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A Saviour unto Israel ?

even:

I understand that.. it's obvious that not all Israelites are the Israel of God
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Thats True, but what you are still missing is that the Nation of Israel is not the Chosen People of God which is commonly believed today, thats what the verse is saying. Israel [nationally as a whole] did not obtain which he seeketh after, The National Kingdom preeminence of being God's People, but the chosen did obtain it..and the rest [The Nation in General] was blinded.

The election are God's chosen people [a spiritual seed of Faith] Not the Nation..

The physical descendants of Abraham [Israel] are not the Children of God, never has been and never will be rom 9:

8That is, They[Israel] 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

And salvation is not of those who are not the children of God..
 
savedbygrace57 said:
even:Thats True, but what you are still missing is that the Nation of Israel is not the Chosen People of God which is commonly believed today, thats what the verse is saying. Israel [nationally as a whole] did not obtain which he seeketh after, The National Kingdom preeminence of being God's People, but the chosen did obtain it..and the rest [The Nation in General] was blinded.
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What don't you understand about the scriptural fact that Israel is blinded (only) UNTIL the fulness of the GENTILES be come in..

The election are God's chosen people [a spiritual seed of Faith] Not the Nation..

The physical descendants of Abraham [Israel] are not the Children of God, never has been and never will be rom 9:

8That is, They[Israel] 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

And salvation is not of those who are not the children of God..
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It's the same way with the church of God.. NONE of us are justified in the FLESH.. all are condemned in the FLESH and justified in the SPIRIT..
 
even:

What don't you understand about the scriptural fact that Israel is blinded (only) UNTIL the fulness of the GENTILES be come in..
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Right, and that's how All Israel the Israel of God shall be saved by the calling in of the full number Gentiles and elect jews..

But what you ignore, is that Paul plainly states, there is a difference between National Israel and the election, which are the chosen.

rom 11:


7What then? Israel[National] hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.

Its obvious, the Nation is not the chosen of God..
 
savedbygrace57 said:
even: Right, and that's how All Israel the Israel of God shall be saved by the calling in of the full number Gentiles and elect jews..
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No... there's a difference between the Israel of God and the church of God.. unfortunately you've bought into amillennialism and replacement theology and that's why you can't see the difference..

But what you ignore, is that Paul plainly states, there is a difference between National Israel and the election, which are the chosen.

Its obvious, the Nation is not the chosen of God..
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Tell that to the Lord when He comes in His glory and then sits upon the throne of His glory with all His JEWISH Apostles sitting upon TWELVE THRONES, judging the twelve tribes of ISRAEL..
 
even:

No... there's a difference between the Israel of God and the church of God
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..

You still need to understand that there is a difference between National Israel, and God's Chosen People, they are not the same as rom 11 7 points out.

There is no sense in jumping somewhere else with you, when you have not conceded to an obvious truth of scripture.
 
Consider the Resurrection ! It links Israel and the Church as One !



Jn11:

23Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

24Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

25Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

26And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

1 Cor 15:

20But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

21For since by man came death, by man[ Christ] came also the resurrection of the dead.

22For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

23But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

Shall the OT Saints raise from the dead ? Wherein does their hope lie? Is it not in Jesus Christ ? That's exactly what Jesus meant when speaking to the Sisters of Lazarus. Yes Lazarus would have been a OT Saint at that particular time in biblical history, for technically the New Covenant era did not commence until after Christ death, for it was inaugurated by His Blood Matt 26:

28 For this is my blood of the new testament or covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Now as to the Resurrection, Paul spake of the Father's [Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob] and the Twelve Tribes having this hope Acts 26:

6And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God, unto our fathers:

7Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.

8Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?

Acts 13:

32And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,

33God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.

Now I hope we see this, OT Saints, the Fathers their hope of Resurrection in the Last Day, lied in Christ's , the Head of the Church, The Great Shepherd of the Sheep.

