Circumcision

[daq]

Yes, you are referring to the circumcised believers there.

It has nothing to do with gentile believers, so I have no idea why you mentioned this as a response to my post.

That was their circumcision and, in that case, can only be circumcision of the heart. However dispensationist futurists have invented a mythological rapture which blinds them to the fact that Paul received that teaching from the Torah.

 

[Guojing]

That was their circumcision and, in that case, can only be circumcision of the heart. However dispensationist futurists have invented a mythological rapture which blinds them to the fact that Paul received that teaching from the Torah.

They were physically circumcised, and under the Law of Moses, as Acts 21:20.

They are not under the gospel of the uncircumcision (Galatians 2:7-9, Galatians 5:2)

 

[daq]

They were physically circumcised, and under the Law of Moses, as Acts 21:20.

They are not under the gospel of the uncircumcision (Galatians 2:7-9, Galatians 5:2)

Rightly divide:

Romans 2:28-29 ASV
28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh:
29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

There is no choice in the matter: those are emphatic statements which one either believes or does not believe.

Philippians 3:1-6 ASV
1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not irksome, but for you it is safe.
2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the concision:
3 for we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God, and glory in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh:
4 though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh: if any other man thinketh to have confidence in the flesh, I yet more:
5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
6 as touching zeal, persecuting the church; as touching the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.
1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not irksome, but for you it is safe.
2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the concision:
3 for we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God, and glory in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh:
4 though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh: if any other man thinketh to have confidence in the flesh, I yet more:
5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
6 as touching zeal, persecuting the church; as touching the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.

This is another emphatic statement: "for we are the circumcision".
And the following is yet another emphatic statement:

Romans 15:8-11 ASV
8 For I say that Christ hath been made a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given unto the fathers,
9 and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, Therefore will I give praise unto thee among the Gentiles, And sing unto thy name.
10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.
11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; And let all the peoples praise him.

Meshiah is the new Minister of the Circumcision, and therefore, because of these teachings herein above, Acts 15 is merely the entry-level position for the Gentile who desires to join Yisrael, as even was the case with Cornelius.

Cornelius had a Malak appear to him in the hour of prayer, the ninth hour which is one of the three prayer times: he was a righteous Gentile who set his heart with all his family to join the nation and people of Yisrael. After his appointed time he was no more a Gentile, circumcised the eighth day according to the Spirit, and according to the supernal Torah and the Prophets.

 

[Guojing]

Rightly divide:

Romans 2:28-29 ASV
28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh:
29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

There is no choice in the matter: those are emphatic statements which one either believes or does not believe.

I am glad you used the term rightly divide, which is the KJV instead of correctly handling, as in modern version.

So you need to rightly divide what Paul wrote, which parts are written to his circumcised brethren, which are Jews and us gentile believers.

So in Romans 2, he is writing to his unbelieving Jewish brethren, that it is not enough to be physically circumcised, they need to believe that Jesus is their Messiah, as well.

But those Jews that you referred to in Acts 21 are not in that category, they are the one who already believed Jesus as their Messiah, so they are under the jurisdiction of James Peter and John as in Galatians 2:7-9

Hope that clarifies

Philippians 3:1-6 ASV
1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not irksome, but for you it is safe.
2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the concision:
3 for we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God, and glory in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh:
4 though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh: if any other man thinketh to have confidence in the flesh, I yet more:
5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
6 as touching zeal, persecuting the church; as touching the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.

This is another emphatic statement: "for we are the circumcision".
And the following is yet another emphatic statement:

This is another frequently misinterpreted passage by people who do not rightly divide.

In verse 5, Paul talks about his own physical circumcision. That alone should tell you that the we in verse 3 cannot be referring to gentile believers, otherwise he would contradict himself in Galatians 5:2.

 

[Guojing]

Rightly divide:

This is another emphatic statement: "for we are the circumcision".
And the following is yet another emphatic statement:

If you are keen to understand more about my view of that verse, you can refer to the exchange I made with Studyman here

Are we subject to the Old Covenant today?

So at the end, are you agreeing or disagreeing with my claim? It is irrelevant, seems to me, whether I agree with your claims or not. Who am I? What I posted for review and discussion were the words of Paul which disagree with your claims. And also, Scriptures from the Law and Prophets which...

www.christianforums.com

 

[daq]

Shalom My Brother In Him,

Perhaps a small bit of context concerning the source of circumcision might be in order. After all, context is the only way to discern a 'prooftext' from a 'pretext', short of direct intervention by Adonai.

Think of the following as a key to understanding the interrelationships of elements in a matrix. The reason I bring it up is that 'circumcision' is one of those aforementioned elements as you will soon see.

