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Who Is the Israel of God in the New Covenant?
Prophecy Questions Blog ^ | March 18, 2024 | Charles Meek

Posted on 03/19/2024 5:45:28 PM PDT by grumpa

Summary. The Israel of God is no longer fleshly, natural Israel, but rather all believers in Jesus―along with a remnant of Godly believers of old. Jesus fulfilled all of the promises to Old Covenant Israel (Luke 1:67-79; 2 Corinthians 1:20). “Not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel” (Romans 9:5-8). The church extends beyond natural Israel to include Gentiles (Luke 2:32; Acts 9:15; 11:1, 18; Romans 11:11-32; Galatians 3:6-9, 25-29). This is not “replacement theology, but rather “inclusion theology.” Here is a sampling of passages about this:

Galatians 6:14-16. In the context of the rest of Galatians, Paul refers to the “ISRAEL OF GOD” as those who walk according to the Spirit—by faith in Jesus Christ (and specifically not by works of the Jewish Old Covenant Law, including circumcision).

Galatians 4:21-31. Physical Jerusalem, that is, the old covenant, is cast out making way for the New Spiritual Jerusalem (“the Jerusalem above”)—the new children of the promise.

Hebrews 12:22-24. Christians of the first century had already arrived at the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem—through Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant.

Matthew 3:7-11. John the Baptist tells the Pharisees and Sadducees not to count on their physical descent. Indeed, they are about to be cut down in the wrath about to come (AD 70).

Matthew 21:18-19. Jesus curses the fig tree, an Old Testament symbol for Old Covenant Israel (Jeremiah 24; Hosea 9:10; Luke 13:6-9), and the fig tree withered away forever.

Matthew 21:33-45. Parable of the Tenants. Jesus tells the Jews that the kingdom is being taken away from them and given to another group, obviously the church.

Matthew 22:1-4. The Parable of the Wedding Feast. It was obviously the Jews who were invited to the wedding, but their refusal to accept Christ as Messiah would lead to their demise—“destroyed those murderers and burned their city.” (Matthew 23, the next chapter, details why the Jews were the object of Jesus’ wrath. Not only were they exceedingly sinful, but also refused to accept Him as Savior.)

John 1:12-13. The children of God are believers, and not by blood.

John 8:31-47. Jesus explains to the Jews of his day that they are not truly offspring of Abraham, but rather are offspring of the devil.

Romans 2:28-29. “For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not the letter.”

Romans 9:5-8. Paul taught that not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel (“FOR THEY ARE NOT ALL ISRAEL WHO ARE ISRAEL”), and not all are children of Abraham. It is not the children of the flesh (i.e. their ethnicity) who are children of God (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:16.)

Romans 11:5, 11-32. Branches (of Israel) were broken off and Gentiles grafted in by faith. Whoever accepted Christ, both Gentiles and a remnant of Jews are saved (11:5).

Galatians 3:6-9, 25-29. Heirs to the promise, i.e. the true sons of Abraham, comes from faith in Christ, not physical descent.

Ephesians 2:11-3:13. Gentiles are no longer aliens but are fellow citizens in a new dwelling place, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets (cf. Revelation 21:14).

Ephesians 2:15-16. Jews and Gentiles became “one new man in place of two,” thus “one body.”

Philippians 3:3. The church is the real “circumcision.” Circumcision is the special sign of God’s covenant with Abraham and Israel (Genesis 17:10, 13), so the Christian church has become God’s covenantal people.

Colossians 2:6-3:17. Paul explains in this passage that physical circumcision had been replaced by spiritual circumcision, thus spiritual Israel—believers being made spiritually alive IN CHRIST. (See also Philippians 3:3).

Hebrews 8:5-13. The Old Covenant was being replaced by a New Covenant as predicted in the Old Testament (Jeremiah 31:31-34; etc.)

James 1:1; 2:1. The twelve tribes of Israel had become believers in Christ.

