One Gospel for Jews and Gentiles, Part 1:
The Scriptures

This teaching comes from the King James Bible, and every verse I quote is from the KJV.

These are my own convictions from the Word of God, shared through The Prevailing Word of God ministry, and they do not speak for any local church.

There is a false teaching circulating on social media, including Facebook, which claims that there are two different gospels of salvation, one for Jews and another for Gentiles.

No biblical passage establishes two different ways of receiving eternal life through Jesus Christ. Scripture repeatedly teaches that Jews and Gentiles are saved by the same grace through faith in the same Savior (Acts 15:7-11; Ephesians 2:14-16).

Descriptive.

“For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby” (Ephesians 2:14-16).

The teaching, stated fairly

Those who hold this view usually point to Galatians 2:7, where Paul speaks of “the gospel of the uncircumcision” and “the gospel of the circumcision.” They take those phrases to mean two different gospels with two different ways of being saved, one preached by Peter to Israel and another preached by Paul to the nations. Some add that Israel was offered a kingdom on the ground of faith plus obedience, while the Gentiles were offered grace through faith alone.

Galatians 2 itself answers that reading. Two verses later Paul says the apostles gave him “the right hands of fellowship” so that he and Barnabas “should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision” (Galatians 2:9). That is a division of fields, not a division of gospels. In the same chapter Paul tells Peter that “a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ” (Galatians 2:16), and in the chapter before he says that anyone who preaches “any other gospel” is accursed (Galatians 1:8-9). Paul did not preach one gospel to Gentiles and tolerate a second one for Jews. He preached one and condemned every other.

Anyone who believes this divisive teaching must explain how it can agree with the following Scriptures. They declare again and again that salvation through faith in Jesus Christ unites all believers into one body. No one can defend a doctrine that divides what Jesus Christ died to unite.

I. Scriptures that explicitly teach no division among believers

Galatians 3:26-29. All believers are the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Whether Jew or Greek, bond or free, male or female, all are one in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:11-18. Jesus Christ broke down the middle wall of partition between Jews and Gentiles, made of the two one new man, and reconciled both to God in one body by the cross.

Ephesians 3:6. Gentile believers are fellowheirs with Jewish believers, of the same body, and partakers of God’s promise in Christ by the gospel.

Romans 10:11-13. There is no difference between the Jew and the Greek concerning salvation. The same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him.

Romans 3:21-24. The righteousness of God is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe. All have sinned and need God’s grace.

Romans 3:28-30. The one God justifies the circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision through faith, not through separate methods of salvation.

Acts 15:7-11. Peter declares that God put no difference between Jewish and Gentile believers, purifying their hearts by faith. Both are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:12-13. Whether Jews or Gentiles, bond or free, all believers are baptized by one Spirit into one body.

Colossians 3:9-11. In the new man there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, bond nor free. Christ is all, and in all.

Acts 10:34-35. Peter perceives that God is no respecter of persons, and that in every nation he that feareth Him and worketh righteousness is accepted with Him.

Galatians 5:6. In Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing, but faith which worketh by love.

Galatians 6:15. In Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing, but a new creature.

Ephesians 2:19-22. Gentile believers are no more strangers and foreigners. They are fellowcitizens with the saints and of the household of God.

Ephesians 4:4-6. All believers share one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all.

Romans 1:16-17. The gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

II. Additional Scriptures confirming the same salvation for Jews and Gentiles

Acts 10:28. God shows Peter that he should not call any man common or unclean.

Acts 10:43-48. Whosoever believeth in Jesus Christ receives remission of sins through His name. The Gentiles receive the Holy Spirit before water baptism.

Acts 11:15-18. Peter acknowledges that God gave Gentile believers the like gift of the Holy Spirit and granted them repentance unto life.

Acts 13:38-39. Through Jesus Christ forgiveness of sins is preached, and all that believe are justified from all things.

Romans 2:9-11. There is no respect of persons with God in His judgment, whether of the Jew or of the Gentile.

Romans 4:9-12. Abraham is the father of all them that believe, both circumcised and uncircumcised, who walk in the steps of his faith.

Romans 4:16-17. The promise is of faith, that it might be by grace, and Abraham is the father of many nations.

Romans 9:24. God calls His people not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles.

Romans 11:17-24. Believing Gentiles are graffed into the same olive tree and partake of its root and fatness. They stand by faith, not by any claim of superiority.