Now if the OT Saints hope of Resurrection is fulfilled in Christ being raised from the dead [He being the Firstfruits] as Acts 13 :32-33 tells us, then that means they too were part of the Church, the Body of Christ in the OT, because their hope is In Christ's Resurrection, the Head of the Body, the Church,just as the NT Saints hope is.

You see, He is the Firstfruits of all who are in Him to rise again at His coming in the Last Day. Jesus told the Sisters " I am the Resurrection " that is their brother's resurrection in the last day they referenced, was dependent upon Him and His Finished work. The OT Saints and the NT Saints hope of Resurrection is centered in the One Head, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church. His Resurrection is not only a guarantee, but a pledge in the sense that it was the actual beginning of that event that will occur at His Coming.. Thats why He is the First fruit, a pledge of the coming harvest..
 
The Identifying trait of the True Israel of God, the foreknown People of God, which is also Israel, is not ethnicity or geneology according to the flesh, but Faith by the promise and power of God[ See Jn 1:13] She is not of the flesh, but of the Spirit.

The Nation of Israel was not a Nation made up of flesh, but is a Spiritual lNation made up of all those born of the Seed Christ, who is Abraham's seed to whom the Promises were made [ Gal 3:16], who is the one and only True Israel, God Prevails ! or He shall be a Prince of God ! Acts 5:31.

The Nation here in Ps 33:12

12Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

This is not National Israel according to the flesh, that physical nation formed at siani, but this is a Spiritual Nation formed out of the Grace of the everlasting Covenant and it's blood. It's the Same Nation as described here in 1 Pet 2:9

9But 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;

And who but those Chosen in Christ before the foundation as per Eph 1:4, are God's Inheritance as per Eph 1:18

18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

It is the Seed Christ that makes anyone of Israel; merely being of the physical descendants of the Fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, did not make one the True Israel of God [Rom 9:6-8], but no matter what ethnicity, if we belong to Christ [The Seed Gal 3:16] then are we in Israel that matters, for its only through Him that we are made that Holy Nation ! Eph 1:4

4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
 
The Two Israel's !

Rom 9:6-8

6Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

7Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

8That 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.

Many are going to be confounded in the day of Judgment, having been deceived that Promises were made to the Physical Nation of Israel according to the Flesh.

The Two Israel's of Rom 9:6-8, The one was children of the flesh, the natural descendants of Abraham only, the other, the Children of Promise, who were counted for the Spiritual seed [jew and gentile believers].

God through Paul goes on to make this clear by the comparison of Abraham's Two Son's, Ishmael and Isaac; Ishmael representing that Israel according to the flesh only [see Gal 4] and Isaac representing that Israel according to the promise or Spirit, Abraham's Spiritual descendants, all people of Faith, whether jew or gentile [ Rom 4].
 
Believers are The Circumcision which is Israel !

Phil 3:1-3

1Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.

2Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.

3For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

True believers are Israel, the circumcision. What characterizes the circumcision here Paul is Speaking of ?

Well its a circumcision made without hands Col 2:11

11In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

More to the context here are a few things that constitute Israel or the circumcision.

#1 They worship God in the Spirit. This means they are born of the Spirit Jn 3:3-8 and also remember what Jesus told the woman at Samaria Jn 4:23-24

23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

God has always sought such to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. David writes Ps 51:6

6Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

How does Truth be in the inward parts except by the Spirit ? Jer 31:33

33But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. See Ezk 36:26-27 also !

And then we have this Israel Ps 73:1

1Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.

What is a clean Heart but one circumcised with the circumcision of Christ ?

A clean heart is not natural to man, its of the Power of God,its a Creation Ps 51:10

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Now most certainly this was not referencing to Israel, Abraham's children according to the flesh.
 
Have no confidence in the Flesh !

