Aren’t All Jews Saved?

So, the question has come up: Aren’t all Jews saved?

It’s not a new question.

It has been brought up many times by Christians who know that the Jews are God’s chosen people and many think that they have a pass to drive the fastrak lane right into the kingdom.

It reflects a misunderstanding regarding the place of Israel and the Jewish people in God’s plan of salvation and national redemption. If the Jewish people, or anybody for that matter, can be saved by any means other than knowing Yeshua (Jesus) as Lord, then He did not have to die on a cross as a sacrifice for sin.

There are, however, many who believe that the Jewish people have their own covenant with God, and they do. They have the Abrahamic covenant and Moses and that’s enough, therefore, many believe that Jewish evangelism is not a priority. That is not what I see in the Bible. A New Covenant was made with Israel (Jeremiah 31:31), and the Scriptures make it abundantly clear that Jewish people need to be brought to the knowledge of the truth of that covenant about their Messiah and saved from the consequences of sin like all people.

Jewish Objections To The Messiah

Jewish people have many objections to Yeshua being the Messiah. We need to know how to confront their skepticism and dismantle the objections, bringing back into focus the biblical precedent that the gospel is first to the Jew. That in itself would speak of the fact that not all Jews are saved, just as not all gentiles are saved. What is important for the Jew to understand is that Jesus is the Messiah of Israel and He is their Messiah. As my old professor Dr. Michael Brown says, “If the gospel is not for the Jewish people, it’s not for anyone, and if Jesus is not the Messiah of Israel, then he’s not the savior of the world.”

There is no place in Scripture that this is pointed out so specifically as in the book of Romans, chapters 9-10-11. In these chapters we see the heart of the Apostle Paul for his people Israel. He is passionate about his desire toward his brethren according to the flesh. Obviously, they are not all saved, and his heart is broken because of the lostness of his own people, the Jews.

This would obviously speak to the fact that there is not a covenant for the Christians, and another one for the Jews. In fact, these three chapters in Romans are the focal point and heavy burden that Paul carries in his heart for his people to see them come to a saving knowledge of their Lord, Messiah and Savior, Jesus.

Throughout this age, there have always been Jewish people who believe Jesus is the Messiah. That He did not come to abolish the Law or the prophets, but to fulfill (Matthew 5:17). Sadly, over the centuries, most Jewish people have turned away and not believed that Jesus is the Messiah, the one who DID fulfill the promises foretold in the Hebrew Scriptures.

Consequently, Paul shares with the Romans that he has great sorrow and unceasing anguish in his heart for the sake of his brothers, kinsmen according to the flesh.

I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit - that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen. (Romans 9:1-5)

Paul’s heart in chapter 9 is broken over the lostness of his people, fellow Jews. The obvious conclusion is that many were not saved.

In chapter 10, we see Paul interceding for his people because they were not getting saved.

Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. (Romans 10:1)

In spite of Paul’s calling as an apostle to the Gentiles, it didn’t diminish his continued prayers to God for Israel’s salvation or his efforts to reach his Jewish people with the Gospel. And yet, there is some doubt whether the Jews will be saved. Have missions to the Jews started to fail?

Finally, in chapter 11, Paul pleads with his Gentile, Roman audience.

I ask, then, has God rejected his people? God forbid! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” But what is God's reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. (Romans 11:1-5)

Paul is asking, “Has God rejected His people? God forbid! God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew.”

Paul is saying: I’m Jewish. I’m Jewish to the core. I’ll give you my tribal lineage. I’m saved. It can be done. From God Forbid sound it seems that Paul is having a problem. People aren’t witnessing to the Jews --- Romans weren’t.

The Roman Empire was a very un-Jewish place.

Politics of the day speak of the fact that there weren’t very close relations between Jews and Romans in Israel, so there certainly wouldn’t be back in Rome.

Jews Were Second-Class Citizens

We don’t have to look back 20 centuries to know that we don’t witness to those who are second class citizens, I’m afraid. I believe this is what happened back then until the Apostle of God said, GOD FORBID! Look, I’M ONE OF THEM.

Here we are, some twenty centuries removed from the Gospel, and virtually nobody witnessing to the Jewish people. No chance to come to Messiah.

Couple that with the present attack on Israel, protests against Israel in cities across America and around the world, and a modern day rise in antisemitism, and it seems Satan is thinking ahead, knowing on the last day that “all Israel will be saved,” (Romans 11:26), and eliminating Jews along the way as fast and furious as possible. Satan knows prophecy too.

It starts with a little ignoring of the Jew in the beginning.

It turns into racial hatred in the Middle Ages.

It turns into rampant murder in our modern age.

Back to the question we started with: Aren’t all Jews saved? We can see Paul’s heart and I believe he reflected God’s heart. The Jewish people need the message of the gospel, just like all people. The gospel, according to Paul, was to go to the Jew first and also to the Gentile (Romans 1:16). I believe that Gentiles within the church should play a major role in helping Jewish people make sense of Jesus.

Let’s all be about that business.