“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.””
Matthew 28:19-20 NASB1995
When Christ instructed the apostles to make disciples of all nations of Jewish believers and Gentile proselytes commanded all disciples submit to the Jewish worship ordinance of baptism. And this baptism was not infused of the Holy Spirit until 10 days later at Pentecost. The account then is as follows:
“Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 2:37-38 NASB1995
All the different countries at that festival in Jerusalem and heritages of Christians around the globe since then have all adopted the NT Jewish believer worship ordinances. But now Gentiles are not required to keep the OT Jewish laws regarding circumcision, the kosher diet, Jewish festivals and the like. There is no Jew or Gentile in Christ.
Jesus kept the Jewish laws perfectly. He was circumcised, he was baptized, he followed the kosher dietary regimen, and he celebrated all of the Jewish holidays. In his lifetime and his Great Commission, he never said Gentiles didn’t have to keep the Jewish laws too. Rather, he directed that all his commandments be observed. And he imputed his righteousness to anyone who would receive it.
Gentiles didn’t even have a baptism. So when Jesus gave the Great Commission to his Jewish disciples they thought Gentile believers would continue to convert as proselytes and practice the Hebrew laws too. Justification was now automatically imputed, but the Jewish laws were not abolished.
““Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.” Matthew 5:17 NASB1995
The New Covenant Was Initially Given To Israel
It’s not that God didn’t know his plan of salvation or new covenant was for all cultural heritages. It is that he initially chose the people of Israel to receive it.
Jesus was a rabbi of Jewish disciples. He was crucified at the wish of the non-believing Jewish people and resurrected before the Holy Spirit was given.
When Christ appeared to the disciples one last time after teaching them for 40 days, giving his Great Commission, he did not dismiss the Jewish laws. And he did not instruct that Gentiles do not need to follow them. Rather, he commanded that all disciples be baptized.
The new covenant initially was for Israel and Gentile procelytes. The disciples were to be baptized in water. This was a Jewish tradition. Again, this was before Pentecost demonstrated the power of the Holy Spirit. Christ imputed perfect obedience to the Jewish laws for all, but gave no instructions to stop circumcision, the kosher diet, or the religious holidays.
Peters Dream Shows Gentiles Are Cleansed, But Still Doesn’t Abrogate The Jewish Laws
The Jewish laws were so ingrained in the apostles that Peter needed a vision to be repeated three times before he agreed to baptize Cornelius (Acts 10). This was in 38 A.D., 8 years after Christ died. Even though Cornelius was saved, he had to adopt the Jewish rules.
“But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.” Again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.””Acts 10:14-15 NASB1995
“And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.” Acts 10:28 NASB1995
Not only was the kosher diet kept by Jews, but they still didn’t associate with Gentiles 8 years after the commission.
Despite thousands years of having chosen the nation of Israel, the Holy Spirit fell on Gentiles now too. We don’t exactly know how much of the Jewish law Cornelius knew, but he was a Roman centurion.
“While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?”” Acts 10:44, 46-47 NASB1995
Peter reluctantly baptized Cornelius, but only with much direction by the Holy Spirit. He was given his ‘blanket of foods’ vision three times. God had to showed him this eight years after the Great Commission, and Peter still didn’t fully and retentively understand.
Pauls Evangelism Embraces Those Who Did Not Know The Jewish Laws
Finally, in 44 A.D. Paul was ordained (Acts 13:1-3) and evangelized in Asia. He initially went to the Jewish synagogues, but then he preached to any Gentiles who would listen. The Holy Spirit fell on many. And many of them did not know the Jewish laws at all.
Paul reported this to Jerusalem, and in 49 A.D., along with Peter’s testimony, the Jerusalem council dismissed the necessity to become a Jewish proselyte (Acts 15:9). This was 19 years after the commission. This meant all nations, without keeping the Jewish laws, could make disciples.
This is what most today think Jesus meant previously when he gave the Great Commission. But now circumcision, the kosher diet, and the Jewish festivals were finally, officially, 19 years later, not required. The Jewish laws were now useless for salvation as the Holy Spirit was indiscriminate.
“Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles,”
Acts 15:19 NASB1995
The Jewish Worship Ordinances Continued To Be Delivered And Gentiles Adopt Them
Nevertheless, the next year, when Paul left for his second missionary journey, he and the other apostles continued to deliver the entire package of Jewish worship ordinances. They didn’t force the Jewish laws such as circumcision or a kosher diet, but they did regulate the Jewish worship ordinances.
The churches in Paul’s 50 A.D. trip received the water baptism Jewish believers practiced after Pentecost showing their divine regeneration, the headship ordinance to teach God’s new authority inserting Christ as mediator and king to mankind, and the New Testament infused Passover dinner of bread and wine to remember Christ’s sacrifice. These were regulated by the apostles and practiced by churches of God at every location.
Paul was a Jewish believer and took a Nazarite vow on his first trip to Corinth. This was 20 years after the Great Commission. He stayed there 18 months. And he faithfully delivered the Jewish worship ordinances as commandments of the Lord. There were no other practices at the churches of God. 
“Paul, having remained many days longer, took leave of the brethren and put out to sea for Syria, and with him were Priscilla and Aquila. In Cenchrea he had his hair cut, for he was keeping a vow.” Acts 18:18 NASB1995
We Gentiles too still practice the Jewish believer worship ordinances. The water baptism, the headship ordinance (though many now follow the Easter bonnet rebellion of 1969), and the New Testament-infused Passover. Both Jews and Gentiles practice God’s worship traditions. In 51 A.D. Paul wrote,
“So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.” 2 Thessalonians 2:15 NASB1995
Despite the pride in his Jewish heritage, three years later in 53 A.D. Paul would communicate,
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Galatians 3:28 NASB1995
And another three years in 56 A.D. Paul would regulate the commanded church protocols he delivered previously.
“But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.”
1 Corinthians 11:3 NASB1995
The economy of the persons of God was new and the headship ordinance taught and reminded. God inserted Christ as mediator and king to mankind. This is the authority to which believers submit.
After defending the church worship custom with the hermeneutics of creation sequence, creation purpose, creation method, the angels, and the nature of hair, he said the apostles were in universal agreement and the churches did not practice men covering or women taking their head covers off.
“But if one is inclined to be contentious, we have no other practice, nor have the churches of God.”
1 Corinthians 11:16 NASB1995
By 57 A.D. Paul understood his mission. He had tavelled far and suffered greatly. When he said he was apostle to the Gentiles he understood that the original group were mostly apostles to the Jews. He wrote in his epistle to the Romans.
“But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,” Romans 11:13 NASB1995
Conclusion
God knew the Gentile believers were included in the promise to Abraham. But it WASN’T AT the Great Commission in Matthew 28 that a Gentile upbringing was recognized as equally holy as a Jewish heritage. This officially came 19 years later after God fell on believers from both heritages, Jews and Gentile, and the Jewish apostles dismissed their laws for non-Jewish believers. Messianic Christians and Gentile believers may have different nationalities and heritages, but by the decision of the apostles and the mercies of the Holy Spirit, they have one Lord and one set of God given church ordinances by which to worship him.
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The Ninevite 