The Circumcision or Israel that Paul addresses in Phil 3:1-3 had no confidence in the flesh. vs 3

3For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

Now what does that mean ? If a ethnic jew, as Paul it meant they do not depend upon their ethnicity and natural and physical relationship to Abraham to find acceptance with God. That that is the case we see when we read Paul's comments vs 4-9 Phil 3:4-9

4Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

5Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

6Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

7But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

8Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

9And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

You see, all things before Paul's conversion that he trusted in, being a jew, of the tribe of Benjamin, circumcision and all that was confidence in the flesh to be accepted of God. Note Jeremiah 17:5

Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

You know this was huge in Christ day, those jews He ministered to expressed much confidence in the flesh by bringing up their physical relationship to Abraham. Remember Jesus conversation with some of them in Jn 8:33-37,39-40


33They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?

34Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

35And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.

36If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

37I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.

Again the proud exclaim in vs 39

39They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.

Yes they were Abraham's seed physically, but at the same time they were not Abraham's seed spiritually or inwardly, for remember God requires Truth on the inward part Ps 51:6

6Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

Well Jesus just told these arrogant people that His word has no place in them vs 37. Now what is Truth but the word of God ? Notice vs 40

40But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.

You see, thats not Israel, a people who refuse the Truth of God, it does not matter their nationality, jewish or otherwise, Israel is as such with a clean Heart that receives God's word Ps 73:1

1Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.

Now tell me, how can a people be God's True People, God's Israel, and not receive His word ? It is impossible. But the True Israel of God has no confidence in the flesh.
 
More on no confidence in the Flesh !

Phil 3:3

3For we are the circumcision[Israel], which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

Also to have no confidence in the flesh means that one has not relied upon their performances to make them acceptable to God. What do I mean? Any act of personal obedience of theirs, such as their faith of act of believing, repentance, water baptism, going to church, their freewill decision and on and on , that is, any religious duty or duties one and all; all them doing such, whether jew or gentile, thats confidence in the flesh= Religious duties.

Gal 5:2-4


2Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.

3For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

4Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

Those who began to listen to false teaching about having to be circumcised as a followup to Faith in Christ, in order to be complete in Him, were in danger [if believed] of renouncing what had been taught in the Gospel which they had professed to embrace, that being saved was totally by Grace based upon the Obedience of Christ. Rom 5:19

Once we begin to add any act of personal obedience to our being or staying saved, we deny Grace. This makes known your previous profession was bogus and not a Spiritual wrought Faith by the Holy Spirit. This shows you now begin to have confidence in the flesh, something you do, to finish the deal of Salvation, and what Christ did alone was not good enough..

Gal 3:3;6:13

3Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

13For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.


This means, you deny now that Salvation is By Grace ! This the True Israel, Circumcision will not do !
 
God's Israel includes Believing Gentiles !

That Abraham's Seed, the Children of Promise, Israel, would be comprised of Gentiles is intimated in Gen 17:5-8

5Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

6And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

7And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

8And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

The Gentiles are included as God says a Father of Many Nations have I made thee. This is Abraham's Seed, not just from among the Jews but also among the Gentiles ot the Nations. The word for Nations in Gen 17:5 is the hebrew word gowy and is translated gentiles at least 30 times in the OT Isa 11:10; Isa 42:1,6

And its seen here in this passage in Isa 45:20-25

20Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.

21Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.

22Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

23I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

24Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.

25In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.

Now Cp vs 22 with 25, All the seed of Israel is comprised of all them God calls to look to Him and be ye saved in vs 22

This would be Abraham's Seed of Promise in Gen 17:5 ! The fulfillment is Eph 2:11-20;Gal 3:29
 
God according to His Promise !

Acts 13:23

23Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:

Salvation is by Promise, and its Limited to a specific People, Israel as here indicated by Paul. Paul does not mean National Israel, but Spiritual Israel, Abraham's Children of Promise as per Rom 9:6-8

6Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

7Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

8That 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.

