Are Gentile Christians NT Israel?
I'm of the opinion that the terms "Israel," "Israelite"
and "Jew" are reserved for the physical descendants of Abraham through
Jacob. I believe the scriptures speak of unbelieving Jews as children of
Abraham (John 8:37). I believe the scriptures deny that
unbelieving Jews are children of Abraham (John 8:39,44). Before Jesus of
Nazareth came along a prophet called Ezekiel called apostate Jews the
children of Amorites and Hittites and sister to Sodom (16:45,48).
I believe the scriptures call unbelieving Jews "Israel" (Romans 11:25 and see Romans 9:25-29). I believe the scriptures deny that unbelieving Israel is Israel (Romans 9:6 and Hosea 1:9).
The above is doubted by no one. Nor is this. The
Scripture speak of believing Gentiles who have been baptized into Christ
and calls them "Abraham's children" (Galatians 3:26-28). Abraham and only Abraham is called the father of all that believe (Romans 4:11-12, Galatians 3:7).
But Paul is very particular about this. He insists that Abraham was justified with God prior to his circumcision so that
he might be the father of all that believe (Romans 4:11). He tells us
that only Abraham received circumcision as a token of the relationship
that he had with God prior to his circumcision (4:10-11). Abraham's circumcision came after
his relationship with God was established and Paul takes pains to make
that clear. This was not true of Isaac or Jacob (Israel). Gentile
Christians as well as Jewish can say that Abraham is our father but only
Israel can say Israel (Jacob) is our father.
Galatians 6:16 is awkwardly constructed. Scholars
still, I think, favour the notion that there are two groups. Those who
"walk by this rule" (Gentile believers) and "the Israel of God". The
Israel of God would be the Jewish believers who trust to the Messiah. In
any case, the least we can say is that the text doesn't establish the
case for saying that Gentile believers are called "Israel".
I think this is worthy of reflection
because it affects how we hear Paul's theology, especially as he works
it out in Romans and Galatians.
©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.
Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.