(Re: Are you teaching *replacement theology?)
No, for even though the Church is Israel (Revelation 21:9,12; 1 Peter 2:9-10), the Church does not "replace" Israel because Gentiles in the Church are grafted in by God to become only parts of an already-existing Israel (Romans 11:17,24, Ephesians 2:12,19, Galatians 3:29, John 10:16) which includes the Jews in the Church (Romans 11:1).
(See also paragraphs 2-3 of the "Tribes" section of Romans 11:17 above. And see paragraphs 2-5 of the "fulness" part of Romans 11:25 below)
~
(Re: *Inheriting the *promises to Israel) / (The *land)
If even those who are "strangers" in Israel can inherit the land of Israel (Ezekiel 47:21-23), then certainly Christian Gentiles, who are "no more strangers" to Israel (Ephesians 2:12,19), will inherit the land of Israel during the future Millennium of Revelation 20:4-6. And they will inherit the land and all of the other promises given by God to Israel (Ephesians 2:12,19, Ephesians 3:6, Galatians 3:29, Genesis 12:7) along with all of the elect Jews who have ever been saved in the past or who will get saved in our future, including at Jesus Christ's Second Coming (Zechariah 12:10-14, Romans 11:25-32).
(See also the "land" section of Acts 1:6 above. And see paragraphs 4-5 of Acts 1:6 above. And see Galatians 3:29 below)
~
(Re: Was Jesus a Jew?)
Jesus Christ is a Jew (John 4:9,22, Luke 2:21).
~
(Re: *Lost tribes?)
Jews include individuals from tribes of Israel other than Judah, for the apostle Paul is truly a Jew (Acts 22:3) and he is of the tribe of Benjamin (Romans 11:1). Indeed, Jews include individuals from all twelve of Israel's tribes, for there are no lost tribes insofar as the ten northern tribes were not entirely lost to history. In 722 BC the northern kingdom of Israel fell and its individuals were taken into captivity into Assyria (2 Kings 18:11), never to return to the land of Israel. They and their descendants were lost to history, but the ten northern tribes in themselves were not lost to history.
For some 200 years before the captivity of the northern kingdom of Israel, when it first become idolatrous, some individuals from all ten of the northern tribes left the northern kingdom to become part of the southern kingdom of Judah (2 Chronicles 11:16-17) and so by definition they all became Jews. Also, some individuals from the ten northern tribes remained in the land of Israel even after its defeat by Assyria, and some of them went to Judah at the time of King Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 30). It is for these reasons that later the Jews who returned from the Babylonian Captivity could be referred to as "all Israel" (Ezra 2:70, Ezra 6:17, Ezra 8:25,35, Ezra 10:5, Nehemiah 7:73, Nehemiah 12:47), and why the Jews living in the first century AD could be referred to as including all twelve tribes (Acts 26:7, James 1:1, Acts 2:36,22,5), and why at that time Anna could be said to be of the northern tribe of Asher (Luke 2:36), one of the so-called "lost" tribes.
So the people alive today who are descended from a first century AD Jew would include individuals from all twelve tribes. Some of these descendants could know that they are Jews because their individual ancestors over the last 2,000 years kept their Jewish identity and did not intermarry with Gentiles. But others of these descendants could know themselves only as Gentiles because their individual ancestors over the last 2,000 years eventually abandoned their Jewish identity and intermarried freely with Gentiles to the point where their descendants alive today are almost entirely Gentile genetically. Similarly, regarding the individuals of the northern kingdom of Israel who were lost to history at its captivity, over the past 2,700 years their descendants must have eventually abandoned their Israelite identity and intermarried freely with Gentiles to the point where their descendants alive today would know themselves only as Gentiles and would be almost entirely Gentile genetically.
(Re: *Nonelect Israelites/Jews are not truly Israel)
While God knows which individuals alive today are descended from one of the twelve sons of Jacob/Israel from whom the twelve genetic tribes of Israel arose (Genesis 49:28), nonelect Israelites/Jews are not considered by God to be truly Israel (Romans 9:6-11) or truly Jews (Revelation 2:9b, Revelation 3:9) or God's children or Abraham's children, but the children of the devil (John 8:39-47), just as all nonelect individuals, whether Jews or Gentiles, are considered by God to be the children of the devil (Matthew 13:38-39).
