Fred, grace and peace to you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. There is a "true Israel," clearly, in God's Word, although those exact words don't appear.
Am humbled by your greeting, likewise to you in Jesus name. let's listen and pay attention to the Holy Ghost of the Lord, thank you.
Those words don't appear in the scripture, then don't 'add' to GOD's word as false representation and that cause confusion.
'Israel' refers to the 'nation' of the 'Hebrews' or 'Jews', the descendant of Jacob who came out of bondage from Egypt and to their promise land.
They who went to Egypt including Jacob, 70-72 of them during Joseph the governor of Egypt, and came out to the promise land millions of them.
Paul says in Romans 2:28-29 the following:
"For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God."
Here Paul is addressing to the born again Gentile church, distinguishing between who's the born again 'true Jew' and the non born again bound to the Law, sin and death 'false Jew' in representation.
Yet they're both 'true Jews' belonging to 'Israel', and the church are not be deceived by such unsaved Jews.
And moreover to the 'yeast of the Pharisees' they represent, who in bondage abide merely to the letter of the Law.
And then in Romans 9:6-8, 23-24:
"But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but 'Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.' This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring...vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory ~ even us whom He has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles..."
Here Paul starts by, not all descended from the nation of Israel belong to Israel (even they maybe 'proselytes').
Next, scripturally to those who belong to Israel and are the children of Abraham, are ones through Isaac to Jacob and to the 12 sons and their tribes.
Therefore, ones from Hagar's, Keturah's, Esau's or the proselytes' which are not the promised descendants, are considered as 'non true Jews'.
On the other hand, through 'Isaac' shall Abraham's 'offspring' shall be named, for that 'offspring' and His 'name' is 'Jesus Christ' from that linage.
And from this same 'offspring', 'Christ Jesus', spiritually descends the born again remnant of Jews and the full number of Gentiles, saved under the election of grace, and through faith.
So the New Covenant collaborates to that 'offspring' and His spiritual born again 'body' the 'church', and the Son of GOD.
No longer belonging to the linage of the 'flesh' and in 'bondage' any longer, which He have crucified the 'flesh' on the Cross.
Died, buried and rose again in the 'spiritual flesh' on the third day as the Son of GOD and the Head of His 'body' the 'church'.
While those of the carnal 'flesh' and of His fleshly linage, remain in bondage and unsaved still till that moment.
Since a blindness in part is happened to them and for GOD have conclude them all in unbelief, just for the sake of Gentiles' salvation.
For they who're in the 'flesh' and 'unsaved' shall remain until the full number of Gentiles have come in saved by the Gospel.
And by this, in the end 'all Israel' shall be saved likewise by the mercy of GOD which He had shown to the Gentiles.
It's the new foundation now, where that '
offspring' becomes the '
Chief Corner Stone' placed first to that foundation.
Apart from the other stones that follows which are of His 'body' the 'church', to build GOD's new eternal home for eternity.
And 'all Israel' the remaining who're not saved, in the end they shall be saved and are also the 'stones' that follows which'll complete this building for eternity.
And then in Romans 11:25-26:
"Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved..."
So, there is a true Israel, so to speak, which is to say the Israel of
God, and
true Jews of God, who are not of the Israel of God merely because they are ethnically Jewish, but "children of the promise" through Isaac, and of all ethnicities ~ a great multitude from every tongue, tribe, and people group, and circumcised by the Holy Spirit. "True Israel" is to be understood as consisting of all those called by God and born again of the Spirit of God. This is the true household of God, His Israel.
Again, grace and peace to you.
Again, let GOD be the truth and man a 'liar' of made up speculation of a true Israel and false Israel, which is confusing from the Biblical narrative and perspective.
It was merely a distinguishment of Paul between a born again freed Jew from the Law and a non born again bound Jews to the Law.
As to a born again true Jew from a non born again false Jew, but apparently both are true Jews in the 'flesh'.
Whilst ones born in the 'flesh' by promise from Isaac from the ones who don't, until that final promised 'offspring' Jesus Christ.
There's only one 'Israel in the flesh' and who are from the linage of Jacob and the 12 sons, hence at present only a remnant of them through the Gospel are saved under the election of grace.
But eventually in the the end 'all Israel' in the 'flesh' who're not saved, shall be saved by GOD's mercy, and they'll be the 'finishing stones' to complete GOD's house for eternity.
Shalom in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord