true Israel is more. The country + the other Jews.you failed to show that all the children of God are "Israel". Israel is Israel.
yes. However you seem to be equating the remnant with all Israel. Which is false.
* All Israel is an enemy to the Gospel (Romans 11:28). The remnant is not.
* All Israel is saved for being linked to the forefathers (Romans 11:28). The remnant, in contrast, is saved for believing Christ and accepting the gift of the cross.
Thomas
EDITED 2*
Thomas
I appreciate your thoughts.
The New Testament makes clear; there is only one elect people. There is only one good olive tree, not two; one body, not two; one bride, not two; one spiritual temple, not two; one people of God, not two; one household of faith, not two; one fold, not two; one man, not “twain,” and one elect of God throughout time. Here is proof we are true spiritual Israel:
Ephesians 2:11-19
Ephesians 2:11-19 declares,
“Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth [Gr.
politeia or citizenship]
of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby … Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens [Gr.
sumpolites]
with the saints, and of the household of God.”
This Epistle reveals how there has been a major alteration wrought in their spiritual standing of these Gentiles in the New Testament age through Jesus Christ. What is more we see a complete redefining of terms and appellations. This passage shows how Gentiles have gone from being naturally considered “Gentiles” to being spiritually of “Israel.”
The word rendered “commonwealth” in the King James Version here is the Greek word politeia (Strong’s 4174) which means citizenship or community. This passage illustrates how Gentile Christians in this New Testament era have graciously entered into “the citizenship of Israel” through the work of Christ.
According to Liddell and Scott's Greek-English Lexicon a meaning of
politeia is "the conditions and rights of the citizen, or citizenship.”
This passage speaks of God bringing natural Israelis together with natural Gentiles into the exact same standing and privileges. In fact, in this new covenant age they are classed as “one body” and “one new man.” How can this be? What are the grounds for this union? Is it speaking of a natural or spiritual reality? There can be no doubt by the clarity and straightforwardness of this narrative that Jews and Gentiles are joined together in this passage on the sole grounds of “the blood of Christ.” This is the only means of cleansing and freedom God knows or accepts.
They have been transformed from “being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision” (2:11) to “now in Christ Jesus” (2:13) being of “the citizenship of Israel.” This is indeed a remarkable change. The clear intimation here is that the naturally Gentile believers of Ephesus through salvation are no longer considered Gentiles. This would fit in with Paul’s teaching in Romans 2:26, 28-29 and Romans 9:30-33.
A Gentile is said in this text to be made a true Israelite. They are said to be “fellowcitizens” – a citizen of believing Israel. Obviously believing Gentiles do not become natural citizens of Israel, so this must mean spiritual citizens of Israel.
The word “fellowcitizens” (
sumpolites) actually involves the joining of two Greek words
sun denoting union and togetherness and
polites meaning citizen. The joint word here is used to describe the unitary nature of the people of God of all time. It is thus correctly interpreted “fellowcitizens” in the King James Version confirming how the New Testament Gentile have been brought into “the citizenship of Israel” with the saints of the Old economy.
Romans 11:11-24
Paul gives us some interesting thoughts in Romans 11. In Romans 11:11-15 he teaches:
“I say then, Have they (natural Israel)
stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?”
The apostle continues in Romans 11:17-24:
“And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them, partakest of the root and fatness [or oiliness] of the olive tree. Boast not against the branches (Israel). But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root [Jesus],
but the root [Jesus]
thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches [Israel] w
ere broken off, that I might be graffed in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?”
Paul uses the image of “the olive tree” in Romans 11 to show that Gentiles have become part of true Israel. His olive tree analogy is deliberate. He takes this imagery from the prophets who likened Israel to an olive tree in Isaiah 5:7, Hosea 9:10 and 14:6-7.
No one could surely dispute we are looking at an Israeli tree here. Paul carefully describes the Jews who have been cut off as “natural branches” and being of “their own olive tree.” This shows us that this is an Israeli tree that held Israeli citizens. If the “natural branches” represent natural Israelis, and faith in Christ is the criterion for partaking in “the olive tree,” we can only be looking at the faithful genetic seed of Abraham who embraced Christ. This is the elect remnant of Israel. It was this holy remnant that remained attached to the Israeli olive tree that the Gentiles who believed now join in this new covenant era. This fulfils various Old Testament predictions that through Abraham’s seed all the families of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:1-3, 17:3-8, 17:15-16, 18:18 and 22:16-18).
