Gentile in the Bible

Who is a Gentile

Christianity Oasis Ministry provided the Gentile Bible quest for Truth concerning who is a Gentile in the Bible. We'll look into that and all aspects of the Christian Walk to find Truth, understanding and install genuine peace in you.

Welcome to our Christianity Oasis Christian Walk Bible study program. This is our utterly uplifting and extremely intriguing ... The Gentile Bible voyage into the meaning of Gentile and seeking understanding of who is a Gentile in the Bible and how the Truth from the Bible affects Christian gentiles today. This Who are the gentiles Bible study will truly enLIGHTen your be-YOU-tiful Christian walk. Let's look into this together.


The Gentile Bible Study

Who is a Gentile in the Bible

Let us begin shall we? This is a very important message as to not be deceived by those who would judge you for breaking this Christian law or that Christian law.

So, it is wise to choose to hear and adhere to the Gentile Bible study. What does the Bible say about the laws to be placed on he or she who is a Gentile (Those other than Jewish people) under the New Testament?

In the Book of the Acts, the Gentile Bible facts concerning laws that were to be placed upon Gentiles are presented, Peter said:

Acts 15:7-10

7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the Gospel, and believe.
8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by Faith.
10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

There would be changes made in the law for the Gentiles. But, what are those changes and who do they apply to? Let us look within the Bible for the Truth of who is a Gentile in the Bible and what laws are they to obey.

Much of the Bible used by preachers today, was actually intended for Jewish ears and eyes during the Time of the Jewish people. It is known as the Old Testament. It has laws and customs that were directed at the Jewish people.

Since the Time of the Gentiles began when Jesus died for our sins and a New Covenant was established, the Time of the Jewish people ended, and the Old Covenant and the old law were replaced by the New Testament.

Today, we live in the the Time of the Gentiles, which is based on the New Covenant.


There is a time period mentioned in the Bible known as the "Time of the Gentiles."

Luke 21:24

And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.


Romans 11:25

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.

Time for the Gentile Bible field trip ... The time of the Gentiles is the period of time which begins after Jesus' Resurrection but before the promised 1000 years of peace on Earth known as the Millennium. Just before the Millennium, there will be a 7 year time period known as the End Times.

So, from the Time of Jesus' Resurrection to these End Times is the period of time known as the Time of the Gentiles which is a time where Gentiles (individuals from any nation other than Israel) have been given the opportunity to accept Jesus as their Savior. Preachers like Paul, were chosen by God to bring the message of Truth to these Gentiles.

2 Timothy 1:11

Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

Here we have a Who is a Gentile in the Bible trivia question ... How do we know that the Time of the Gentiles didn't begin until the death of Jesus?

Matthew 10:5-7

5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.


Matthew 15:22-28

22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto Him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
23 But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
24 But He answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
26 But He answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.
27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.
28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

Though Jesus did hook this Gentile woman up cuz of her Faith.

The Gentile Bible Study Covenant
Who is a Gentile in the Bible Debate

As you can see, the Lord has allotted a specified period of time for the Gentiles to accept Jesus as their Savior which began at His Resurrection and the start of the New Covenant and continues until the End Times.

Who is a Gentile in the Bible? The one who is not subject to Jewish customs or laws. Romans, Chapter 11, you'll find that one of God's chosen people of Israel can be saved during the Time of the Gentiles as well.


When considering any topic in the Bible, it's important to consider the entire Bible ... Not just limited scriptures to prove a (limited) viewpoint.

Jewish or Gentile?

The Gentile Bible study further asks and answers the mysterious questions of who is a Gentile in the Bible and what laws were/are different for the Gentile as compared to the Jewish people?

So, how does one discern what custom, tradition, law, etc., applies to whom? First let's distinguish the difference between a Jewish person and a Gentile person. A Jewish person is a descendant of Jacob, also known as the children of Israel. A Gentile is a person from any other nation (lineage).

