Read through all of these posts.
"Interesting very interesting."
Sergeant Shultz - Hogan's Heroes
One thing I think people miss; which as been pointed to by posters in this thread, is that those who've been predestine to election from the foundations of the world have always been "God's people". They have not been "replaced" by anyone. This has been true regardless of what ethnicity or nation they came from, or what era they lived in. There have always been people with Jewish DNA that are elect, as well as people with non-Jewish DNA who are elect. That is and always has been true throughout history.
Also though, the Scripture is
EXTREMELY CLEAR if you DO NOT BELIEVE you have no place in the kingdom! God does not care what DNA you have.
This is how and why He is not a respecter of persons. (Acts 10:34) Peter is making this statement as a result of encountering Cornelius. Peter goes on in the next verse:
"But in every nation he that fears him, and works righteousness, is accepted with him."
Now obviously Joshua 1:1 is answered in Joshua 21:43-45. Yet the point was made about God's people inheriting the earth. They do so in the "first round" in the proclamation of the gospel and ultimately in the "end game" through the new heavens and new earth.
Romans 11:
Now, we have to take this entire passage into context.
Paul opens by asking "Has God cast away his people?" and answered his own question: "God has not cast away his people
which he foreknew." (There's election!)
From here Paul goes on to give examples of "the elect of Israel".
Now are all of those who are of Israel of the flesh the elect? No, they are not!
Romans 9
6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
Now who is the seed?
Galatians 3:16 & 29
Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but
as of one, And to thy
seed,
which is Christ.
And if ye be
Christ's, then are ye Abraham's
seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Now in verses 11-15; Paul starts talking about "provoking them to jealousy". Now the irony of this is that only those who are elect are going to be provoked to a jealousy which leads them to salvation. Those cut off, may be provoked to jealousy, but will still be condemned for their unbelief.
Now verse 12 and 13 speak of "how much more their fullness" and "I speak to you as gentiles..." Hold that thought because in latter verses; Paul explains what the fullness of Israel coming into being is.
Now verses 16-24: Paul starts talking about the root and the branches. The root is Christ. The branches are the believers. (John 15:5) Note verse 23: "And they also,
IF they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.
(had to make sure no-one missed that "IF"!)
Now verses 25-29:
25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness
in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Note: God did not cut off everyone for the nation's rejection of the Messiah just because they were genetic descendants of Jacob.
Now, what is the "fullness of the gentiles"? Paul spoke earlier of the "fullness of Israel" and "I speak to you as gentiles". Now he's speaking of the "fullness of the gentiles".
26
And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall
turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
27 For this is my covenant unto them, when
I shall take away their sins.
"All Israel shall be saved" - The verses following are the qualifier. Those who's ungodliness is turned away. Those who's sins are taken away. Those who recognize Christ as their Messiah. Once those "foreknown" of both Jew and gentile are come in - thus all of Israel is saved. Note God is not "restarting" another plan because it got "goofed up" because of their unbelief. That's a heresy of Dispensationalism.
And how do we know this?
Ephesians 2:
12 That at that time ye were without Christ,
being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
13 But
now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace,
who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 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;
16 And that
he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
17 And came and
preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
18 For through him
we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but
fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom
all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In
whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Now if one of the things Christ established by His death is the tearing down of the wall of separation between the jew and gentile; why would He resurrect that wall again at some future date? That makes no contextual sense in the light of the entity of the gospel and what Christ came to accomplish!
28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes:
but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes.
Now what does this verse mean? "enemies for your sakes; but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes."
Note it's "father's sakes" not "Father's sake.". They are beloved as touching the election for the sake of their biological ancestors. The elect believers of times passed who were given a promise "I will be a God to you and your children." We see this played out in family lines; even today. Now you're not guaranteed that as a believer, all your children will be believers; yet more believers are born to households of believers than are born to households of unbelievers. Even so, God says he will save "one out of a city and two out of a family". There are those of us who are "one out of the city".
So what this verse is saying is "of touching those who are elect" they are beloved for the sake of the ancestors who were also elect. It is not saying that those of the flesh who remain in unbelief are beloved for the sake of being genetic descendants of Abraham.
29 For the
gifts and calling of God
are without repentance.
Again, this verse is a reference to election. Those who are elect are elect from the foundations of the world. Elect according to God's purposes.
Romans 9:
4
Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect.
For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
8 That is, They which are
the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.
10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;
11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil,
that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth
12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
14 What shall we say then?
Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
15 For he saith to Moses,
I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
So in conclusion: all those of God who are redeemed by Christ are "Israel" because He is the seed. Just as all those who are redeemed are "the body of Christ" / "the church". No one has been replaced. These two entities are the same group of people. They both consist solely of God's elect.