note to self: BE SURE TO REPENT AFTER EACH INEVITABLE SIN.

What the apostles taught the Israelites to whom they had been sent true saints call the Holy Bible/ the Gospel/ the Law/ the commandments/ the Truth.  The messages preached then recorded as teaching instruments for us, “upon whom the end of the world has come” (1 Cor. 10:11) Christ’s true apostles continue to teach His unchanging message today and will do so until His return.

God’s family are those who are Christ’s spiritual brethren, whom He identified as “whosoever will do the will of My Father in heaven” (Mat. 12:50).  He came to die, not for all of mankind, but for His friends, whom He identified as those who “… do whatsoever I command you” (Jn. 15:13,14).  Only His spiritual brethren and His friends are part of the family of God.  God’s family are those who recognize Him as the Patriarch, the master and ruler of the family.  He is to be believed, trusted, honored, adored and obeyed.  Only those who meet those requirements are members of His true family.  Jesus said that only a FEW would meet the requirement for family membership, and that though many are called to do so, few would be CHOSEN for having answered His call (Mat. 7:13,14; 20:16).  Let us be among the CHOSEN FEW.  L.J.