Suppose we take the Days of Creation and use that sequence as primary elements needed to construct a matrix. In this case, only the first three sets are required. It would appear as follows;

1. Creative declaration
2. Covenants
3. Terms
4. Sign of Covenant

Day 1	Day 2	Day 3
Light/Darkness	Water Above/Water Below	Water/Land->Seed Plants
Adam	Noah	Abraham
Life	Saved from destruction	Blessings on Descendants and the Nations
Gates of the Garden	Rainbow	Circumcision

When Adonai separated Light from Darkness, these elements are clarified in Torah. Light & Darkness are repeatedly associated with life & death, good & evil, blessings & curses, etc., throughout scripture. Even His instruction is characterized as a 'lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path'.

His covenant with Adam is explained as follows;

We may understand the Sign of the Covenant as passing though the gates of the Garden of Life into a life ending in Death.

The second Covenant He made with Noah. Here He is bringing the Waters above and Waters below back together to flood the entire surface of the planet. At the end of Noah's ordeal, He makes a covenant promise that He will never again destroy the earth by Flood. In this covenant, Noah must obey His instruction in order to survive. But this covenant does not require Noah to do anything further to receive the blessings associated with this promise.

The Sign He gives is a Rainbow. Any physicist will tell you that a rainbow is formed by the refraction of the various frequencies of visible Light through the Waters above. Starting to catch on?

The third covenant He makes is with Abram. It has to do with Abram's seed. He changed Abram's name to Abraham to reflect His as yet to be fulfilled Promise to multiply his offspring exceedingly. Now do you see it? The Third Day, He separated the water from the land to produce Seed bearing plants

Pay carful attention here: The mark or sign of this covenant is the circumcision. Please notice (forgive me if this is a little graphic) that Abraham's Seed must pass through the Sign of the circumcision in order for the Covenant promise to be fulfilled.

In conclusion, anyone would have to go a long way to convince me that the Sign of the Covenant of Blessings to the Nations is now somehow irrelevant - To the Nations!

Shalom Shalom (that is 'Perfect Peace')

Amen, good post, and thank you for sharing that.
Thank you also for bringing this thread to my attention.

Do you understand what gentile means?

Maybe you missed my link that explains that this who are in Messiah are no longer gentiles.

I'll make it easy and spell it out.

Ephesians 2

11 Wherefore, remember that once you, the nations (Gentiles) in flesh - who are termed 'Uncircumcision' by those termed 'Circumcision,' in flesh, made by hands -"

Not anymore!

12 that you were, in that era, apart from Christ, being alienated from the citizenship of Israel, and guests of the promise covenants, having no expectation, and without God in the world."

Not anymore! Hmmm...covenants, plural.

13 Yet now, in Christ Jesus, you, who once are far off, are become near by the blood of Christ."

Citizens of Israel.


(CLV) Hb 8:10
"For this is the covenant which I shall be covenanting with the house of Israel after those days," the Lord is saying: "Imparting My laws to their comprehension, On their hearts, also, shall I be inscribing them, And I shall be to them for a God, And they shall be to Me for a people.


14 For He is our Peace, Who makes both one, and razes the central wall of the barrier"

No difference between those who were born into the false dogma of Judaism, and those who were born into the false teaching of Paganism. All of those in Yahshua are in the truth of YHWH's perfect Torah.

15 (the enmity in His flesh), nullifying the law of precepts in decrees, (dogma, Talmud) that He should be creating the two, in Himself, into one new humanity, making peace;"

Israel!

(CLV) Mt 15:24
Now He, answering, said, "I was not commissioned except for the lost sheep of the house of Israel."



16 and should be reconciling both in one body to God through the cross, killing the enmity in it."

(CLV) Num 15:15
As for the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the sojourner sojourning with you. It shall be an eonian (FOREVER) statute throughout your generations. Like you so shall the sojourner be before Yahweh.

17 And, coming, He brings the evangel of peace to you, those afar, and peace to those near, 18 for through Him we both have had access, in one spirit, to the Father." 19 Consequently, then, no longer are you guests and sojourners, but are fellow-citizens of the saints and belong to God's family,

(CLV) Num 15:16
One law and one custom, it shall come to be for you and for the sojourner sojourning with you.

(CLV) Ex 12:49
One law shall there be for both the native and for the sojourner sojourning in your midst.


(CLV) Lv 24:22
The same judgment shall you come to have; for the sojourner as well as the native shall it be: for I, Yahweh, am your Elohim.

(CLV) Num 15:29
For the native among the sons of Israel and for the sojourner sojourning in their midst, one law shall apply for you, to anyone doing it through inadvertence.

Amen.

Good thread topic, and for now, I have posted what I felt led to share herein.
Thank you for the opportunity presented by way of this thread.

