God's Land of Liberty

Proselyte is the English form of the Greek word (pronounced) pros-ay-loo-tos, which meant an arriver from a foreign country. During the Old Testament period it meant a stranger who came to live among the Israelites, who was accepted as a citizen according to God's instructions. In the New Testament, proselyte was used to denote a convert to Judaism, and then later, by the Jews who recognized Jesus of Nazareth (see Nazarene) as the Messiah, as converts to Christianity.

"Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest"

During the time of the Old Testament, there were many foreign residents accepted within the Promised Land, a foreshadow of Gentiles being accepted for salvation for when all who truly obeyed God are "Israel" (see Physical and Spiritual Israel, also Grafting):

Earth

"And Solomon numbered all the strangers that were in the land of Israel, after the numbering wherewith David his father had numbered them; and they were found an hundred and fifty thousand and three thousand and six hundred" (2 Chronicles 2:17 KJV)

Among the first deacons (see Deacon and Deaconess) of the church was a proselyte to the Jews:

"Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business ... And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of The Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them." (Acts 6:3,5-6 KJV)

Proselytes were among the Christians at the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues [see Speaking In Tongues], as the Spirit gave them utterance."
"And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven [see Heavens Below, Heavens Above]. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God." (Acts 2:4-11 KJV)

Fact Finder: What did Jesus Christ say about the liberty that God offers - a place where all of the people of the world are welcome?
Matthew 11:28-30

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