WomanLovesTX,
I would like to know what you use as contextual evidence for defining "Gentiles," especially as applied to Christians in Romans.
Historicist
1Pe 1:1 From: Kefa, an emissary of Yeshua the Messiah
To: God's chosen people, living as aliens in the Diaspora — in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, the province of Asia, and Bythinia —
1Pe 1:2 chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father and set apart by the Spirit for obeying Yeshua the Messiah and for sprinkling with his blood: Grace and shalom be yours in full measure.
James 1:1 From: Ya`akov (James), a slave of God and of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah
To: The Twelve Tribes in the Diaspora: Shalom!
Mat 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying,
Go not into the way of the Gentiles [SUP]G1484[/SUP], and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
Mat 10:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
G1484
ἔθνος
ethnos
eth'-nos
Probably from G1486; a race (as of the same habit), that is, a tribe; specifically a foreign (non-Jewish) one (usually by implication pagan): - Gentile, heathen, nation, people.
Mat 15:24 But he answered and said,
I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Heb 8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when
I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
Heb 8:9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
Heb 8:10
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and
they shall be to me a people:
Mat 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel,
until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Romans 11:25 is directly tied to Genesis 48:19...
Gen 48:19 And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he (Manasseh) also shall become a people, and he also shall be great:
but truly his younger brother (Eprhraim) shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.
MULTITUDE[SUP]
H4393[/SUP] OF NATIONS
[SUP]H1471[/SUP] = Melo Goy =
FULNESS OF THE
GENTILES
H4393
מלו מלוא מלא
melô' melô' melô
mel-o', mel-o', mel-o'
From H4390;
fulness (literally or figuratively): - X all along, X all that is (there-) in, fill, (X that whereof . . . was) full,
fulness, [hand-] full, multitude.
H1471
גּי גּוי
gôy gôy
go'ee, go'-ee
Apparently from the same root as H1465 (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation;
hence a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts: -
Gentile, heathen, nation, people.
One Kingdom becomes Two Kingdoms - Southern Kingdom and Northern Kingdom
House of Israel/Ephraim/Ten Tribes and House of Judah/Tribe of Judah, Benjamin and 1/2 Levites
Pay attention to the scriptures after the division of the kingdom takes place as referenced in 1 Kings 11:31. Every time thereafter that the House of Israel is mentioned, now means the Ten Tribes (which God divorced and said they would one day be again "His People".
1Ki 11:31 And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:
God is very very specific about the people He speaks about throughout Old Testament and New Testament. If you think at this point House of Israel or Ephraim means Jews, you are totally missing the correct interpretations. Jews can only be (1) Of the House of Judah (ie tribe of Judah, Benjamin and Levites) or 2) someone who is living in Judea can also be referred to as a Jew.
The Ten Tribes (Lost sheep) are either referenced as House of Israel and also can be represented by Ephraim.
Gen 41:52 And the name of the second called he Ephraim:
For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.
I highlight "fruitful in the land of my affliction" because we are also in "the land of my affliction". We are not of this world, but for now, we are in the world as strangers passing through. God has promised His People salvation, protection and provisions.
OK. Do we know who some of the Gentiles are now? They are the Ten Tribes in the Diaspora. But Jesus said He has other sheep.
The other sheep is just like when the Israelites exodus from Egypt, Exo 12:38 And
a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle.
While in the wilderness for 40 years, how was this "mixed multitude" to be treated?
(Exodus 12:49)
One law shall be to him that is homeborn,
and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.
(Numbers 15:16)
One law and one manner shall be for you,
and for the stranger that sojourneth with you.
(Numbers 15:29) Ye shall have
one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel,
and for the stranger that sojourneth among them.
Now, let's quickly talk about Christ's sacrifice.
Lev 4:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them:
Lev 4:13 And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which should not be done, and are guilty;
Lev 4:22 When a ruler hath sinned, and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD his God concerning things which should not be done, and is guilty;
Lev 4:27 And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty;
Lev 5:15 If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the LORD; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the LORD a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering:
Heb 10:9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
Heb 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Heb 10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
(John 14:15) If ye love me, keep my commandments.
(John 14:21) He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
(John 15:10) If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
Now I have seen what seems to be many on the forum who are opting that Christ only gave two commandments. Those two are however, not all Christ commanded. Christ also commanded that we are to do what is spoken in Moses' seat. That covers the entire Torah (first five books of the Old Testament.)
Recap: Gentiles are both the Ten Lost Tribes (lost sheep) of the House of Israel/Ephraim in the Diaspora and Gentiles are non-Jewish and non-Israelite people.
The gospel is to all people of all races and nations. You just have to want to become part of Israel, the Kingdom that Christ is restoring.