Some genetic Israelites are Christians and so are members of the Church (Ephesians 4:4-6) and Israel at the same time, just as, for example, the genetic Jew Paul the apostle (Acts 22:3) is a member of the Church and Israel at the same time (Romans 11:1). And some still-living, non-Christian genetic Israelites are still considered by God to be Israel insofar as they are elect (Romans 11:25,28). All of the still-living, elect, non-Christian genetic Israelites who do not become Christians before Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming will become Christians (and so will become members of the Church: cf. Ephesians 4:4-6) at His Second Coming (Romans 11:26) when they will see Him in person (Zechariah 12:10-14). But even though all those still-living, elect genetic Israelites will eventually become Christians and be saved from hell, they will be only a remnant of all genetic Israelites (Romans 9:27), most of whom will never be saved from hell, just as most of humanity in general, whether Jews or Gentiles, will never be saved from hell (Matthew 7:14, Matthew 22:14).
(Re: Judah's *territory / An *American analogy)
Just as those individuals of the tribe of Benjamin, for example (Romans 11:1), are Jews (Acts 22:3) because they are descended from those who lived in the kingdom of Judah (2 Chronicles 11:1-3), so those individuals of all of the other tribes of Israel are Jews who are descended from those who came to live in the kingdom of Judah (2 Chronicles 11:16-17). For the definition of "Jew" includes those who have connection with the territory of Judah (See Strong's word numbers G2453, G2448, H3063, and H3064), not just those who are genetically a part of the tribe of Judah.
An analogy would be people born in different countries in Europe, people whose ancestors were also born in those different countries going back into ancient times. If they immigrate to America and become naturalized citizens of America, this will not change their genetic identities. They will still be genetically English, or French, or German, or Italian, or Spanish, or Greek, etc. And only the original inhabitants of America, the American Indians, can be said to be genetic Americans. In this analogy, the nation/territory of America represents the kingdom/territory of Judah. The European immigrants represent the genetic members of the tribes of Israel other than Judah. All Americans, including the European immigrants who became naturalized citizens of America, represent all Jews. And the American Indians represent the genetic members of the tribe of Judah. Again, this is just an analogy for how "Jews" can include genetic members of every tribe of Israel.
(Re: The tribes are *not countries) / (*Countries)
The twelve tribes of Israel are not countries or regions (as is sometimes claimed), but consist of individuals who can be living in any country or region. Otherwise, one's tribe would change whenever one moved from one country or region to another. Also, nothing requires that any of the nominally-Christian nations today are descended from any of the ancient twelve tribes of Israel, instead of them all being simply Gentile nations. For Christians come from every ethnicity on the earth (Revelation 5:9b). And only a remnant of genetic Israel gets saved (Romans 9:27), just as only a remnant of humanity as a whole gets saved (Matthew 7:14, Matthew 22:14). Also, the entire Church throughout the world is the twelve tribes of Israel (Revelation 21:9,12).
(See the "Tribes" section of Romans 11:17 above. Also, see the "Nonelect Israelites" paragraphs above)
--
*Romans 11:20-22 / *Rom. 11:20 -
This is a warning to each individual Gentile Christian who is currently standing by faith (Romans 11:20) that he can end up being cut off the same as a non-Christian (Luke 12:45-46), he can end up losing his salvation, if he does not continue in God's goodness.
(See also the "NOSAS" section of Hebrews 3:6 below)
~
(Re: The *fear of God)
Christians are commanded to fear God (1 Peter 2:17, Luke 12:5, Hebrews 12:28-29; 2 Corinthians 7:1, Ephesians 5:21, Acts 9:31). They must remain in fear of being cut off the same as non-Christians if they do not continue in God's goodness (Romans 11:20-22, Luke 12:45-46). They must work out their own ultimate salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12b; 1 Peter 1:17, Romans 2:6-8), knowing the terror of the future judgment of Christians by Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10-11) at His Second Coming, when some Christians will end up losing their salvation because of unrepentant sin (Luke 12:45-46, Hebrews 10:26-29), or unrepentant laziness (Matthew 25:26,30, John 15:2a), or apostasy (Mark 8:35-38, Hebrews 6:4-8).
(See paragraph 2 of Luke 12:4-5 above)
Some Christians mistakenly think that they should not have any fear of God because they misunderstand, for example, 1 John 4:18 and 2 Timothy 1:7.
(See those verses below)
~
(*Phobos-fear)
There is no dichotomy between loving God and phobos-fearing Him. For Christians must at the same time both love God (John 14:21-24; 1 John 5:3, Romans 8:28) and tremble in phobos-fear before Him (see the original Greek of Philippians 2:12b, 2 Corinthians 5:10-11, 2 Corinthians 7:1, Acts 9:31, Ephesians 5:21, 1 Peter 1:17, Romans 11:20-22, 1 Peter 2:17, Luke 12:5, and Hebrews 10:26-29).
~
(Re: But should we preach fear to save people?)
That depends on the person. Some people are saved through compassion, others through fear (Jude 1:22-23). Jesus Christ used both ways, depending on a person's need at the time: either merciful kindness (John 8:3-11) or a fearful warning (Mark 9:43-48, Luke 12:5, Matthew 10:28). But even when He showed merciful kindness to people, He never told them that it was okay to continue in their sin, but said to sin no more (John 8:11, John 5:14).
--
*Romans 11:24 / *Rom. 11:24 -
Here the "good" olive tree does not have to be Jesus Christ/God Himself (Matthew 19:17). For the original Greek word (kallielaios: G2565) translated as "good olive tree" simply means "a cultivated olive tree, i.e. a domesticated or improved one" (Strong's Greek Dictionary). It does not require moral perfection.
(See also paragraph 2a of section 2 of Matthew 19:17 above)
--
*Romans 11:25-29 / *Rom. 11:25 -
Here the Gentiles are genetic Gentiles, the people addressed throughout Romans 11:13-31, who are not genetic Jews like the apostle Paul (Romans 11:1,14). Both individual, genetic Jewish Christians (natural branches) and individual genetic Gentile Christians (engrafted wild branches) are branches in the good olive tree of Israel (Romans 11:17,24). For when Gentiles become Christians they "come in" (Romans 11:25) to be part of Israel (Romans 11:17,24, Ephesians 2:12,19, Galatians 3:29). The fruit of each individual branch would be the good works of each individual (Colossians 1:10). It is the genetic Jews who are "blind in part", meaning that some (in the sense of not all) of them are spiritually blind while others are not (Romans 11:7-10). For "blindness in part is happened to Israel" (Romans 11:25) in its genetic sense (Romans 11:1,14), that is, genetic Jews (Acts 22:3). Also, in Romans 11:25-26, "Israel" includes elect, genetic Jews who are not yet Christians (Romans 11:28), but who will become Christians eventually (Romans 11:26).
(Re: The *fulness of the Gentiles)
When the apostle Paul says: "until the fulness (pleroma: G4138) of the Gentiles be come in" (Romans 11:25), he means until a full number of Gentile individuals have become Christians, which will not happen until near the end of the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24, right before Jesus Christ's Second Coming (Romans 11:26) immediately after the Tribulation (Matthew 24:29-30); just as Luke 21:24 shows that "the times of the Gentiles" will not be "fulfilled (pleroo: G4137)" until the completion of the treading down of Jerusalem during the future, literal 3.5-year worldwide reign of the Antichrist (the individual-man aspect of Revelation's "beast") (Revelation 11:2b, Revelation 13:5-18) during the second half of the future Tribulation.
Immediately after the future Tribulation, when the whole world will see the amazing return of Jesus Christ Himself from heaven (Matthew 24:29-30, Revelation 1:7), all of the still-living, unsaved, elect Jews will be ashamed and weep and become Christians when they see Jesus and realize that He truly is their salvation (Zechariah 12:10-14, Romans 11:26-29). And so they will all become part of the Church at that time, just as when Jews become Christians now they become part of the Church, for there are no Christians outside of the Church (Ephesians 4:4-6).
And the Jews who will become Christians at Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming will all become part of the Church by receiving some measure of God's Holy Spirit, who is "the spirit of grace and of supplications" in Zechariah 12:10 (Hebrews 10:29c, Romans 8:26), just as Jewish Christians today become part of the Church by receiving some measure of the Holy Spirit, for it is by receiving some measure of the Holy Spirit that both Jewish and Gentile Christians become part of the Church (Romans 8:9b).
Also, if the Jews who will become Christians at Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming had been religious Jews, they will not continue to mistakenly try to keep the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law, because they will then be believers in the truth that...
(See the "Law" section of Ephesians 2:15 below)
Also, the fullness of the Gentiles coming in during the future Tribulation does not mean that no Gentiles will be added to the Church during the subsequent Millennium, because they will be (Isaiah 66:19-20). For "fullness" does not have to mean "no more after that". For example, even after a cup has been filled with wine, more wine can be added to it so that the "cup runneth over" (Psalms 23:5b). Also, it does not matter that the new Christians during the Millennium will be added to the Church/bride (of Ephesians 4:4-6, Ephesians 5:30-32) after the marriage of the Church to Jesus Christ at His Second Coming (Revelation 19:7), for as many husbands have discovered, a bride can increase in size sometime after her wedding.
~
(Re: Does it say fullness of "the number"?)
