This appears to be sleight of hand. We both agree Peter was speaking to *Christian Jews.* But then you slip in there "then the Christian Gentiles." Where did Paul reference "Christian Gentiles?" Right--he didn't!z
Read Romans 15:14-33
Remember the Jews first then the Gentiles, yet they are one and the same in Christ. Selah!
Rom 3:29
(29) Is he the God of the Jews only?
is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
Rom 9:24-26
(24) Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only,
but also of the Gentiles?
(25) As he saith also in Osee
, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
(26) And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them,
Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.
1Co 12:12-13
(12) For as the body is one, and hath many members, and
all the members of that one body, being many
, are one body: so also is Christ.
(13) For
by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether
we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and
have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
Together, both redeemed Jews and Gentiles is the HOLY NATION of Israel *IN CHRIST*
1Pe 2:9-12
(9) But
ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
(10) Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
(11) Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
(12)
Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
But you are earthly-minded that only focus on the restoration of the physical nation of Israel in the future, ignoring the true spiritual nation of Israel in Christ making up of both Jews and Gentiles.
And nowhere do we have Gentile Christians identified as the nation of Israel, or "spiritual Jews," if that's what you wish to prove.
If you hold on to a modern physical nation in the plot of dirt in the Middle East, then you will be as blind as the Jews back in Christ's day thinking He will restore their physical nation that is NOT in God's view. Sorry!
On the contrary, we have many, many prophecies in the OT that affirm national Israel's hope for an eventual restoration under Christ. The NT affirms this as well, markedly in Rom 9-11 and in Acts 1.6-7.
Please! For starter, you do not even really understand what Romans 9 talks about:
The "mystery" God tells us was that
Gentiles would be grafted in and take part in the Covenant Olive Tree right along with the Jews. In other words, the Jews haven't been replaced, they have been joined in that Covenanted relationship with God by the Gentiles. Meaning the "true" Jews were not cast off (ie. Paul, Peter, Matthew, Etc.), only those who remained in unbelief were. The "true" Israel was not cast off, and
the promises to Abraham and to Israel will be kept in
this remnant and
is fulfilled. Not in the way Dispensationalists want, but in the way God always prophetically intended.
Romans 2:28-29
- "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
- But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God."
Who do we believe, God or Dispensationalists? Are the Jews the Chosen people? Indeed. But Jews "
as God defines them", and He doesn't define the chosen (election) as a "political nation", a "blood line", or "genealogical flesh" in the Middle East. In fact, God Himself tells us point blank,
that is "NOT" the Israel of God, and they are "NOT" the children of God. I did not say that, God did!
Romans 9:7-8
- "Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
- 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."
The only question is, will Dispensationalists
continue to ignore God's words as they always do? The promise was kept, the word of God is not of made of none effect, it is kept as God prophetically intended. We cannot twist God's word to suit ourselves. Comparing scripture with scripture, God interprets His own word, and it is not subject to our own private interpretation. It says what it says. So read again...
Romans 9:6-8
- "Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
- Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
- 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."
Clearly, God doesn't define Israel as the nation in the middle east, or the physical posterity of Jacob as the children of the promise. Only a remnant from that nation is accounted to be "of" Israel
. That's the whole point of Romans chapter 9. God does not define the Jewish people and the nation Israel the same way you and the Dispensationalists choose to define them. He says these are "NOT" the children of God. For God does what is right in His eyes, not in Dispensationalist's eyes.
Bingo!