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Would it make sense for a gentile to convert to Judaism?

JohnB445

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Before when I didn't know any religion I thought I should start there because I needed to understand the Old Testament first. But before that even happened I already found Jesus and know he is my savior.

But I am curious would it make any sense for a gentile to convert to Judaism? I don't think the Orthodox Jews would even consider them Jewish, read that somewhere but I don't know.

But I am thankful we are not under the law.
 

ewq1938

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Before when I didn't know any religion I thought I should start there because I needed to understand the Old Testament first. But before that even happened I already found Jesus and know he is my savior.

But I am curious would it make any sense for a gentile to convert to Judaism? I don't think the Orthodox Jews would even consider them Jewish, read that somewhere but I don't know.

But I am thankful we are not under the law.

Kind of answering your own question here. If one goes to Judaism, then how hard will it be to accept the idea of being freed from law keeping and how could a Jewish believer accept Jesus as Messiah since they teach he was not the Messiah?
 
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eleos1954

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Before when I didn't know any religion I thought I should start there because I needed to understand the Old Testament first. But before that even happened I already found Jesus and know he is my savior.

But I am curious would it make any sense for a gentile to convert to Judaism? I don't think the Orthodox Jews would even consider them Jewish, read that somewhere but I don't know.

But I am thankful we are not under the law.

You have become a Christian .... a follower of Christ. Orthodox Jews do not believe Messiah has come yet. There is Messianic Judaism that combines Christianity—most importantly, the belief that Jesus is the Messiah—with elements of Judaism and Jewish tradition.

I would encourage you to study God's Word for the most part topically. That way of studying gives you exposure to both OT and NT scripture/teachings and also shows how they fit together. You can go here and search on words/phrases etc. on anything you might have on your mind. Many different translations. Also, provides the Greek and Hebrew lexicons it very simple and quick to use. A great study tool.
www.biblehub.com

God Bless.
 
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ewq1938

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I would assume over time they will find out through the scripture.

I wouldn't assume that is what would happen. They teach Jesus was not the Messiah, and that a Jewish Rabbi will be and that he might even be living on the Earth now.
 
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Brotherly Spirit

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Oddly I know what you mean. This year I learned there is Messianic Judaism, even has gentile believers. Basically it's Jewish Christianity as I understand it, they accept both Testaments of the Bible. But they have more of a Jewish understanding when approaching scriptures and Jesus. It's something I've found interesting, here's a YouTube channel which has Messianic Judaism 101 videos. Just search it's videos with "Messianic Judaism 101", also includes "Yeshua or the Torah? Why Not Both?" videos which I haven't but want to watch.
 
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paul1149

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This is essentially the question that the early church stumbled upon in Acts 15:

Some men came down from Judea and began to teach the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom prescribed by Moses, you cannot be saved! ” -Acts 15:1​

This contention was so momentous it precipitated the first ecumenical church council. After a lot of back and forth, including what the recounting of what those who had ministered to Gentiles had experienced of them coming to Christ and being baptized in the Holy Spirit just like the first disciples, James summarized his sense of what the Lord wanted to do, and everyone felt the Spirit was in agreement. Namely, there was no need for Gentiles to be circumcised or follow the letter of the law. Paul subsequently goes into a lot of detail on the theology behind it in the book of Galatians.
 
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Tolworth John

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But I am curious would it make any sense for a gentile to convert to Judaism?

No it makes no sence to become a gentile believer in Judaism.
Jesus is our saviour, we need to follow him.

What I would suggest is to badger/pester your minister to teach on the OT.

The disciples preached the good news of Jesus using the OT.
It is revelevent to us today. So read it, study it and become a pain to those ministers who don't preach from it.
 
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Dave-W

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But I am curious would it make any sense for a gentile to convert to Judaism? I don't think the Orthodox Jews would even consider them Jewish, read that somewhere but I don't know
If you undergo a conversion from any other sect of Judaism, the Orthodox will not accept it. If you have a Reform or Reconstructionist conversion, the Conservatives will not accept it. If you have a Messianic conversion, most Reform synagogues will not accept it.
 
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Dave-W

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Paul has some rather negative things to say about Jewish conversion in Galatians. So unless there are extreme other reasons for doing so, don’t do it.
 
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Dave-W

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FireDragon76

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Paul has some rather negative things to say about Jewish conversion in Galatians. So unless there are extreme other reasons for doing so, don’t do it.

Not to mention, despite the official religion being accepting of gentile converts (but not requiring or encouraging it per se), converts do not necessarily find the social acceptance they might desire. Judaism is more than a religion in the western sense, more than a strictly "creedal faith".
 
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Tolworth John

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If one undergoes a Jewish conversion, one is no longer a Gentile.

As per your reply no9 a gentile convert remains a gentile.

It makes no sense to under go jewish converstion because salvation is through faith in Jesus, not by becoming Jewish.
 
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One God

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Jews who understood scripture, who were present when Jesus appeared, gave up their traditional religion and embraced the new way [later called Christianity at Antioch] by the thousands.
Why think you should be better to pick up what they, with first hand experience, laid down?
 
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Dave-W

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As per your reply no9 a gentile convert remains a gentile.
According to whom? You?

The Talmudic sages which shaped modern Judaism said a gentile who converts was NO DIFFERENT than the native born son. And they (as Jews) alone have the right to say who is a Jew and who is not. (not = gentile)
 
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Dave-W

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Jews who understood scripture, who were present when Jesus appeared, gave up their traditional religion and embraced the new way [later called Christianity at Antioch] by the thousands.
Why think you should be better to pick up what they, with first hand experience, laid down?
Not exactly. They still considered themselves Jews. When Paul was arrested he identified as a Pharisee. (present tense, not past tense) It was not until 135 ad that there was a clear separation between church and synagogue.
 
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ewq1938

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Not exactly. They still considered themselves Jews. When Paul was arrested he identified as a Pharisee. (present tense, not past tense)

That was to defend himself concerning teaching a resurrection and he wanted the Pharisees to side with him against the Sadducees. He was not a Pharisee once he converted to Christianity. He also later in Acts referred to being a Pharisee in the past tense and recounted what he used to do against Christians.

It was what Paul taught against the practices of the Jews that made Jews want him dead including Pharisees. Paul gave up his old Pharisee ways for new Christian ways and he was beaten by the Jew many times for what he taught.

2Co 11:23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
2Co 11:24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.


Gal 1:13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:

Here he speaks of the Jew's religion as their religion, not including himself as part of their religion. This is because he practiced a different religion than the Jews.

Gal 1:14 And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
Gal 1:15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
Gal 1:16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
Gal 1:17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

And this speaks to his religious and spiritual conversion to Christianity.
 
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Dave-W

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He was not a Pharisee once he converted to Christianity.
Of course he was. So was James the brother of the Lord. In fact, James led one of the 2 schools of the Pharisees until he was killed by several of his students in the mid 60s ad.
 
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Dave-W

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Obviously not from the passages I posted. "the Jews religion" was not Paul's religion.
The “Jews religion” and Christianity were the same until 135 ad.
 
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