Romans 11:25 does not have to say: "until the fulness (pleroma: G4138) of the number of the Gentiles be come in" to mean that, just as, for example, Revelation 6:11 does not have to say: "until the number of their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled (pleroo: G4137)" to mean that. For pleroo, upon which pleroma is based, can refer to the fullness of a number (Acts 7:23).
Also, the Greek noun pleroma (fullness) does not by itself require that it has already happened, for it can be employed with reference to a future fullness, just like its verb form pleroo can refer to the future (Luke 1:20b).
Also, while the spiritual fullness of some Gentiles was already a past event (Acts 10:45) when the apostle Paul wrote his letter of Romans, that could not have been the fullness of the Gentiles referred to in Romans 11:25 because the blinded part of Israel was still blind (enemies of the gospel: Romans 11:28) when Paul wrote Romans. And Romans 11:25 means that the blindness will be lifted at the time of the fullness of the Gentiles.
In Romans 11:25, when the apostle Paul says: "blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in" (Romans 11:25), the original Greek verb (eiserchomai: G1525) translated as "be come in" is not in the present tense, as if the fullness of the Gentiles had already occurred at the time that Paul wrote the letter of Romans. Instead, "be come in" is in the aorist tense and subjunctive mood, for there is an "until" preceding it. The fullness of the Gentiles has not already come in and the blindness in part which has happened to Israel will continue "until" the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
~
(Re: Regarding your reference to Acts 7:23 in the section above: Acts 7:23 contains a number, while Romans 11:25 does not)
While Acts 7:23 does contain the number forty, Romans 11:25 may not contain a number simply because a number had not been revealed to the apostle Paul. Or it had, but he had been told by God that it would not be lawful for him to reveal it (cf. 2 Corinthians 12:4).
~
(Re: Joel 2:28-29)
The receiving of God's Holy Spirit by the Jews who will become Christians at Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (Zechariah 12:10-14) will not be a fulfillment of Joel 2:28-29. For Joel 2:28-29 refers to prophesying, which is one of the Spiritual gifts miraculously given to some Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles, currently by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:8-10). And prophesying will cease at Jesus' Second Coming (Zechariah 13:1-6; 1 Corinthians 13:8-12). Joel 2:28-29 began to be fulfilled in the first century AD at the Pentecost in Acts 2 (Acts 2:16-18). And it continues to be fulfilled today for some Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles, when they receive Holy Spirit baptism (Acts 19:2,6).
(See also paragraphs 2-3 of Mark 16:16 above)
~
(Re: Is "Gentiles" in Romans 11:25 mistranslated?)
No, the original Greek word (ethnos: G1484) is properly translated as "Gentiles", for in the context of Romans 11, as in the letter of Romans generally, the apostle Paul uses "ethnos" to refer to Gentiles as opposed to genetic Israelites/Jews (Romans 11:1-25, Romans 3:29, Romans 9:24).
--
*Romans 11:26 / *Rom. 11:26 -
(And so all Israel shall be saved)
The original Greek word (houto: G3779) translated as "so" can be used in the sense of "then" (Acts 20:11b). For it can refer to "what precedes or follows" (Strong's Greek Dictionary). That is, the salvation of all of the surviving, elect genetic Jews in Romans 11:26 will follow the fullness of the Gentiles being come in, in Romans 11:25c, which will happen near the end of the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24.
~
(There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer)
This refers to Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming immediately after the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24 (Matthew 24:29-31, Revelation 19:7 to 20:6), when all of the still-living, non-Christian, elect genetic Jews (Romans 11:28-29) will become Christians when they see the returned Jesus in person and believe in Him (Zechariah 12:10-14, Zechariah 13:1,6, Isaiah 4:3-4, Romans 11:26).
(See also the "fulness" part of Romans 11:25 above)
~
(Re: Preterism?)
The prophecy referred to by the apostle Paul in Romans 11:26 (Isaiah 59:20) did not happen in 67-70 AD, for Isaiah 59:19b-20 refers to the same, still-unfulfilled Second Coming of Jesus Christ to rescue the surviving Jews in Jerusalem as in Zechariah 14:2-5, after which the physically-returned Jesus Himself (Zechariah 14:4, cf. Acts 1:11-12) will personally save the surviving, non-Christian elect Jews (Zechariah 12:10-14, Isaiah 4:3-4, Romans 11:26). Also, at His Second Coming, Jesus will restore Jerusalem and set up the Millennial aspect of His Kingdom on the earth (Zechariah 14:8-21, Micah 4:1-4) with the Church for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:4-6, Revelation 5:10, Revelation 2:26-29).
