ROMANS 2:28 THE CHURCH IS NOT ISRAEL

[Doug]

Romans 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

2:29 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.

There are many who say that the church, the body of Christ, is now spiritual Israel. A member of the body of Christ has become a Jew inwardly. Neither this verse, nor any others, confirm this.

Israel thought their righteousness would come by the law: they stumbled at the stumblingstone, which is Christ (Romans 9:32).

Deuteronomy 14:2 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.

The Lord set Israel apart from all the Gentile nations. To say that the body of Christ is spiritual Israel would dilute this distinction and ignore the existing separation between Jew and Gentile; Christ by the body of Christ has removed the separation and made of Jew and Gentile believers one new man, there is no longer any Jew in the body (Ephesians 2:15). If in the body there is no more Jew, how could it be said there is now one.

Romans 9:3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

9:4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;

Paul is saying that his Israelite kinsman are so according to the flesh. To say that the body of Christ is now spiritual Israel is in error; to say all the promises given to Israel are now given to the body of Christ is not spiritual but fleshly.

Romans 9:6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

9:7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

9:8 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 children of the promise is not according to the flesh, but the promise. It is believing Israel who are the children of the promise.

Galatians 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

3:8 And 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.

3:9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

They which are of faith are counted as children of Abraham not by the law, but by faith. The Gentile heathen nations are to be blessed in Abraham. They which be of faith are blessed with Abraham. This however, does not say the believing Gentiles are to be given the promises of Israel, but rather, are blessed.

Exodus 19:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

Revelation 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

The body of Christ has not been made a holy nation, priests, nor kings. As can be seen in Exodus 19:6 it is only the children of Israel that will be so.

Romans 3:3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

To say Israel has been stripped of all the promises and it's prophetic future as a result of their unbelief, and has been replaced by the body of Christ, the church, is to make the faith of God without effect; let God be true.

 

[MennoSota]

Being a Jew and being Israel are two different things.
When Paul addresses the church (the elect)as Israel, he is addressing the elect as being the children of the promise. Those whom God counts as His chosen people have always been those who are children of the promise. His salvation has always been by grace through faith. The law always was a tool of condemnation, never a tool of salvation.
Being a cultural Jew or genetic Jew has nothing to do with God's salvation. It never has and it never will. Abraham was not Jewish.

 

[MoreCoffee]

Being a Jew and being Israel are two different things.
When Paul addresses the church (the elect

; the elect being those persons who are preparing for baptism at the Easter Vigil Mass

)as Israel, he is addressing the elect as being the children of the promise

who are about to receive the new birth from above in water and the Spirit at their baptism

. Those whom God counts as His chosen people have always been those who are children of the promise. His salvation has always been by grace through

baptism with water and the Spirit in the

faith

of the Catholic Church

. The law always was a tool of condemnation,

for those who disobeyed it and did not repent of their disobedience and offer the sacrifices required in the Law so it was

never a tool of salvation

for disobedient and unrepentant people

.
Being a cultural Jew or genetic Jew has nothing to do with God's salvation. It never has and it never will. Abraham was not Jewish.

 

[MennoSota]

; the elect being those persons who are preparing for baptism at the Easter Vigil Mass who are about to receive the new birth from above in water and the Spirit at their baptism baptism with water and the Spirit in the of the Catholic Church for those who disobeyed it and did not repent of their disobedience and offer the sacrifices required in the Law so it was for disobedient and unrepentant people

Nope. Your definition of the elect is not found anywhere in scripture. I reject your definition as your silly opinion without any legitimacy. Try actually knowing God in the scriptures rather than making things up.