THE CHURCH IS NOT THE BRIDE OF CHRIST

[Marilyn C]

Yes....my meaning was that the prophecies are ABOUT "the Israel of God", not earthly Israel per se, to be more precise. :)

God made physical Israel and He will fulfill His purpose of ruling the nations through them on the earth.

 

[Marilyn C]

He collectively only has one bride, "the Israel of God" but it is made up of many souls......the city that comes down prepared as a bride, of course is made up of many citizens.

Yes the city is AS, AS a symbol of a bride because of the glory of God. There is no marriage. It is symbolic of God connecting the spiritual and physical realms. The city comes down out of the invisible realm to the physical realm and is the connecting of the two.

 

[Marilyn C]

Israel is called "the church in the wilderness" brother. And the church is called "the Israel of God."

Where are we called the Israel of God, please?

 

[GracePeace]

Where are we called the Israel of God, please?

Galatians 6:16And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

 

[Marilyn C]

Galatians 6:16And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

Notice the word AND. That reveals two groups.

1. For in Christ. (Gal. 6: 15) Those in the Body of Christ.
2. Israel of God. (Gal. 6: 16) Those of the physical nation of Israel who turned to God.

 

[GracePeace]

Notice the word AND. That reveals two groups.

1. For in Christ. (Gal. 6: 15) Those in the Body of Christ.
2. Israel of God. (Gal. 6: 16) Those of the physical nation of Israel who turned to God.

Well, we disagree : the content of the letter, to me, dictates the meaning of "Israel of God". In other words, Paul doesn't start a new argument, or raise a new term ("Israel of God"), without treating it, because all the preceding material already explains what he means. He has already called the Galatians "Isaac" (Gal 4:21-31), for instance, and, here, he is capping his lambasting of the Judaizing false Jewish Christians off by saying "They aren't even the Israel of God, God's people, where God's presence dwells in their midst (Ex 33:15)--you are, so don't ever let them put you down, or make you feel 'less than', just because you aren't circumcising, etc. YOU are Israel, don't worry about belonging in their Israel."

 

[Marilyn C]

Well, we disagree : the content of the letter, to me, dictates the meaning of "Israel of God". In other words, Paul doesn't start a new argument, or raise a new term ("Israel of God"), without treating it, because all the preceding material already explains what he means. He has already called the Galatians "Isaac" (Gal 4:21-31), for instance, and, here, he is capping his lambasting of the Judaizing false Jewish Christians off by saying "They aren't even the Israel of God, God's people, where God's presence dwells in their midst (Ex 33:15)--you are, so don't ever let them put you down, or make you feel 'less than', just because you aren't circumcising, etc. YOU are Israel, don't worry about belonging in their Israel."

`I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! ...God has not cast away His people who, He foreknew....For I do not desire brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved...` (Rom. 11: 1 & 2, 25 & 26)