(See also Zechariah 14(space) above)
-
Next entry / Prior / Table of Contents
Dec 12, 2018
No, for even though the Church is Israel (Revelation 21:9,12; 1 Peter 2:9-10), the Church does not "replace" Israel because Gentiles in the Church are grafted in by God to become only parts of an already-existing Israel (Romans 11:17,24, Ephesians 2:12,19, Galatians 3:29, John 10:16) which includes the Jews in the Church (Romans 11:1).
(See also paragraphs 2-3 of the "Tribes" section of Romans 11:17 above. And see paragraphs 2-5 of the "fulness" part of Romans 11:25 below)
~
(Re: *Inheriting the *promises to Israel) / (The *land)
If even those who are "strangers" in Israel can inherit the land of Israel (Ezekiel 47:21-23), then certainly Christian Gentiles, who are "no more strangers" to Israel (Ephesians 2:12,19), will inherit the land of Israel during the future Millennium of Revelation 20:4-6. And they will inherit the land and all of the other promises given by God to Israel (Ephesians 2:12,19, Ephesians 3:6, Galatians 3:29, Genesis 12:7) along with all of the elect Jews who have ever been saved in the past or who will get saved in our future, including at Jesus Christ's Second Coming (Zechariah 12:10-14, Romans 11:25-32).
(See also the "land" section of Acts 1:6 above. And see paragraphs 4-5 of Acts 1:6 above. And see Galatians 3:29 below)
~
(Re: Was Jesus a Jew?)
Jesus Christ is a Jew (John 4:9,22, Luke 2:21).
~
(Re: *Lost tribes?)
Jews include individuals from tribes of Israel other than Judah, for the apostle Paul is truly a Jew (Acts 22:3) and he is of the tribe of Benjamin (Romans 11:1). Indeed, Jews include individuals from all twelve of Israel's tribes, for there are no lost tribes insofar as the ten northern tribes were not entirely lost to history. In 722 BC the northern kingdom of Israel fell and its individuals were taken into captivity into Assyria (2 Kings 18:11), never to return to the land of Israel. They and their descendants were lost to history, but the ten northern tribes in themselves were not lost to history.
For some 200 years before the captivity of the northern kingdom of Israel, when it first become idolatrous, some individuals from all ten of the northern tribes left the northern kingdom to become part of the southern kingdom of Judah (2 Chronicles 11:16-17) and so by definition they all became Jews. Also, some individuals from the ten northern tribes remained in the land of Israel even after its defeat by Assyria, and some of them went to Judah at the time of King Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 30). It is for these reasons that later the Jews who returned from the Babylonian Captivity could be referred to as "all Israel" (Ezra 2:70, Ezra 6:17, Ezra 8:25,35, Ezra 10:5, Nehemiah 7:73, Nehemiah 12:47), and why the Jews living in the first century AD could be referred to as including all twelve tribes (Acts 26:7, James 1:1, Acts 2:36,22,5), and why at that time Anna could be said to be of the northern tribe of Asher (Luke 2:36), one of the so-called "lost" tribes.
So the people alive today who are descended from a first century AD Jew would include individuals from all twelve tribes. Some of these descendants could know that they are Jews because their individual ancestors over the last 2,000 years kept their Jewish identity and did not intermarry with Gentiles. But others of these descendants could know themselves only as Gentiles because their individual ancestors over the last 2,000 years eventually abandoned their Jewish identity and intermarried freely with Gentiles to the point where their descendants alive today are almost entirely Gentile genetically. Similarly, regarding the individuals of the northern kingdom of Israel who were lost to history at its captivity, over the past 2,700 years their descendants must have eventually abandoned their Israelite identity and intermarried freely with Gentiles to the point where their descendants alive today would know themselves only as Gentiles and would be almost entirely Gentile genetically.
(Re: *Nonelect Israelites/Jews are not truly Israel)
While God knows which individuals alive today are descended from one of the twelve sons of Jacob/Israel from whom the twelve genetic tribes of Israel arose (Genesis 49:28), nonelect Israelites/Jews are not considered by God to be truly Israel (Romans 9:6-11) or truly Jews (Revelation 2:9b, Revelation 3:9) or God's children or Abraham's children, but the children of the devil (John 8:39-47), just as all nonelect individuals, whether Jews or Gentiles, are considered by God to be the children of the devil (Matthew 13:38-39).