Romans 15:7-12. Jesus Christ confirms the promises made unto the fathers and brings the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy.

1 Corinthians 1:22-24. Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks.

1 Corinthians 7:18-24. Circumcision, uncircumcision, bondage, and freedom do not determine a believer’s standing with Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:24-27. God tempered the body together so that there should be no schism in it. All believers are members one of another and care for one another.

Galatians 2:11-16. Paul withstands Peter for conduct that separated Jews from Gentiles. A man is justified by the faith of Jesus Christ, not by the works of the law.

Galatians 3:7-9. They which are of faith are the children of Abraham. God justifies the heathen through faith.

Galatians 3:13-14. Through Jesus Christ the blessing of Abraham comes on the Gentiles, and believers receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

James 2:1-5. Believers must not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with respect of persons, favoring the rich over the poor.

1 Peter 1:17. The Father judges without respect of persons according to every man’s work.

III. Scriptures declaring salvation to people of every nation

Matthew 8:10-12. Jesus marvels at a Gentile centurion’s faith and says that many shall come from the east and west and sit down in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 28:18-20. Jesus commands His disciples to teach all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to observe all that He commanded.

Luke 24:46-47. Repentance and remission of sins must be preached in Jesus Christ’s name among all nations.

John 1:12-13. As many as receive Jesus Christ and believe on His name are given power to become the sons of God, born of God and not of blood.

John 3:14-18. Whosoever believeth in Jesus Christ should not perish but have everlasting life. The offer is not limited by nation or ancestry.

John 4:39-42. Samaritans believe on Jesus Christ and confess that He is the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

John 10:16. Jesus speaks of other sheep whom He must bring, so that there shall be one fold and one shepherd.

Acts 2:17-21. God pours out His Spirit upon all flesh, and whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Acts 17:30-31. God commands all men every where to repent, because He has appointed a day in which He will judge the world by Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:14-21. Christ died for all. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. God reconciles the world unto Himself by Christ and commits to believers the word of reconciliation.

1 Timothy 2:3-6. God will have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

Titus 2:11. The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.

Hebrews 2:9. Jesus Christ by the grace of God tasted death for every man.

1 John 2:2. Jesus Christ is the propitiation not for our sins only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

1 John 4:14. The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

Revelation 5:9-10. By His blood Jesus Christ redeemed men to God out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.

Revelation 7:9-10. A great multitude of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues stands before the throne and the Lamb, crying that salvation belongs to God.

Revelation 14:6. The everlasting gospel is preached unto every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.

IV. Five passages that settle the question

Acts 15:7-11. Jewish and Gentile believers are saved through the same grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and God purifies their hearts by faith.

Romans 10:12-13. There is no difference between the Jew and the Greek concerning salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Galatians 3:26-29. All believers become the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, whatever their nation, sex, or station.

Ephesians 2:14-16. Jesus Christ broke down the middle wall of partition, made of the two one new man, and reconciled both unto God in one body by the cross.

Ephesians 3:6. Gentile believers are fellowheirs with Jewish believers and of the same body through the gospel.

V. The biblical conclusion

The New Testament recognizes historical, national, and covenantal distinctions between Israel and the Gentiles. Those distinctions do not establish two different ways of receiving eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Scripture teaches one Savior, one saving grace, one faith in Jesus Christ, one body, and one new man in Him. Different audiences do not establish different gospels of salvation.

My question to anyone teaching two separate saving gospels is simple. If God put no difference between believing Jews and Gentiles in salvation (Acts 15:9-11), and Jesus Christ reconciles both through the same cross into one body (Ephesians 2:14-16), where does Scripture explicitly establish two different ways of receiving eternal life?

One Savior. One gospel of salvation. One faith. One body. One new man in Christ Jesus.

Part 2 of this series walks through the same Scriptures as a single connected argument: One Gospel for Jews and Gentiles, Part 2. Part 3 answers the objections the teaching makes: One Gospel for Jews and Gentiles, Part 3.

Related study: For a full expository answer to the Mid-Acts dispensational teaching of two gospels, read One Saviour. One Saving Sacrifice. One Gospel.

Series guide: Read all four studies in order at One Gospel for Jew and Gentile.

2 Corinthians 5:18-21 (KJV)

18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.