I have written about the unity that Arabs and Jews can find in Christ because "He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall" (Eph.2:14). At the cross and through the empty tomb, God at once showed us all that each of us, regardless of our ethnicity or nationality, are equally wretched, but equally loved. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, those who believe are united in our identity and salvation.
But I recently had an observation about another form of unity between Jews and Arabs through Christ. When a Muslim comes to faith in Christ, believing in His deity and sonship, and trusting in His work on the cross, he will face much pain and persecution. The community may reject him and he will have to die to his former religious identity as a Muslim. Similarly, when a Jew comes to realize that Jesus is in fact the Messiah, he, too, will suffer persecution. His community may reject him, and he too will have to die to his identity as Jew in the broader society.*
Scripture teaches us that such trouble, such hardship will come (2 Tim. 3:12, John 15:20). This suffering is not only inevitable, but a necessary part of what it means to follow Jesus (Phillipians 1:29). In fact, it is a necessary part of forming a new identity - a true identity - in Christ (Phil. 3:10-11). Is it not fascinating that Arab Muslims who come to faith experience such pain and so do Jews? Is it not in fact poetic that these two peoples, who in other contexts are at odds and find separate causes to justify killing each other, become unified not in inflicting pain on each other, but in sharing the same pain for the sake of Christ?
The Gospel is true for many reasons - philosophical, historical, and existential. And the Gospel is poetic - in its narrative, its meaning, and yes, in its outworkings in the sufferings of its followers leading to eternal communion with God.
Abdu Murray
*I firmly believe that Jews who come to believe that Jesus is Messiah don't stop being Jews. Rather they are completed Jews in Biblical, Old Testament Judaism.