Who are the people of God?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The people of God were first established through Abraham and his descendants, the nation of Israel, whom God called to be holy and set apart as a blessing to the nations (Genesis 12:2; Exodus 19:5-6; Deuteronomy 7:6). God’s covenant people were meant to reflect His glory and faithfulness. Jesus opened the way for all people—Jew and Gentile alike—to become part of God’s family through faith in Him (John 1:12–13; Romans 10:12; Galatians 3:28–29). Being part of God’s people is not about ethnic lineage but about a personal relationship with Jesus, who unites believers into one spiritual community (John 10:14–16; 1 Peter 2:9–10; Ephesians 2:11–22). All believers are called to live as God’s chosen, holy people, reflecting His love, mercy, and truth to a world that desperately needs Him.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• In Genesis, God calls Abram (later Abraham) to leave his homeland to go to a new land God would show him. God promised that He would make Abraham's descendants into a great nation (Genesis 12:2). These descendants became the nation of Israel, the first people of God. Through Jesus, all people who accept Jesus Christ as Lord can be the people of God.
• Throughout the Bible, the Jewish people are consistently referred to as the people of God. In Deuteronomy 7:6, after sharing the Ten Commandments and the Law with the Israelites, Moses lets them know that they are the people of God: "For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth" (see also Exodus 19:5–6).
• God directly spoke and confirmed that the Israelites are His people in Old Testament prophecies from both Isaiah and Ezekiel (Isaiah 51:16; Ezekiel 38:14).

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• When Jesus came, there were questions surrounding the idea of whether the salvation He offered was only for the Jews or if non-Jews (Gentiles) could also place their faith in Jesus and become people of God. The Bible confirms that Jesus came to save all of mankind, not just Israel: “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12–13).
• The apostle Paul, often referred to as the apostle of the Gentiles, made it clear that in God’s eyes, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise” (Galatians 3:28-29).
• Paul also made it clear that the Gospel is for “everyone who believes,” Jew and Gentile (Romans 1:16).

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Not too long ago, genetic DNA testing became a fad. People wanted to know if they were descended from an “important” line—maybe a king or queen. For most, an ancestor who was a baker or miller was less exciting.

But Christians are part of an even more exciting family: God’s. Scripture tells us that believers are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood”---but thankfully, that status is on the basis of our belief in Christ, not our DNA (1 Peter 2:9). In fact, John the Baptist told the Jews of his day, “And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham” (Luke 3:8).

Becoming a child of God doesn't require being of Jewish descent. Anyone who accepts Jesus Christ as Lord becomes one of His people. What unites the people of God is that they have all made the choice to follow Jesus rather than the ways of the world. We can repeat the refrain of an old hymn: “I have decided to follow Jesus . . . no turning back, no turning back.”

UNDERSTAND

• God’s people began with forming the nation of Israel, called to be holy and a blessing to the nations.
• Through Jesus, all who believe—Jew or Gentile—become part of God’s family.
• God’s people are united by faith in Jesus and called to reflect His love and truth to the world.

REFLECT

• How do you personally experience being part of God’s people?
• How are you reflecting God’s character and truth in your life as a member of His family?
• How does understanding that God’s people include all who believe in Jesus, not just a specific ethnicity, impact the way you view your relationship with other believers?

ENGAGE

• How can we better reflect God’s character and truth to those around us?
• What challenges or opportunities arise when uniting believers from diverse cultural or social backgrounds as one people of God?
• How does the mission of being God’s chosen people shape the way we interact with the wider world and share the message of Jesus?