Do Jewish People Go To Heaven?

Question/Comment: 

----- Original Message -----

From: Name Withheld

To: Paul Stringini

Sent: Tuesday, September 03, 2013 3:53 PM

Subject: Important question?

Do Jewish people go to heaven?

Please feel free to email me at: Email Withheld

I am trying to save as many people as I can. Thank you for reading this.

Name Withhled

My Response:

----- Original Message -----

From: Paul Stringini

To: Name Withheld

Sent: Monday, October 21, 2013 2:13 PM

Subject: Re: Important question?

Hi Name Withheld, I'm sorry I put your question off for a while.  The way this question is worded makes it slightly complex.

 

I do not believe that anyone "goes to heaven," as is commonly believed.  The common belief is that we die and then we either "go to heaven,"  or we, "go to hell."  Neither Jesus nor his Apostles ever spoke of salvation in terms of "going to heaven,"  but rather in terms of the resurrection of the dead. I believe that when we die, we wait for the resurrection, and after that the judgment. 

See my article on the subject "I Believe in Death and in the Resurrection of the Dead."
http://oraclesofgod.org/doctrine/03_the_resurrection_of_the_dead.htm 
There is a written version and an audio version which can be downloaded or listened to online.

 

So, to restate your question: Will Jewish people be resurrected?  Definitely. All of them will be raised.  All people will eventually be raised in the resurrection.

 

John 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
John 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

 

So, though all will be raised, not all will share the same fate.  There is a resurrection of eternal life and  a resurrection of condemnation.  The resurrection of life is salvation. So the next logical question is whether Jewish people will be able to partake of the resurrection of life. 

At this point we have to define what we mean by "Jewish."  If by "Jewish" we mean "The race of Jewish people."  Most definitely.  There is nothing about being a member of the Jewish nation/race that prevents one of them from entering the kingdom of heaven.  God forbid, because the Gospel of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ was first preached to them and is an extension of the covenant God made with Abraham.

Romans 1:16 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.

Acts 3:25 Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
Acts 3:26 Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

 
The Gospel came first to the Jews, but in Christ the carnal distinctions between Jew and Gentile are made of no effect, because the kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom.

Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

 

"In Christ Jesus."  In Christ we are one.  Those who are not in Christ are not one with the Israel of God, the children of promise. And that verse is key because it begins to answer the next question. 

 

What if we define "Jewish" as being "those who practice the Jewish Religion?" In that case, they can only be saved insomuch as they practice their religion in accordance with faith in Christ.  In the New Testament, there are many Jewish believers; who observed Jewish customs and had faith in Christ.  But through the entire ministry of Christ, Christ condemns those who did not believe in him (as do also the Apostles).  And his Apostles also condemned them that believed not on the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

 

John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

That is the best I can do to answer your question simply.  If you have any further questions I will do my best to answer quickly.

 

Sincerely,

Paul Stringini