Romans 3:29
[29] Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, (ESV)
What do you think of when you think of "Jewish people?" Probably you think of Moses and the Ten Commandments. Perhaps you remember their great Exodus from slavery in the land of Egypt. You likely think of the phrase, "God's chosen people." The reality is that the Jews were God's chosen people. And they knew it.
Paul writes these words, "Or is God the God of Jews only?" Many Jews at the time Paul wrote this would have responded immediately, "Yes!" Over a millennium of history had gone by of God being the God of the Jews only. If you wanted to be part of God's covenant people, and you weren't born into the family, you could go through a process of becoming a Jew.
What Paul is saying here would have been highly controversial to many people. For some people it continues to be controversial. Paul is saying that because of Jesus Christ there is now no longer a distinction between Jew and Gentile. God is the God of Jews and Gentiles. All of us have equal access to God the Father. That access is not the Law.
The access we have with God the Father is through his Son, Jesus. It may not be hard for us to accept this truth, but I can assure you there were Jews that had an issue. They worked their whole lives trying to keep the Law. Now, these Gentiles who were not worthy enough to even receive the Law are coming to God with no requirements to keep the Law.
We have much to celebrate as believers in Jesus Christ. The wall of division between Jews and Gentiles has been torn down. Let's not try to rebuild what God has destroyed. He is the God of all who believe in him.
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