The People of the Living God

Who are the people of the living God? More and more I am hearing that people are claiming they are the true people of God. But, how do we know who His people are? Shouldn’t we be able to go to the scriptures to find out exactly who God considers His people to be? I have been in discussions with people that claimed only black folks were even able to be saved because they are the true Israelites. Others have said anyone that follows the Mosaic Laws will not be saved because they are now against the will of God. Yet others say that following the law of God is not a requirement for salvation, but rather it is something to be done with the intent to show that believers love the Father. These are all groups that claim to be believers.

I believe that to definitely be the case and I believe that there is an abundance of Biblical evidence to support who the people of God are. This entire blog comes from the idea found in 1 Peter.

1 Peter 2: 9-10

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

Based on this passage, we can see a few things. First, this is a chosen “generation”. I would like to point out that the Greek word translated as generation is only translated as generation 1 time and it is in this verse. This word, genos, is usually translated as “kind”, “nation,” or “offspring”. I only point this out due to the argument that this verse was directed at a certain time of people and not for all readers of that and after that time. So, we can see then that God’s people are a chosen kind or nation of people.

Second, a holy nation of priests and a special group of people. When I read this, I thought to myself that this sounded awfully familiar, so I went back to the Torah to find out where I had saw this. Sure enough, it was there.

Exodus 19: 5-6

Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

Thus far, it seems that again, the New Testament is not coming up with new ideas but rather reiterating the old ones that had been lost or hidden by the traditions of men.

Third, this is a group of people that were once not a people, but are now a people. This sounded similar to another passage from the New Testament from the book of Romans.

Romans 9: 24-26

even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? As He says also in Hosea: “I will call them My people, who were not My people, And her beloved, who was not beloved.” “And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ There they shall be called sons of the living God.”

At this point, because the verse mentions the book of Hosea, I had to go and check it out in order to understand the true context of this statement made by Paul. It seems that both Paul and Peter are quoting from the same book, and that they are in agreement with one another in terms of who is being discussed as the people of God. So, where do we find this verse in Hosea and who is it that is being discussed in this book.

Hosea 2:23

Then I will sow her for Myself in the earth, And I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy; Then I will say to those who were not My people, ‘You are My people!’ And they shall say, ‘You are my God!’”

The entire book of Hosea is speaking of the nation of Israel and how they had disobeyed the commandments of God. YHWH discusses the punishment of this nation as well as how they are no longer His people. Then, in the verse above, He is speaking about how He will bring them, the nation of Israel, back to Him. Now, if the book of Hosea is referring to the northern tribes of Israel that were lost and scattered among the nations of the world, and Paul as well as Peter are quoting from this book in reference of who God’s people are, we can only conclude believers are the lost tribes of Israel that had been scattered among the nations.

There is no way around this. We cannot force an interpretation into something to make our understanding work. Instead, we must bend to the understanding of what was being discussed and referred to within the context that it was meant to have. If this is the case, then when we see the word gentiles in the New Testament in reference to believers we then also have to conclude that the gentiles that became believers can only be members of the lost tribes. This makes sense considering they had lost their identity among the gentile nations. This was prophesied by YHWH Himself.  

Deuteronomy 28: 15, 64

But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:

Then the Lord will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you shall serve other gods, which neither you nor your fathers have known—wood and stone.

It is clear Israel did not obey the commands of YHWH. He divorced them and scattered them among the nations of the entire world calling them not His people because of their sin. His compassion for His special people, Israel, causes Him to gather them back together to Him by taking on the curse of their sin through His only begotten son Yeshua (Jesus). We, as believers are the lost sheep of Israel. This is not a bad thing, but actually a really, really good thing. Consider Yeshua’s words found in the book of Matthew.

Matthew 15: 24

But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.