Salvation through Christ is made sure to all the seed ! Rom 4:16

Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

You see, Salvation is according to Promise unto a certain seed, its not a universal offer , but a given Promise to the Seed of Israel. Its only one people God has promised to save !

Isa 45:17,25

But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.

Notice Israel shall be saved in the LORD. The word shall denotes Promise ! And again Israel does not mean National Israel according to the Flesh, they were merely a Type, but Israel of Promise..

In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.

Again, in the LORD shall [promise] all the seed of Israel be Justified. Israel here is Christ. And all of His Seed shall be Justified in Him..

Isa 53:10-11

10Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

11He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

He shall bear their Iniquities ! Whose Iniquities ? His Seed, and so by ding, He Justifies them as promised !

Isa identifies this same Servant as Israel here Isa 49:3

3And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.

Thats referring to Christ !
 
Israel and Church the same !

What do I mean that Israel and the Church are the same ? I am not speaking about Physical National Israel, but Spiritual Israel that was within her. Remember there was Two Israel's Rom 9:6

6Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

You had the Physical Nation comprised of Abraham's Natural descendants, that was Israel, and you had Abraham's Spiritual descendants within the Nation, also called the Remnant, that was Israel.

The Church of the New Covenant is the Spiritual Remnant Israel that was in Physical Israel, the Nation..

Now Paul writing to both jew and gentile believers in Corinth applies a OT Promise to them indicating that the OT Remnant Israel, of the Election of Grace is the Same as the NT Remnant of Election of Grace comprised of both jews and gentiles God's People. Lets look at 2 Cor 6:14-7:1

14Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

15And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

16And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

17Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

18And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

2 Cor 7:1

1Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

What Promises ? Why the Promises that were made to Israel in the OT like Leviticus 26:11-12


11And I set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you.

12And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.

Ezk 37:


26Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.

27My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Now these Promises of the abiding presence of God to Israel, Paul says to the Corinthians in 2 Cor 7:1 that these promises are their motives for 2 Cor 7:1

1Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Spiritual cleansing from all filthiness of the flesh, and perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord. So those OT promises are fulfilled in the Church with Spiritual Israel..
 
Because NT Believers are The Children of the OT Prophets!

That the NT Church and The OT Church are the same, because Believers in Christ under the New Covenant dispensation are the Spiritual Children of the OT Prophets Gal 3:7,29 Acts 3:25-26

Gal 3:7

7Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.


29And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

The word seed here is the greek word sperma and means:

the product of this semen, seed, children, offspring, progeny

b) family, tribe, posterity

Acts 3:25-26

25Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.

26Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

Now even though Peter was specifically speaking to ethnic jews here, what he said was not restricted to them, for the criteria of him stating what he stated was The Promise God made to Abraham " And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed"

Its the very same criteria that Paul stated when speaking of Gentile Believers Gal 3:8

8And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

And as we seen in Gal 3:7 these gentiles because of Faith are Abraham's Children, who by the way is called a Prophet here Gen 20:

7Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.

So what Peter stated in Acts 3:25 a Ye are the Children of the Prophets, applies to Gentile Believers also..
 
God being a Saviour to Israel is nothing other than God being a Saviour to His Church that He purchased with His own Blood. Isa 45:17

But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.

Acts 20:28

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

The Church and Israel are the same in that, the Church, which are Believers in Christ are the Spiritual Children of the OT Saints or Prophets. Gal 3:7,29

7Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

29And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Now in both of these references, Paul is referring to both Gentile and Jewish Believers in Christ through the gospel, for they are both partakers of God's Promises through the Gospel. Eph 3:6

That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

The Promise referred to is Here Gal 3:8

8And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed

Which goes back to Gen 12:3

3And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.


Gen 22:18

18And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

And Peter speaking to a primarily ethnic jewish audience states the same promise Acts 3:25-26

25Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.

26Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

So both Gentile Believers and Jewish Believers are Children of the Prophets, through Christ ! Which constitutes the Church that Christ Builds Matt 16:18

18And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

His Church is comprised of the Spiritual Children of Abraham, Gentile or Jew !
 