Some genetic Israelites are Christians and so are members of the Church (Ephesians 4:4-6) and Israel at the same time, just as, for example, the genetic Jew Paul the apostle (Acts 22:3) is a member of the Church and Israel at the same time (Romans 11:1). And some still-living, non-Christian genetic Israelites are still considered by God to be Israel insofar as they are elect (Romans 11:25,28). All of the still-living, elect, non-Christian genetic Israelites who do not become Christians before Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming will become Christians (and so will become members of the Church: cf. Ephesians 4:4-6) at His Second Coming (Romans 11:26) when they will see Him in person (Zechariah 12:10-14). But even though all those still-living, elect genetic Israelites will eventually become Christians and be saved from hell, they will be only a remnant of all genetic Israelites (Romans 9:27), most of whom will never be saved from hell, just as most of humanity in general, whether Jews or Gentiles, will never be saved from hell (Matthew 7:14, Matthew 22:14).
(Re: Judah's *territory / An *American analogy)
Just as those individuals of the tribe of Benjamin, for example (Romans 11:1), are Jews (Acts 22:3) because they are descended from those who lived in the kingdom of Judah (2 Chronicles 11:1-3), so those individuals of all of the other tribes of Israel are Jews who are descended from those who came to live in the kingdom of Judah (2 Chronicles 11:16-17). For the definition of "Jew" includes those who have connection with the territory of Judah (See Strong's word numbers G2453, G2448, H3063, and H3064), not just those who are genetically a part of the tribe of Judah.
An analogy would be people born in different countries in Europe, people whose ancestors were also born in those different countries going back into ancient times. If they immigrate to America and become naturalized citizens of America, this will not change their genetic identities. They will still be genetically English, or French, or German, or Italian, or Spanish, or Greek, etc. And only the original inhabitants of America, the American Indians, can be said to be genetic Americans. In this analogy, the nation/territory of America represents the kingdom/territory of Judah. The European immigrants represent the genetic members of the tribes of Israel other than Judah. All Americans, including the European immigrants who became naturalized citizens of America, represent all Jews. And the American Indians represent the genetic members of the tribe of Judah. Again, this is just an analogy for how "Jews" can include genetic members of every tribe of Israel.
(Re: The tribes are *not countries) / (*Countries)
The twelve tribes of Israel are not countries or regions (as is sometimes claimed), but consist of individuals who can be living in any country or region. Otherwise, one's tribe would change whenever one moved from one country or region to another. Also, nothing requires that any of the nominally-Christian nations today are descended from any of the ancient twelve tribes of Israel, instead of them all being simply Gentile nations. For Christians come from every ethnicity on the earth (Revelation 5:9b). And only a remnant of genetic Israel gets saved (Romans 9:27), just as only a remnant of humanity as a whole gets saved (Matthew 7:14, Matthew 22:14). Also, the entire Church throughout the world is the twelve tribes of Israel (Revelation 21:9,12).
(See the "Tribes" section of Romans 11:17 above. Also, see the "Nonelect Israelites" paragraphs above)
--
*Romans 11:20-22 / *Rom. 11:20 -
This is a warning to each individual Gentile Christian who is currently standing by faith (Romans 11:20) that he can end up being cut off the same as a non-Christian (Luke 12:45-46), he can end up losing his salvation, if he does not continue in God's goodness.
(See also the "NOSAS" section of Hebrews 3:6 below)
~
(Re: The *fear of God)
Christians are commanded to fear God (1 Peter 2:17, Luke 12:5, Hebrews 12:28-29; 2 Corinthians 7:1, Ephesians 5:21, Acts 9:31). They must remain in fear of being cut off the same as non-Christians if they do not continue in God's goodness (Romans 11:20-22, Luke 12:45-46). They must work out their own ultimate salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12b; 1 Peter 1:17, Romans 2:6-8), knowing the terror of the future judgment of Christians by Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10-11) at His Second Coming, when some Christians will end up losing their salvation because of unrepentant sin (Luke 12:45-46, Hebrews 10:26-29), or unrepentant laziness (Matthew 25:26,30, John 15:2a), or apostasy (Mark 8:35-38, Hebrews 6:4-8).
(See paragraph 2 of Luke 12:4-5 above)
Some Christians mistakenly think that they should not have any fear of God because they misunderstand, for example, 1 John 4:18 and 2 Timothy 1:7.
(See those verses below)
~
(*Phobos-fear)
There is no dichotomy between loving God and phobos-fearing Him. For Christians must at the same time both love God (John 14:21-24; 1 John 5:3, Romans 8:28) and tremble in phobos-fear before Him (see the original Greek of Philippians 2:12b, 2 Corinthians 5:10-11, 2 Corinthians 7:1, Acts 9:31, Ephesians 5:21, 1 Peter 1:17, Romans 11:20-22, 1 Peter 2:17, Luke 12:5, and Hebrews 10:26-29).
~
(Re: But should we preach fear to save people?)
