WHY CHOOSE TO BE A GENTILE?
By Roswell F. Cottrell
Why prefer to be “strangers and foreigners,” when you might be “fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God”? Why choose to remain of that class that are “without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world”? See Eph. 2: 11-20. I am asked, “Where was the Sabbath given to the Gentiles?” The reply is, “The Sabbath was made for man.” All have the privilege to enjoy its blessings who will; but it never was given to the Gentiles as such. There are no special laws to the Gentiles; neither is there any covenant with them, or promise to them; only as they shall come and join themselves to the “Israel of God,” and submit themselves to the laws of God. The new covenant is made “with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah.” Jer. 31: 31; Heb. 8: 8. Said Paul, speaking of his own people, “Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, (plural), and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen!” And Jesus himself said, “Salvation is of the Jews.” Why then desire to remain without? The middle wall is broken down, and you may come in. And I remember one precious promise to you. It is recorded in Isa. 56: 6, 7: “Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; even them will I bring to my holy mountain,” &c. Why remain without? Enter in, and receive the blessing. R. F. COTTRELL.