 

[bbbbbbb]

I would offer that we should post the verses you mentioned, and examine them to see if Peter had turned away from teaching "against God's instruction", as you imply, and was suddenly interested in obedience to God that he said in Acts 5:32, would yield him the Holy Spirit. And Paul, seeing Peter suddenly honor God with obedience, rebuked Peter to his face because Peter had turned to God in obedience?

I know this isn't what Acts 15 or 21 teaches, which happened before the letters to the Galatians, and I'm not sure the implication of your philosophy is promoted by Gal. 2 either. But to find the truth, it seems prudent to actually examine what is written.

Gal. 2:11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.

12 For before that certain came from James, "he did eat with the Gentiles": but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. 13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.

Who was the Circumcision? Were they not the Pharisees? And whose LAW did the Pharisees promote? Are you saying that the Pharisees were on the "Law Keeping side"?

What did Jesus say about them.

Mark 7: 9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

Matt. 15: 7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. (Not God)

Matt. 23: 23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

John 7: 19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?

So according to the Jesus of the Bible, the Pharisees were disobedient to God, yes? Paul defines them in Titus 1: 16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

So whose Law was it against to eat with Gentiles? Was Paul rebuking Peter because he was eating with the Gentiles? Or because when the Jews came, he stopped eating with the Gentiles?

This would be an important question to answer before going forward.

I look forward to your answer and am eager to continue in the examination of this chapter.

Here is one of several passages. I prefer to look at them individually -

Galatians 2:1 Then after an interval of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also. 2 It was because of a revelation that I went up; and I submitted to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain. 3 But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 4 But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage. 5 But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you. 6 But from those who were of high reputation (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—well, those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me. 7 But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised 8 (for He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles), 9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 They only asked us to remember the poor—the very thing I also was eager to do.

11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. 13 The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?

 

[bbbbbbb]

If you had read through the thread; you would have seen post #462.

It's good to hear a matter out before answering.

I was quite aware of post #462, but thank you for bringing it to our attention again.

 

[bbbbbbb]

First off, it's the Renewed Covenant. Second, the tweak is that YHWH will write his eternal Torah on our hearts in his Renewed Covenant.

Where does it state that the Covenant made through the blood of Jesus Christ is not a New Covenant, but a Renewed Covenant?


Hebrews 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. 8 For finding fault with them, He says,

“Behold, days are coming, says the Lord,
When I will effect a new covenant
With the house of Israel and with the house of Judah;
9 Not like the covenant which I made with their fathers
On the day when I took them by the hand
To lead them out of the land of Egypt;
For they did not continue in My covenant,
And I did not care for them, says the Lord.
10 “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
After those days, says the Lord:I will put My laws into their minds,
And I will write them on their hearts.
And I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.
11 “And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen,
And everyone his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’
For all will know Me,
From the least to the greatest of them.
12 “For I will be merciful to their iniquities,
And I will remember their sins no more.”
13 When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.

 

[bbbbbbb]

I would disagree with that, as the New Covenant, like the old, is only made with the nation of Israel.

But yes, I understand much of Christianity view themselves as some form of "spiritual Israel or true Israel", that is how they consider the NC as for them too.

The implication seems to be that God has no covenantal relationship with Gentiles, nor has He ever had one and that Israel remains in their covenantal relationship with God. Am I correct in thinking this is your perspective?

 

[Guojing]

The implication seems to be that God has no covenantal relationship with Gentiles, nor has He ever had one and that Israel remains in their covenantal relationship with God. Am I correct in thinking this is your perspective?

The term covenant means a promise/contract between 2 parties.

God did not promised Gentiles anything after Abraham. If there is one from scripture, do let me be aware.

Israel is currently fallen in the eyes of God, that is why salvation is opened to us gentiles (Romans 11:11).

But we are not saved thru a covenant of any kind, we are saved by being in the Body of Christ (Ephesians 1:3-14).

For the nation of Israel, because of God's promises to their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, God has a future promise to save the nation later (Romans 11:25-29).

Hope my perspective is clear?

 

[bbbbbbb]

The term covenant means a promise/contract between 2 parties.

God did not promised Gentiles anything after Abraham. If there is one from scripture, do let me be aware.

Israel is currently fallen in the eyes of God, that is why salvation is opened to us gentiles (Romans 11:11).

But we are not saved thru a covenant of any kind, we are saved by being in the Body of Christ (Ephesians 1:3-14).

For the nation of Israel, because of God's promises to their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, God has a future promise to save the nation later (Romans 11:25-29).

Hope my perspective is clear?

Thank you. On what basis does God have any relationship with Gentiles? Or does God have any relationship, other than judgement, with Gentiles?

 

[Guojing]

Thank you. On what basis does God have any relationship with Gentiles? Or does God have any relationship, other than judgement, with Gentiles?