1 Peter 2:4-10. The new chosen race is the Christian church (building motif).

Revelation 2:9; 3:9. There are those who say they are Jews, but are really are a “synagogue of Satan.”

Revelation 19:7, 21:2, 9-27. The New Jerusalem is the bride of Christ, the church—which is built on the foundation of the apostles (ref. Ephesians 2:20).

Conclusions. This is about the changing of the covenants. Israel’s covenant with God was contingent on obedience (Deuteronomy 28-32)! Throughout the Bible, Israel’s relationship with God is portrayed as a marriage (Isaiah 54:5; 62:4; Jeremiah 2:2; 3:14, 20; 31:31-34; Ezekiel 16:8, 32, 38; Hosea 2:2, 7, 16; Malachi 2:14). Whenever Israel was unfaithful, she is characterized as a harlot or adulterer (Deuteronomy 31:16-18; Isaiah 1:21; Jeremiah 2:20; 3:6-9; Ezekiel 6:8-9; 16:15, 26, 28; Hosea 1:2; 6:10; 9:1). The central theme of Revelation is a story of two women—the harlot Babylon who is judged/divorced (Revelation 17:1, 5, 15; 18:9, 21; 19:2) and God’s new bride the New Jerusalem (Revelation 19:7; 21:2, 9). The faithless harlot is apostate Old Covenant Israel. The new bride is the Christian church, the wife of the Lamb, the New Jerusalem (Revelation 3:12; 19:7; 21:2, 9-27). Compare to the Parable of the Wedding Feast in Matthew 22:1-14, as well as such passages as John 3:29; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:25-27.

The notion that Israel is separate from the church, and that Israel will re-emerge as pre-eminent among nations is not supported by the texts.


TOPICS: Theology
KEYWORDS: antisemitism; covenant; falseprophet; ibtz; israel; lol; lookwhohatesjews; new; zot
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To: howlinhound

Is this what you’re saying in your post when you say Jehovah, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are three separate entities??? (see below)

https://www.biblelightinfo.com/trinity.htm

“The Bible teaches that the Father, the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are all deity, each distinct, yet each part of the Godhead, but there is only one God.”


81 posted on 03/21/2024 6:49:32 PM PDT by Philsworld (It's all short quips and funny memes, until you find that you've come up short in the judgment. )
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To: Philsworld
You can’t figure it out for yourself?

It's not advised.


Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.

Proverbs 21:2 All a man's ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart.

Proverbs 30:12 There is a generation of those who are pure in their own eyes and yet unwashed of their filth.

82 posted on 03/22/2024 4:43:52 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Philsworld
Do you suppose there was a “rule” about that?

Supposin' has always gotten me in trouble.


Humans have enough problems following what GOD has clearly said, without imagining things that He MIGHT have said.

(Sorry Catholics...)

83 posted on 03/22/2024 4:49:07 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Elsie

And yet, we STILL have this, written by Moses, also the author of the first 5 books of the Old Testament.

Genesis 26:5Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

My charge, My commandments, My statutes, My laws. Different than what he expected from Israel? Nope, because God doesn’t change.

What does it mean to walk with God?

Elsie, your argument sounds like “the Sabbath isn’t commanded in the New Testament, so lets chisel it out of the granite tablets preincarnate Christ wrote it on. Yep, no obligation to keep that commandment, or any for that matter. They were given to God’s chosen, Israel. What God expected from them is different than what He expects from us. His commandments are optional.”

OSAS/OJAJ folks just don’t want to own up to God’s law applying to them. They just stick their head in the sand and say they can’t figure it out for themselves. Too complicated. Not clear enough for them. Nope, God’s law doesn’t apply to them. Not now, not ever. God’s law is for the UNSAVED. LOL Elsie, can you believe someone would say that?