Who is a Gentile in the Bible verses tidbit of Truth ... If you're new to Christianity, or you know little of religion and history, it's important to know two things. Gentile does not mean Christian, it simply means non-Jewish. It's also important to know, that a Jewish person can also be a Christian. And whether you're young or old or learned or unlearned, the important thing to know and remember is that since the creation of the New Testament, we're all God's people if we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior.

Romans 10:12

For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.


Galatians 3:28-29

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Now, amidst this wonderful new promise that God has given to us, both Jewish and Gentile ... Since the dawning of the New Testament, we seem to have gotten some things confused. Many people like to take the Bible, and pick and choose various customs and traditions of the old law and impose them on everyone.

Freedom and Responsibility

The New Testament ... The New Covenant

Let's take things step by step for a moment:

The Old Law was a written law which people had a difficult time following.

Jeremiah 31:31-34

31 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord:
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

The Gentile Bible Scripture proves that God replaced it with the New Law, a better Covenant which is righteousness put into our hearts by God.

Hebrews 8:6-13

6 But now hath He obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also He is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
8 For finding fault with them, He saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
13 In that He saith, A new covenant, He hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

Laws for the Gentile Bible Study
Who is a Gentile in the Bible Gift

Now, here's where it gets tricky for some people. Jesus said:

Matthew 5:17-20

17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the Prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18 For verily I say unto you, Till Heaven and Earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Jesus explained the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant:

Matthew 5:38

Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth ...


Leviticus 24:19-20

19 And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbor; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him;
20 Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again.

Jesus explains what it means to exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees:

Matthew 5:43-48

43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in Heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect.

The Gentile Bible Truth is that Jesus is not changing the laws but rather explaining the Spiritual essence of them. It is clear that no law can apply to all situations.

To learn more about this, see the following study:

Breaking Tradition

The Gentiles Bible study solves the puzzle of who is a Gentile in the Bible and reveals God's new law versus Grace policy.

As noted earlier, in today's world, people like to pick and choose laws to impose on others. This was even a challenge for the Apostles, who, though they witnessed the Gospel firsthand from Jesus, they still had tendencies to lean toward the old traditions of the Jewish customs.

To learn more about this, see the following study:

Paul (who was Jewish) was called to be the Apostle to the Gentiles. At the beginning of the Christian movement, Peter and Paul had a dispute about different Jewish traditions.

Paul confronted Peter about holding on to the Jewish tradition of not entering the house of or eating with the Gentiles:

Galatians 2:11-14

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.
14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the Truth of the Gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

The Holy Spirit was obviously on Paul's side on this issue because He had shown Peter that the Gentiles were accepted by God.

By way of a vision that Peter received, he learned the Truth that Gentiles were accepted into Christianity.

Acts 10:9-16

9 Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:
10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,
11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending upon him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:
12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.
14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.
15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.
16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.

The Gentile Bible Study Concerns
Who is a Gentile in the Bible Dispute

A Gentile named Cornelius, sent for Peter by the Word of an Angel of God to come and share the Gospel with him and his family. And while Peter preached to Cornelius and his friends and relatives, the Holy Spirit came upon them:

Acts 10:44-47

44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the Word.
45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?

Let us return to the who is a Gentile in the Bible and what laws are they to adhere to, story ... When Peter returned to Jerusalem, the Jewish people were upset with him because he ate with the Gentiles, but Peter explained how the Holy Spirit reminded him that the traditions have changed:

Acts 11:15-18

15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.
16 Then remembered I the Word of the Lord, how that He said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as He did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

Specifics

Again, the Gentile Bible stories continue ... In the Acts of the Apostles, concerning laws that were to be placed upon the Gentiles, Peter said:

Acts 15:7-10

7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the Gospel, and believe.
8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by Faith.
10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

Here is an important who is a Gentile to obey point ... There was a discussion between the Religious Leaders as to what the laws should be for Gentiles.

After discussions were had ... This was the verdict.

Acts 15:19-20

19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

This wasn't only a judgment made by Peter and James, but the Holy Spirit as well. This was written in letters to the Gentile Bible groups:

Acts 15:28-29

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.

