Outside of dispensation theology (which btw teaches salvation by grace thru faith in all ages/dispensations), most if not all other Christian theologies consider the church to be “spiritual Isreal”.
All very well and good, but if God is willing to change his mind regarding the promises he made to the nation of Isreal (because of their sin), then what is to stop God from changing his mind regarding the promises made to the church (because of the church’s sin?).
No one, not Isreal, the not the Church, no one, no man deserves God’s grace. It is a gift. If God cannot be trusted to give us His word and to keep His Word then there is no hope.
R.C. Sproul et el has too much invested in referring to the church as “spititual Isreal” so he has to reject the pre-mil view, which is a real shame.
Tom
GOD NEVER CHANGED HIS MIND ABOUT THE PROMISES MADE TO ISRAEL!!!!! Paul deals with this categorically in Romans 4, 9, and 11. Note that I did not say promises made to the NATION OF Israel. No such promises were made. The promises were made to the "remnant" or the "true" Israel, who were the people of faith. NO promises were EVER made to those who were physical descendants only of Abraham. It is improper to say God "changed his mind" about the promises made to anyone, and no promises were made to those who were only of the physical lineage of Abraham. Again, this is the clear and unmistakeable message of Romans 4. It is the children of Abraham's FAITH who are his children, and that has been expanded to include the "uncircumsised" believers as well as the Jews who believe. Your remarks about Sproul (under whom I studied, btw) show that you don't understand spiritual Israel at all, because having an understanding of spriritual Israel has NOTHING to do with whether you are Pre mil or not. Again, although sproul is amil, George Eldon Ladd was premil but rejected the false dichotomy between church and Israel that the dispensationalists insist on.