84 posted on 03/22/2024 5:34:18 AM PDT by Philsworld (It's all short quips and funny memes, until you find that you've come up short in the judgment. )
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To: Elsie

Was one of the commandments Abraham obeyed “Have no other God’s before Me?”

Noooooooooooo, we can’t be SUPPOSIN’ that.

How about any of the other ones given to Israel, who hadn’t known God for over 400 years while captive in Egypt?

Noooooooooooo, we can’t be SUPPOSIN’ that either.

Yep, good job Elsie.


85 posted on 03/22/2024 6:05:07 AM PDT by Philsworld (It's all short quips and funny memes, until you find that you've come up short in the judgment. )
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To: imardmd1

Sorry, I wasn’t aware you were assigned the title of Universal Critic of all who have a different biblical education background than you. I shall report to the torture chamber first thing in the morning.


86 posted on 03/22/2024 8:41:48 AM PDT by howlinhound (Tagline in the shop for repairs.)
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To: howlinhound
That's OK. Fifty years ago I might have said the same thing you did.

The point is that this doctrinal issue has led to some pretty big divisions in religious beliefs through imprecise opinions onWho God is. It was my hope that detailed clarification might help to improve your basis for knowing and helping others to escape from the bondage of false religions that -dismiss the Trinitarian principle.

Another participant, cowboyusa, answered your comment correctly (Post #10) and said the same thing that I did, but so tersely that there was no background to support his opinion to help change yours, or to modify the stance of a person believing in JW or Unitarian or Jewish doctrines.

Sorry that you felt hurt. You'll recover, given some meditation on this issue, and your faith will be stronger.

87 posted on 03/22/2024 11:30:32 AM PDT by imardmd1 (To learn is to live; the joy of living: to teach. Fiat Lux!)
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To: cowboyusa
ping

Sorry to post #87 that mentions you without sending it to you also

88 posted on 03/22/2024 11:35:45 AM PDT by imardmd1 (To learn is to live; the joy of living: to teach. Fiat Lux!)
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To: imardmd1

Ok


89 posted on 03/22/2024 11:54:03 AM PDT by cowboyusa (AT THIS POINT, I'M WARMING TO AN AMERICAN PINOCHETE. )
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To: Philsworld

Nice try to veer away from the FACT that homosexuality is called a sin in the bible that contains laws you follow religiously, yet the SIN of homosexuality is NOT mentioned before it is called out as being such.


90 posted on 03/22/2024 12:38:32 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Philsworld

Keep on jabbering on what AIN’T there.


91 posted on 03/22/2024 12:39:09 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: imardmd1

Thank you for your reply. I can assure you I was not the least bit hurt. It’s just that I prefer not to disparage, or look down on, those whose study had led them to a different understanding than my own. Reasoned conversation is much preferable. I will continue my study and encourage you to continue yours. All the best!


92 posted on 03/22/2024 2:22:26 PM PDT by howlinhound (Tagline in the shop for repairs.)
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To: Elsie

This text says otherwise:

Genesis 26:5Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

OSAS/OJAJ will still deny that God’s laws apply to them.


93 posted on 03/22/2024 4:30:36 PM PDT by Philsworld (It's all short quips and funny memes, until you find that you've come up short in the judgment. )
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To: Elsie

My commandments, My statutes, My laws....

What could Moses have meant? What was he supposin’? Hmmmm, he mentions similar language in other books, like Deuteronomy, where he spells it out.

Could it be the same?

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, we can’t be supposin’ that. The father of God’s chosen people following the same commandments, statutes, and laws that his seed was expected to?

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, we can’t be supposin’ that.


94 posted on 03/22/2024 4:54:51 PM PDT by Philsworld (It's all short quips and funny memes, until you find that you've come up short in the judgment. )
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To: Philsworld; Elsie
OSAS/OJAJ will still deny that God’s laws apply to them.