So there was understanding that laws given in the Old Covenant to the Jewish people, who could not bear ... Were not to be placed on the Gentile Christians. This ruling was given not by man alone, but by the Holy Ghost.

These rules were:

Abstain from:

  1. Meats offered to idols
  2. Fornication
  3. Blood
  4. Things strangled

Blessings of the Gentile Bible Study
Who is a Gentile in the Bible Rules

As the Apostles spread the Gospel of the New Testament among the Jewish people, the Apostle Paul went to the Gentiles, and in the New Testament of the Bible, we have his letters in which he explains some of these Gentile laws.

Meats Offered To Idols

The study below will further explain this matter:

Jesus gives an explanation that is very easy to understand:

Matthew 15:17-20

17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

It is not what goes in our mouths that brings forth sin, but what comes forth from our mind and hearts by way of our words and deeds.

Another message to grasp from this is that if there is something righteous that you believe in and wish to live by, that's just fine, but if another believes differently, don't try and force your beliefs on another. If someone differs in opinion with you about certain things, that doesn't mean they are less of a Christian than you ... it means that they are different than you. Naturally, we're not speaking of obvious evil beliefs. Paul also covers this issue:

Romans 14:21

It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

This is saying that we should not do these things IN FRONT OF those who it may offend or cause to become weak and stumble.

Then Paul said ...

Romans 14:22-23

22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.
23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

But, if you know that there is nothing wrong with it (As long as you do not do so in excess) to have Faith and you may do so in privacy and before God. Do not allow their doubt to negatively affect your Faith in Truth.

Gentiles Bible Study Warning
Who Are the Gentiles in the Bible Fornication Rules

Naturally, there were laws against fornication in the Old Testament. Even before the Old Testament, the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of fornication. That's not to say that fornication is limited to homosexuality ...

Leviticus, Chapter 18 is filled with laws against fornication.

Paul confirms the law against fornication many times in his letters throughout the New Testament:

1 Corinthians 6:9-10

9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the Kingdom of God.


1 Corinthians 6:13

Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.


1 Corinthians 6:18

Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.


Galatians 5:19-21

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.


Ephesians 5:3-5

3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh Saints;
4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God.


Colossians 3:5-11

5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the Earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him:
11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.


1 Thessalonians 4:1-7

1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.
2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.
3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.
7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

The Gentile Bible Study on Grace
Who is a Gentile in the Bible Summary

Reminder:

Before we go any further, let me remind you, about the Grace of God. Don't let anyone tell you that you're going to hell because you committed fornication sometime in your life. If you have confessed and repented to the Lord about your sin, He has forgiven you.

See the Grace Page.

Blood

This was also a law of the Old Testament, not to eat blood whether the beast was dead or alive, and if one did, they were considered unclean for a certain period of time and/or until they washed in water.

Leviticus 3:17

It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.


Deuteronomy 12:15-16

15 Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the roebuck, and as of the hart.
16 Only ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as water.


Deuteronomy 12:23-24

23 Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood is the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh.
24 Thou shalt not eat it; thou shalt pour it upon the Earth as water.

Simple enough ... Do not eat blood.

Things Strangled

This is a commandment which seems to suggest we are not to partake of anything strangled.

Jesus gave us the true essence of how to fulfill the laws.

The Great Commandment

Never forget, aside from the rules that we learned about after Jesus' death, there are things that God has put in all of our hearts ... and the decision is ours as to whether or not we follow them with all of our heart or not:

Matthew 22:36-40

36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Love for God is the greatest law.

Love for others is the second greatest law.

Love for one another is fulfillment of the Law.

Romans 13:8

Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.


Romans 13:10

Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.


Galatians 5:14

For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

And of course ...

Romans 10:9

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

The Gentile Bible study sharing the absolute Truth found within the who is a Gentile in the Bible summary results are clear ... The Gentile Bible laws have changed and the renewed gentile laws apply to ... You.


There is a force out there that is attempting to overtake us all; it is Satan. There is another force that is protecting us from him; it is the Holy Spirit. It is a battle for souls. This battle is called Spiritual Warfare, and like it or not, you are right in the middle of it.

How to Prepare for Spiritual Warfare