That depends on the person. Some people are saved through compassion, others through fear (Jude 1:22-23). Jesus Christ used both ways, depending on a person's need at the time: either merciful kindness (John 8:3-11) or a fearful warning (Mark 9:43-48, Luke 12:5, Matthew 10:28). But even when He showed merciful kindness to people, He never told them that it was okay to continue in their sin, but said to sin no more (John 8:11, John 5:14).
--
*Romans 11:24 / *Rom. 11:24 -
Here the "good" olive tree does not have to be Jesus Christ/God Himself (Matthew 19:17). For the original Greek word (kallielaios: G2565) translated as "good olive tree" simply means "a cultivated olive tree, i.e. a domesticated or improved one" (Strong's Greek Dictionary). It does not require moral perfection.
(See also paragraph 2a of section 2 of Matthew 19:17 above)
--
*Romans 11:25-29 / *Rom. 11:25 -
Here the Gentiles are genetic Gentiles, the people addressed throughout Romans 11:13-31, who are not genetic Jews like the apostle Paul (Romans 11:1,14). Both individual, genetic Jewish Christians (natural branches) and individual genetic Gentile Christians (engrafted wild branches) are branches in the good olive tree of Israel (Romans 11:17,24). For when Gentiles become Christians they "come in" (Romans 11:25) to be part of Israel (Romans 11:17,24, Ephesians 2:12,19, Galatians 3:29). The fruit of each individual branch would be the good works of each individual (Colossians 1:10). It is the genetic Jews who are "blind in part", meaning that some (in the sense of not all) of them are spiritually blind while others are not (Romans 11:7-10). For "blindness in part is happened to Israel" (Romans 11:25) in its genetic sense (Romans 11:1,14), that is, genetic Jews (Acts 22:3). Also, in Romans 11:25-26, "Israel" includes elect, genetic Jews who are not yet Christians (Romans 11:28), but who will become Christians eventually (Romans 11:26).
(Re: The *fulness of the Gentiles)
When the apostle Paul says: "until the fulness (pleroma: G4138) of the Gentiles be come in" (Romans 11:25), he means until a full number of Gentile individuals have become Christians, which will not happen until near the end of the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24, right before Jesus Christ's Second Coming (Romans 11:26) immediately after the Tribulation (Matthew 24:29-30); just as Luke 21:24 shows that "the times of the Gentiles" will not be "fulfilled (pleroo: G4137)" until the completion of the treading down of Jerusalem during the future, literal 3.5-year worldwide reign of the Antichrist (the individual-man aspect of Revelation's "beast") (Revelation 11:2b, Revelation 13:5-18) during the second half of the future Tribulation.
Immediately after the future Tribulation, when the whole world will see the amazing return of Jesus Christ Himself from heaven (Matthew 24:29-30, Revelation 1:7), all of the still-living, unsaved, elect Jews will be ashamed and weep and become Christians when they see Jesus and realize that He truly is their salvation (Zechariah 12:10-14, Romans 11:26-29). And so they will all become part of the Church at that time, just as when Jews become Christians now they become part of the Church, for there are no Christians outside of the Church (Ephesians 4:4-6).
And the Jews who will become Christians at Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming will all become part of the Church by receiving some measure of God's Holy Spirit, who is "the spirit of grace and of supplications" in Zechariah 12:10 (Hebrews 10:29c, Romans 8:26), just as Jewish Christians today become part of the Church by receiving some measure of the Holy Spirit, for it is by receiving some measure of the Holy Spirit that both Jewish and Gentile Christians become part of the Church (Romans 8:9b).
Also, if the Jews who will become Christians at Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming had been religious Jews, they will not continue to mistakenly try to keep the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law, because they will then be believers in the truth that...
(See the "Law" section of Ephesians 2:15 below)
Also, the fullness of the Gentiles coming in during the future Tribulation does not mean that no Gentiles will be added to the Church during the subsequent Millennium, because they will be (Isaiah 66:19-20). For "fullness" does not have to mean "no more after that". For example, even after a cup has been filled with wine, more wine can be added to it so that the "cup runneth over" (Psalms 23:5b). Also, it does not matter that the new Christians during the Millennium will be added to the Church/bride (of Ephesians 4:4-6, Ephesians 5:30-32) after the marriage of the Church to Jesus Christ at His Second Coming (Revelation 19:7), for as many husbands have discovered, a bride can increase in size sometime after her wedding.
~
(Re: Does it say fullness of "the number"?)