For Christ to be a Saviour unto Israel as here Acts 13:23

Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:

It's the same as Christ being the Saviour of the Body ! Eph 5:23

For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

This proves that Israel and the Church, His Body are one and the same ! Eph 1:22-23

22And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.


You see Israel that Christ saves is not a literial Physical Israel, like those over in the middle east, but a Spiritual Israel, even the Israel of God, comprised of Abraham's Spiritual seed from the jews and from the gentiles..
 
The Firstfruits of them that slept !

1 Cor 15:20

20But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

Who at the time of Paul would be the them that slept ? The firstfruits of who ?

Paul is stating here that Christ through His Resurrection became the Firstfruits of them that slept ! The word slept here in the greek is in the Perfect Tense. Those that slept would be denoting all believers in Christ who had died in the OT and the those who had died up to that present time that Paul was writing. This shows us that the OT Saints and the NT Saints are all of one body, Christ's Church. Who was Paul writing to ?

It was the Church that was at Corinth 1 Cor 1:1-2

1Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,

2Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both their's and our's:

So Christ is the Firstfruits of all believers of all time, which means all believers of all time are His One Church, the Called out ones.

1 Cor 15 is speaking about Christ's Resurrection 1 Cor 15:12-18

12Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?

13But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:

14And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

15Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.

16For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:

17And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

18Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.

Ye know, if Christ had not risen from the dead, the OT Saints would be dead and yet in their sins !

But because they also were part of His Mystical Body the Church, His resurrection confirms their Faith in Him as they looked forward to His Coming, and the NT Saints look back !

What do you think Christ was talking about with Lazarus's sisters here ? Jn 11:23-26

23Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

24Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

25Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

26And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Lazarus was an OT Believer who had hope in Christ and the Resurrection. This Resurrection was centered in the Finish work of Christ.

Was the Resurrection that Lazarus had hope in any different from the one Paul Preached in 1 Cor 15:4

4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
 
You see, National Israel was a Type of the Church, and early on Spiritual Israel, God's True Elect were in her, National Israel. All this was designed to show that God only dealt with a specific, and particular people for Salvation Purposes. What many did not understand was that, this specific and particular people, although for a long while resided in National Israel, would not be confined to that National People, but would be located throughout the world in all Nations under Heaven.

So when we read scriptures of prophecy denoting what God is going to do for Israel, or the House of David,or Judah and so forth, those scriptures don't mean Physical Israel, but that special and specific people that belong to the Election of Grace of all Nations.

An example is Zech 13:1

1In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

This Prophecy is speaking about Christ shed blood for His Church, that is who the House of David is speaking of here. The fountain open here is His Shed Blood. But notice the language, it tells us specifically whom this Fountain is opened to, a specific People, the House of David.

Thats important, and that is why Christ being of the seed of David is a important fact, not only to the jew but also the gentiles.

Paul writing to both jew and gentile believers opens up in his introduction to Romans Rom 1:1-3

1Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,

2(Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)

3Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

or look at his letter to Timothy who history tells us had a gentile Father 2 Tim 2:8

Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:

And we know that Paul was an specially raised up Apostle for the Gentiles, and this fact of Christ being of the seed of David applied to them as well, because of prophecies like Zech 13:1. Paul taught them how they were objects of that specific promise ! Romans 15:12

And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.

You see that ? To reign over the Gentiles, in Him shall they Trust ! Now to reign over the Gentiles here is the same as to reign over the the House of Jacob as here Lk 1:33

And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Guess what folks ? Its the same exact reign here as in Romans 15:12. I challenge anyone to prove it otherwise !

I make these points to show that even though Salvation extends outside of the boundaries of National and Ethnic Israel, yet it [Salvation] is still limited to Israel, even the Israel of God, which includes both chosen jews and gentiles !
 
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