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This is an incredibly weak argument. Romans 9:6-8 very specifically says that being a natural descendant of Abraham or of the nation of Israel has no bearing on being part of the other Israel he mentioned, which some of us are calling spiritual Israel. Instead, it has everything to do with being a child of God and of the promise. Galatians 3:26-29 tells us very specifically who the children of God and of the promise are: Christians, consisting of both Jew and Gentile believers.This is not even approximately what the Holy Spirit was here saying through Paul. He went on to say, "For this is the word of promise: 'At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.' And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), it was said to her, 'The older shall serve the younger.' As it is written, 'Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.' " (Romans 9:9-1)
So God himself gave two examples to show what He meant by verses 6-8. And each of these examples were cases of God choosing some, but not all of the natural seed of Abraham. This scripture does not even imply that any person who was not physically descended from Abraham could be an Israelite.
And here is yet another unbelievably weak argument from you. Does the blood of Christ bring us near to the nation of Israel? Clearly not, right? So, what Israel does it bring people near to? Spiritual Israel. What other choice is there?This is merely human reasoning being applied to what God said. This scripture indeed says that those "in Christ" are "Abraham's seed," and "heirs according to the promise." But it does not say that being "on Christ" makes us "Israel."
This is an incredibly weak argument. It's talking about spiritual citizenship in the spiritual Israel of God. There's nothing about that word which dictates that it has to be talking about earthly citizenship. That is a rule that you are trying to impose on that word, but no one is obligated to go by your man-made rules.Again, you are applying human reasoning to what God said. But this time, you are using that reasoning to wrest what God said. for the Greek word here translated "citizenship" is "politia." The only other place it occurs in the New Testament is Acts 22:28, "The commander answered, "With a large sum I obtained this citizenship." The root of this word is "polites," which means a "citizen" This word is used three times in the New Testament:
"Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine." Luke 15:15
"But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We will not have this man to reign over us.' " Luke 19:14
and
"But Paul said, 'I am a Jew from Tarsus, in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; and I implore you, permit me to speak to the people.' " Acts 21:39
I have gone through all this to demonstrate that every other time this word, or its root word, was used in the entire New Testament, it was spoken of citizenship in a nation or a city. So your argument that it did not mean that in Ephesians 2:12 is simply nonsense.
And this passage, again, simply does not say that we become Israelites, but that we are "brought near."
Another weak argument. Surely, an earthly nation consisting of mostly Christ rejecters is not what Paul would consider to be the Israel of God at that point. He was equating those who had become "a new creation" with the Israel of God. All Christians, Jew or Gentile, are made a new creation by Christ. So, all Christians are part of the spiritual Israel of God. You are trying to divide what Christ brought together (Jew and Gentile believers), but those with spiritual discernment can see through your false teaching.The translation you are using here wrests the Greek of this statement. What the Greek text og Galatians 6:16 actually says is: "And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God." Galatians 6:16 The second and in this verse is plainly there in the Greek text, as the Greek word "kai," which occurs twice in the Greek text of this sentence.
the word "and" (kai) before the words "the Israel of God," plainly differentiates "the Israel of God" from "as many as walk according to this rule." So this scripture is actually saying the very opposite of what you imaine it says. It is making "the Israel of God" a different group from "as many as walk according to this rule."
I showed that it does exist and you are stubbornly denying what I clearly showed from scripture.So, not only does the term "spiritual Israel" not occur anywhere in the entire Bible, neither is that concept taught in the Bible
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