Romans 11:25 does not have to say: "until the fulness (pleroma: G4138) of the number of the Gentiles be come in" to mean that, just as, for example, Revelation 6:11 does not have to say: "until the number of their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled (pleroo: G4137)" to mean that. For pleroo, upon which pleroma is based, can refer to the fullness of a number (Acts 7:23).
Also, the Greek noun pleroma (fullness) does not by itself require that it has already happened, for it can be employed with reference to a future fullness, just like its verb form pleroo can refer to the future (Luke 1:20b).
Also, while the spiritual fullness of some Gentiles was already a past event (Acts 10:45) when the apostle Paul wrote his letter of Romans, that could not have been the fullness of the Gentiles referred to in Romans 11:25 because the blinded part of Israel was still blind (enemies of the gospel: Romans 11:28) when Paul wrote Romans. And Romans 11:25 means that the blindness will be lifted at the time of the fullness of the Gentiles.
In Romans 11:25, when the apostle Paul says: "blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in" (Romans 11:25), the original Greek verb (eiserchomai: G1525) translated as "be come in" is not in the present tense, as if the fullness of the Gentiles had already occurred at the time that Paul wrote the letter of Romans. Instead, "be come in" is in the aorist tense and subjunctive mood, for there is an "until" preceding it. The fullness of the Gentiles has not already come in and the blindness in part which has happened to Israel will continue "until" the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
~
(Re: Regarding your reference to Acts 7:23 in the section above: Acts 7:23 contains a number, while Romans 11:25 does not)
While Acts 7:23 does contain the number forty, Romans 11:25 may not contain a number simply because a number had not been revealed to the apostle Paul. Or it had, but he had been told by God that it would not be lawful for him to reveal it (cf. 2 Corinthians 12:4).
~
(Re: Joel 2:28-29)
The receiving of God's Holy Spirit by the Jews who will become Christians at Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (Zechariah 12:10-14) will not be a fulfillment of Joel 2:28-29. For Joel 2:28-29 refers to prophesying, which is one of the Spiritual gifts miraculously given to some Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles, currently by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:8-10). And prophesying will cease at Jesus' Second Coming (Zechariah 13:1-6; 1 Corinthians 13:8-12). Joel 2:28-29 began to be fulfilled in the first century AD at the Pentecost in Acts 2 (Acts 2:16-18). And it continues to be fulfilled today for some Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles, when they receive Holy Spirit baptism (Acts 19:2,6).
(See also paragraphs 2-3 of Mark 16:16 above)
~
(Re: Is "Gentiles" in Romans 11:25 mistranslated?)
No, the original Greek word (ethnos: G1484) is properly translated as "Gentiles", for in the context of Romans 11, as in the letter of Romans generally, the apostle Paul uses "ethnos" to refer to Gentiles as opposed to genetic Israelites/Jews (Romans 11:1-25, Romans 3:29, Romans 9:24).
--
*Romans 11:26 / *Rom. 11:26 -
(And so all Israel shall be saved)
The original Greek word (houto: G3779) translated as "so" can be used in the sense of "then" (Acts 20:11b). For it can refer to "what precedes or follows" (Strong's Greek Dictionary). That is, the salvation of all of the surviving, elect genetic Jews in Romans 11:26 will follow the fullness of the Gentiles being come in, in Romans 11:25c, which will happen near the end of the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24.
~
(There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer)
This refers to Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming immediately after the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24 (Matthew 24:29-31, Revelation 19:7 to 20:6), when all of the still-living, non-Christian, elect genetic Jews (Romans 11:28-29) will become Christians when they see the returned Jesus in person and believe in Him (Zechariah 12:10-14, Zechariah 13:1,6, Isaiah 4:3-4, Romans 11:26).
(See also the "fulness" part of Romans 11:25 above)
~
(Re: Preterism?)
The prophecy referred to by the apostle Paul in Romans 11:26 (Isaiah 59:20) did not happen in 67-70 AD, for Isaiah 59:19b-20 refers to the same, still-unfulfilled Second Coming of Jesus Christ to rescue the surviving Jews in Jerusalem as in Zechariah 14:2-5, after which the physically-returned Jesus Himself (Zechariah 14:4, cf. Acts 1:11-12) will personally save the surviving, non-Christian elect Jews (Zechariah 12:10-14, Isaiah 4:3-4, Romans 11:26). Also, at His Second Coming, Jesus will restore Jerusalem and set up the Millennial aspect of His Kingdom on the earth (Zechariah 14:8-21, Micah 4:1-4) with the Church for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:4-6, Revelation 5:10, Revelation 2:26-29).
(See also Zechariah 14(space) above)
-
Next entry / Prior / Table of Contents
Dec 12, 2018