Why do cultists always leave out the context of the snippets they post thinking it proves their point? Let's look at that passage, shall we:

    Now there was another famine in the land, subsequent to the one that had occurred in Abraham’s time. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines at Gerar. The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt. Settle in the land where I tell you. Stay in this land as a foreigner, and I will be with you and bless you. For I will give all these lands to you and your offspring, and I will confirm the oath that I swore to your father Abraham. I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, because Abraham listened to My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”(Genesis 26:1-5)

Nothing there about giving them eternal life or their everlasting salvation being dependent upon their keeping of His charge, commandments, statues and laws. They, as we are today, are saved by the grace of God through faith in what the Messiah has done in our place. For all the talk about your belief in grace, you continue to demonstrate you don't even know what the word means. This is a common trait amongst the perverted gospel cults.

    Remind the believers to submit to rulers and authorities, to be obedient and ready for every good work, to malign no one, and to be peaceable and gentle, showing full consideration to everyone. For at one time we too were foolish, disobedient, misled, and enslaved to all sorts of desires and pleasures—living in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This is the Spirit He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we would become heirs with the hope of eternal life. This saying is trustworthy. And I want you to emphasize these things, so that those who have believed God will take care to devote themselves to good deeds. These things are excellent and profitable for the people. (Titus 3:1-8)

95 posted on 03/22/2024 5:23:36 PM PDT by boatbums (When you dwell in the shelter of the Most High, you will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. )
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To: Philsworld
This text says otherwise: Genesis 26:5Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

And we are left GUESSING at what they were.


You Chosen People seem to have poor memories, so I'll have to write them in stone and give them to Moses.
--GOD

96 posted on 03/22/2024 6:50:33 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Philsworld
7 Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”

8 So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city.

9 That is why it was called Babel—because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.


HIS ways are not our ways.

97 posted on 03/22/2024 6:53:23 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Elsie
Genesis 39:9There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

So Elsie, tell me how Joseph knew this was a great WICKEDNESS and SIN against God, if the 10 commandments/statutes/law would not be presented to the children of Israel for another 400 years???

Joseph knew it, and so did Abraham.

God destroyed the world with the flood because of continual WICKEDNESS and EVIL. Enoch walked with God. Can we be SUPPOSIN' to know that that means, Elsie?

98 posted on 03/22/2024 10:28:53 PM PDT by Philsworld (It's all short quips and funny memes, until you find that you've come up short in the judgment. )
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To: boatbums

——>Nothing there about giving them eternal life or their everlasting salvation being dependent upon their keeping of His charge, commandments, statues and laws.

Why would there be? No one is saved by keeping the law. OSAS/OJAJ falsely believe they are saved at the microsecond of Grace and that NOTHING they do after, no continual, willful sins, great or small, will ever keep them out of heaven. Once they are saved, THAT’S IT. Absolutely NOTHING or no one, even GOD, can keep them out of heaven.

Tragically, they are wrong. Because all will be JUDGED by the law. That includes those saved by grace, and those who never accepted Christ at all. And, judgment starts at the house of God. Claiming grace will not excuse the continual, willful sinner.

Hebrews 10:
26For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 30For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. 31It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Sounds like there’s more to it than just a few less jewels in your crown or a mansion downgrade in the New Jerusalem, for willfully disobeying God when claiming to follow him. Eh?

Revelation 14:12Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Those who metaphorically stomp on Christ by willfully breaking God’s law, after what He did for us on the cross, will not be in heaven. OSAS/OJAJ is a lie. Christians have an even higher obligation to keep God’s law. It will be much worse for the “stompers” when they are judged.


99 posted on 03/22/2024 11:14:55 PM PDT by Philsworld (It's all short quips and funny memes, until you find that you've come up short in the judgment. )
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To: Philsworld
So Elsie, tell me how Joseph knew...

Sorry, but YOU are the one who seems to possess this SECRET knowledge.

Perhaps you can SHOW us here on FR just WHERE Joseph alledgedly LEARNED these things.

100 posted on 03/23/2024 4:32:38 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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