The Jewish Nation and True Christianity-An Open Letter from An Evangelical Christian Part 1

(I apologize in advance for the length of this. I've been working on it for about a month!)
Hello Family and Friends!
Tonight, I sit at my computer and write about one of the the most important issues in the history of Christianity-the relationship between Christians and the Jewish people. In this set of of four open letters, I want to do three things.
1. I want to show my brothers and sisters in the Christian community just how important Judaism is to our faith,
2. I want to show my Jewish friends who Jesus Christ is and how He fits into the plan that God has for His Chosen People, the Jews
3. I also want to expose some myths about Christianity and the Apostle Paul's writing about grace and the Law.
4. The Fourth letter will discuss how a true Christian should treat the Jewish people from a Biblical perspective.
Each letter will focus on one one of these issues.
I must begin, in the interest of full disclosure, by stating that I am a fundamentalist evangelical Christian. What does that mean? It means basically that I believe that Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, Fully man and Fully God, was born of a Jewish virgin, that He lived a sinless life here on earth for thirty-three years, that he was crucified on a Roman Cross, that He bodily resurrected from the Grave on the Third Day, that He ascended in to heaven, and that He will return to this planet as the King of the Ages. I believe that Jesus is the only way for anyone to get into heaven. I believe that the Blood that Jesus shed on the Cross was the only way that man can be freed from sin. I believe that His death was the atoning sacrifice that is needed for man to freed from sin. I also believe that it my privilege and in fact, my responsibility to tell those around me about Jesus Christ and the forgiveness and grace that He alone can supply.
Now on to the first topic I want to discuss-the Basics of the Christian Faith and their roots in Judaism. We as Christians owe a huge debt to the Jewish nation and the Jewish people. Jesus was an observant Jew, as were all of the apostles. Every writer of the New Testament with the exception of Luke the physician were Jews (Matthew, Mark, John, Paul, James, Peter, and Jude.) Additionally, every major doctrine that is believed by Christians first appears in the TaNaKH, or the Old Testament.
Here is a list of 12 Doctrines that I believe are universal in all of Orthodox Christianity. Following the list will be series of Scriptures from both the TaNaKH and the New Testament for each basic tenet.
1. Salvation and justification by Faith in God alone
2. Man's sin nature
3. God's Love and Mercy
4. God's Holiness
5. The Followers of God called to be Holy
6. Love-The greatest Law (Commandment)
7. God's Immutability
8. Faith evidenced by Good works
9. The Resurrection of the Dead
10. the Divine Messiah (Christ in Greek)
11. The Messiah (Christ) as King and Priest
12. One God, In Three Persons-The Trinity
1. Salvation and Justification by Faith in God (Jesus) alone, Not by any amount of Good works.
New Testament:
Romans 1:16-17 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”
Romans 5:1 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ...
Galatians 3:6-9 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen [Gentiles] through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
Romans 4:1-3 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? or if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Acts 16:29-31 Then he [the Philippian jailer] called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
TaNaKH:
Habbakkuk 2:4b but the just shall live by his faith.
Genesis 15:6 And he [Abraham] believed in the LORD; and he [the LORD] counted it to him [Abraham] for righteousness.
2. Man's Sin Nature-i.e. Man is born in sin
New Testament
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
TaNaKH
Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
3. God's Love and Mercy
New Testament
John 4:8 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
TaNaKH
There are Thirty Three Separate verses in the Psalms alone that state “his mercy endures forever” Three Psalms (106, 107, and 136) begin by proclaiming, “ O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” Psalm 118 Begins O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.” and ends “O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
Additionally there are eight other verses in the TaNaKH that state “His [The Lord's] Mercy endureth forever. They are located in 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra and Jeremiah.
4. God's Holiness
New Testament
Revelation 4:8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
TaNaKH
Isaiah 6: 1-3 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
5. God's people called to be Holy
New Testament
I Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
I Peter 1:15-16 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
TaNaKH
Leviticus 20:7 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.
Exodus 19:3-6 “And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye 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: 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.”
6. The greatest commandment is Love
New Testament
Matthew 22:35-40 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Romans 13:8-10 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Galatians 5:13-14 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
TaNaKH
Leviticus19:18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
Additionally, As my Judaic Studies professor pointed out, much of the Jewish Law given at Sinai deals with Man's relationship with his fellow man. Out of the Ten Commandments, Four deal with loving God will all one's heart, soul, mind and Strength. The last six deal with loving one's fellow man.
7. God's Immutability
New Testament
Hewbrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
TaNaKH
Malachai 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
8. Faith evidenced by good works
New Testament
James 2:14 -23 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
TaNaKH
In the TaNaKH, The evidence of a man's faith is his actions. How do we know Abraham had faith? Because He OBEYED the calling of God-He left his home, and later he was willing to sacrifice Isaac at the command of God. How do we know Noah had faith? Because he OBEYED the LORD and built the ark. How do we know that Shadrach, Meshach and Abenego had faith? Because they OBEYED God and NOT Nebuchadnezzar. In each of these cases, The actions these individual took reflected their inward faith that they had.
9. The Resurrection of the dead
New Testament
I Corinthians 15:12-22 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
Acts 2:22-27 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
TaNaKH
Psalm 16:8-11 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
10. The Divine Messiah (Christ)
New Testament
Matthew 16:13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Matthew 1:22-23 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
TaNaKH
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
11. The Messiah (Christ) as King and Priest
New Testament
1 Timothy 6:14-15 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
Hebrews 7:14 -17 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
TaNaKH
Psalm 110:1-4 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
Isaiah 9:6-7 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
12. One God, in Three Persons
New Testament
1 John 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
TaNaKH
Because we have established the belief in a divine Messiah, We need to prove the Concept of the Holy Spirit as existing in the TaNaKH
Isaiah 11:1-2 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
Psalm 51:10-11 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
The twelve doctrines I have chosen to discuss here only scratch the surface when it comes to the Study of the parallels between the New Testament and the TaNaKH. I encourage anyone who is interested in this issue to go beyond what I have written here.
I wrote this to show that without Judaism and the TaNaKH, Christianity would not be possible. As I said earlier Jesus was an observant Jew and the majority of the writers of the New Testament were Jewish followers of Jesus. The writers of the New Testament used the TaNaKH as the basis for their doctrinal positions. I believe that we as Christians should study the TaNaKH in order to get a better understanding of the New Testament
My next Letter will deal with the question of Jesus and how He fits into God's plan for the Jews, His Chosen people
That's all for Now! God Bless and have a good night!