No, your posts do NOT refute what I said. My posts refuted what you said. It's your turn to address my rebuttal. Don't get lazy on me. Do the work.
Your posts simply reflect your presumed narrative, i.e. that the Bible speaks about a "spiritual Israel", and a "spiritual Zion." But you have no scriptures that support your presuppositions. You are reading a narrative INTO the text.
Also, although most if not all Christians agree with Paul's statement in his epistle to the Galatians, that in Christ "there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female", you mistakenly superimpose that truth everywhere Paul mentions Israel. Paul never mentions the idea that there is a physical Israel and a spiritual Israel. He doesn't. There is only one Israel.
You refuse to address the multiple holes in your theological position. You have to. Your posts are constantly evasive. You sidestep the many arguments that forbid your teaching. This is something we Amils are accustomed to on these forums. This demonstrates the extra-biblical error of Premil.
You create two peoples of God in violation to the inspired facts. The New Testament makes clear; there is only one elect people. There is only one good olive tree, not two; one body, not two; one bride, not two; one spiritual temple, not two; one people of God, not two; one household of faith, not two; one fold, not two; one man, not “twain,” and one elect of God throughout time.
Ephesians 2:11-19 declares,
“Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth [Gr. politeia or citizenship] of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby … Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens [Gr.
sumpolites]
with the saints, and of the household of God.”
The context of the passage in view is basically comparing the dark hopeless condition the Gentiles found themselves in before the cross to the liberated enlightened position those Gentiles who embraced Christ were after the cross. It is only upon conversion that our sins are washed away and the blood of Jesus becomes effectual. Through Calvary, the believing Gentile has been brought into a new dominion and therefore enjoys a new citizenship, with its consequential new benefits. The believing Gentile has been given favor with God and has now fully entered into:
· Christ
· The citizenship of Israel
· The covenants of promise
· Spiritual hope
· Union with God in this present world
This passage is speaking of five distinct, yet inextricably linked, states of alienation that the Gentile believer once suffered before they received the glorious Gospel of Christ. Paul the Apostle makes it clear that all five have been graciously opened up to the Gentiles since Christ’s first advent. The Gentile believer can now experience God in the same way the Jew could prior to the cross through their surrender to Christ and their trust in “the blood of Christ.” Gentiles Christians under the new covenant now enjoy the same undeserved favor and blessing that Israeli Jewish believers did under the old covenant. We essentially see the incorporation of the once darkened Gentiles into true Israel. They now share with Israel its Messiah, Israeli citizenship, spiritual covenants, promises, hope and God.”
This Epistle reveals how there has been a major alteration wrought in their spiritual standing of these Gentiles in the New Testament age through Jesus Christ. What is more we see a complete redefining of terms and appellations. This passage shows how Gentiles have gone from being naturally considered “Gentiles” to being spiritually of “Israel.”
The word rendered “commonwealth” in the King James Version here is the Greek word politeia (Strong’s 4174) which means citizenship or community. This passage illustrates how Gentile Christians in this New Testament era have graciously entered into “the citizenship of Israel” through the work of Christ.
According to Liddell and Scott's Greek-English Lexicon a meaning of
politeia is "the conditions and rights of the citizen, or citizenship.”
This passage speaks of God bringing natural Israelis together with natural Gentiles into the exact same standing and privileges. In fact, in this new covenant age they are classed as “one body” and “one new man.” How can this be? What are the grounds for this union? Is it speaking of a natural or spiritual reality? There can be no doubt by the clarity and straightforwardness of this narrative that Jews and Gentiles are joined together in this passage on the sole grounds of “the blood of Christ.” This is the only means of cleansing and freedom God knows or accepts.
Galatians 6:15-16 asserts:
“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.”
We need to ask for clarity: who are the “as many” referred to here who “walk according to this rule”? Gentile believers only, as Dispensationalists claim? Jewish believers alone? No! It is all those who have become a “new creature” in Christ, irrespective of race. It is the redeemed of God.
The repentant sinner (whether Israeli or Gentile) is supernaturally grafted into Christ’s mystical body – the Church – on the exact same basis. There is no racial discrimination or favoritism in regard to nationality.
Dispensationalists are keen to create an ethnic division within the body of Christ. However, this is forbidden in the New Testament and is prohibited in the actual text before us. Any schism that existed has been done away “in Christ Jesus” and His substitutionary atonement on the cross. Those who have experienced the new birth and have become “a new creature” are those that are identified here as “the Israel of God.” This is a spiritual community where “circumcision” or “uncircumcision” means nothing. One’s race or physical condition carries no special favour with God in our age. Paul has gone out of his way to make this clear in the preface to his comments on “the Israel of God.” He carefully and plainly demolishes such a mistaken notion.
Moreover, the Greek word used in this passage for “rule” is the word
kanoni, which means a rule or canon, i.e. a standard of faith and practice; by implication, a boundary, i.e. a sphere of activity. There is hence an important proviso cited here for one being of the spiritual “Israel of God,” and therefore enjoying the “peace” and “mercy” of the Lord; that is: irrespective of colour, creed, gender, birth-date (pre or post Calvary) or status that one is born again of the Spirit.