Dispensationalist John McArthur even acknowledges: “And so the new life which enables us Gentiles to produce fruit unto God is the covenant stock of Israel that we’ve been grafted into” (Is God finished with Israel? Part 2).
This olive tree, which currently consists of both believing Jews and Gentiles, is therefore the continuation of spiritual Israel, only operating now under the broader new covenant arrangement. Consequently, it contains the full number of new covenant believers regardless of race or natural DNA. This metaphor describes the incorporation of Gentile believers into a decidedly Hebraic tree. But this is no natural tree. We are clearly looking here at a spiritual tree, because partaking in its blessing and sustenance comes through the exercise of “faith.” After all, if it were simply natural there would be absolutely no reason to cut out natural Israelites simply on the grounds of their race. The reason for Christ-rejecting Israel’s banishment from the tree’s blessings was “unbelief.” The reason for Gentile acceptance was because “they” stood “by faith.”
If God had two distinct chosen peoples, then He would not have integrated the believing Gentiles into a believing Jewish tree. The phrase “wert graffed in” is taken from the lone Greek word
egkentrizo meaning ‘to ingraft’. It comes up 6 times in the New Testament – all between Romans 11:17-24.
Galatians 6:15-16
Galatians 6:15-16 further reinforces the idea that we are spiritual Israel today, asserting:
“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.”
Q. 1 Who is Paul specifically speaking
to?
Q. 2 What is he speaking
of in this text?
Q. 3 Who is he speaking
about?
A. 1 He is primarily speaking to Gentile believers in Galatia, although there would doubtless have been Jewish converts among that assembly of believers.
A. 2 The whole focus of this passage is the subject of circumcision, and how it has no bearing upon the issue of salvation.
A. 3. All those who are born again.
Whilst this epistle was inspired of the Holy Spirit for the edification and instruction of the Church of Jesus Christ generally, it was initially and principally written to the Galatian Gentile believers. The verses that actually precede Paul’s instruction on “the Israel of God” makes it clear that his counsel was primarily directed to those Galatian saints who were experiencing hostility from certain Jews for
not being physically circumcised. Paul in turn was specifically addressing the issue of circumcision, warning the Galatian Gentile believers against the dangerous crusade of these misguided Judadizers who were attempting to put them under bondage by compelling them to be circumcised.
Paul says of such, in his introductory comments in Galatians 6:12-13, “As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh (speaking of the Jews), they constrain you (Galatian Gentile believers) to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For neither they themselves who are circumcised (namely the Jews) keep the law; but desire to have
you (Gentiles) circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.”
Paul is constantly telling us in his writings in lucid terms that there is no ‘them and us’ within the body of Christ. He emphasizes how one’s Jewishness or Gentileness means absolutely nothing today “in Christ Jesus.” He actually rebukes those that try to establish distinct groupings within the body of Christ (namely Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians). Paul repeatedly instructs the New Testament believer that there should be no racial, cultural or economic division within the body. 1 Corinthians 12:25 says: “That there should be no schism in the body.”
Paul explains in verse 15 that one’s natural Jewish ancestry or physical appearance has absolutely nothing to do with one’s standing before God, rather it is one’s spiritual birthright only.
Moreover, the Greek word used in this passage for “rule” is the word
kanoni, which means a rule or canon, i.e. a standard of faith and practice; by implication, a boundary, i.e. a sphere of activity. There is hence an important proviso cited here for one being of the spiritual “Israel of God,” and therefore enjoying the “peace” and “mercy” of the Lord; that is: irrespective of colour, creed, gender, birth-date (pre or post Calvary) or status that one is born again of the Spirit.
There is not one canon of faith for Jewish Christians and another canon of faith for Gentile Christians. Collectively they come under Paul’s definition of the “many” (Galatians 6:16). All are now one in Christ. All are governed by the same heavenly rules. This is the whole force of Paul’s teaching here and repeatedly throughout the New Testament. That is why he preferences the debated expression with the clear words: “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.”