We in the body of Christ can call him Abba father. (Romans 8)

Was that what you are asking?

 

[bbbbbbb]

We in the body of Christ can call him Abba father. (Romans 8)

Was that what you are asking?

How is God the Father of Gentiles other than through Adam? I know many Gentiles who refer to God as Father or "The Man Upstairs" or other such names. Are they correct in doing so?

 

[Guojing]

How is God the Father of Gentiles other than through Adam? I know many Gentiles who refer to God as Father or "The Man Upstairs" or other such names. Are they correct in doing so?

You tell me, I am just using Romans 8 there.

 

[Guojing]

Now come on sir. Your entire adopted religious philosophy is founded on the teaching that Paul and the Apostles taught against the Torah. That is the reason why we disagree. At first you tried to use Acts 15 to promote this adopted philosophy. That proved unsuccessful when an honest examination of the chapter ensued. Now you are trying to use Acts 21 to promote the same thing. It seems disingenuous to now deny what the core of your religious philosophy is founded on.

I am open to Biblical "proof" sir, but so far the proof you have provided supports that Paul and James promoted the Torah, not that they taught against it.

If you are so certain I am trying to say Paul taught against the Law, you could at least quote my post when I actually said that.

 

[Studyman]

I don't add to scripture, when James and the elders confirm that the gentile believers are to do no such thing, I don't add caveats like "until you are more developed in the faith, or until whatever".

How is that adding? Are there not "babes in Christ", just as there are babes in nature? Would you tell your 2-year-old son to mow the lawn, and then punish him when he could not carry out the task? Of course not. You would wait "until the child is more developed in Faith or whatever". You would still teach your 2-year-old, but at this stage in his life, he wouldn't understand or be safe around a lawn mower.

Surely even you should know that as a man grows in Faith, so also does this same man "Grow in the knowledge of God".

1 Cor. 13: 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

Paul teaches all men, Jew and Gentile to;

Rom. 12: 1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Would the Apostles not also direct this same teaching to everyone?

1 Peter 2: 1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

1 Cor. 3: 1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

How can you judge Hark for pointing out the Biblical Truth that the Apostles didn't feed the new converts in Acts with meat "YET"?

Acts 15: 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; 29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

How foolish is it to promote that this "milk" is all the Apostles would ever teach the Gentiles. And yet that is the foundation of your religious philosophy it seems.

Hark simply pointed out to you an undeniable Biblical Truth. That Salvation is a journey which begins with Passover and God's Sabbaths, and as a man "Seeks the Kingdom of God and HIS Righteousness" more is Added to Him. Circumcision was a Sign between God and man which came after this growth, as the story of Abraham defines.

Perhaps you could step back and consider that maybe the Scriptures are right, and it's the "many" other voices in the garden, that come in Christ's Name, that we are to take heed of.

 

[Guojing]

How is that adding? Are there not "babes in Christ", just as there are babes in nature? Would you tell your 2-year-old son to mow the lawn, and then punish him when he could not carry out the task? Of course not. You would wait "until the child is more developed in Faith or whatever". You would still teach your 2-year-old, but at this stage in his life, he wouldn't understand or be safe around a lawn mower.

You are either adding to scripture or not.

Whether is it justified to add is a separate question.

 

[Studyman]

Keeping those 4 specific points is to respect the Jews that they are living with, as you have quoted, the Jews are preached the Law of Moses in the synagogues all the time.

The Jews were "Reading Moses" on God's Sabbath days, they were not "Teaching Moses". I would show you all the Scriptures which prove this important distinction, but I have already shown you, and you have chosen to ignore them.

Its for the sake of keeping the peace between the 2 groups of believers, it is not a sign that the gentiles are to also keep the Law of Moses.

That is what the religions of this world, "Who come in Christ's Name" preach. That there are 2 groups of believers, and therefore 2 Gospels, one for Jews, and one for Gentiles. 2 Faiths, one for Jews, and one for Gentiles, 2 bodies (Churches), one for Jews, and one for Gentiles. 2 Laws. one for Jews, and one for Gentiles.

I don't believe there are two groups of believers based on what the Scriptures actually say. I have posted the Scriptures already, and you ignored them. Nevertheless, I will post them again. Who know if you might accept them this time.

Eph. 4: 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 "One God and Father of all", who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

You are not the first religious man, who professed to know God, who tried to create a Wall of Separation between men based on DNA.

 

[bbbbbbb]

You tell me, I am just using Romans 8 there.

Here is Romans 8 -

8 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. 10 If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

12 So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— 13 for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 24 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was [l]raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written,

“For Your sake we are being put to death all day long;
We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Who is Paul addressing here? Jews? Gentiles? Neither? Both?