the Israel of God

[John S]

Joe - To be honest, I could care less about your web site. If it states what you have stated here, it's wrong.

 

[Joe Domingo]

Joe - To be honest, I could care less about your web site. If it states what you have stated here, it's wrong.

You are entitled to your opinion.

But John S make no mistake about it ...

I will not let a person of Caucasian race or Negro race tell me that they are Israel. And which many of them do. Examples - Jewish people in America. Other examples - people like Herbert W Armstrong who claimed to descend from David. OR what about those like Armstrong who believe in the false doctrine of British Israelism. Or what about the Black Israelites. These are all fitting the book of revelation - the synagogue of Satan - those who say they are Jews and are not.

If you are a person of middle eastern descent I could at least pause the hear one out, but even then those persons would not be able to prove their lineage back to Jacob.


John simply put - I am now combining science and faith to prove that God himself in his divine will has made sure that no human being can boast in the flesh a lineage back to Jacob.

Ponder that for a while John S.

I want to make something clear so that I am not misunderstood. I am not anti anyone's race. I am not racist.

In fact - it is those who make claims to Israel because of their race who are racist. I have provided some examples of the people that do this.

My position is crystal clear on this subject. No one can claim by race that they are Israel.

You can only claim to be spiritual Israel. That is all that God has left to be claimed.

 

[Niki]

You can only claim to be spiritual Israel. That is all that God has left to be claimed.

Who died and made you the paragon of truth?

Apparently you have convinced yourself...all well and good...but thankfully many of us are armed with the Bible...you know, the sword of the spirit,
and we poke at and tear apart all the lies that are sent our way to try and deceive us as scripture comes true before our very eyes and deception
falls like a plague across the hearts of Christian after Christian.

May God have mercy.

Thankfully, I really am not interested in your unlearned 'facts.' God bless you and speed you on your way. Your teaching is false...but God is merciful.

 

[Joe Domingo]

Who died and made you the paragon of truth?

Apparently you have convinced yourself...all well and good...but thankfully many of us are armed with the Bible...you know, the sword of the spirit,
and we poke at and tear apart all the lies that are sent our way to try and deceive us as scripture comes true before our very eyes and deception
falls like a plague across the hearts of Christian after Christian.

May God have mercy.

Thankfully, I really am not interested in your unlearned 'facts.' God bless you and speed you on your way. Your teaching is false...but God is merciful.

Can I ask you which of the scriptures that I have published on my website are not proving that Israel is spiritual today?

Or is your word good enough - kind of like what you are saying about me.

I don't post many scriptures here because they are all found here: http://www.israelofgod.net/key-scriptures.html

Have you read through those scriptures?

I have been accused of teaching replacement theology. This is not replacement theology. If you read all of the content in my website with an unbiased mind. I guarantee that you will begin to ponder the truth of what I am saying.

While it is good to hold fast to what you believe, your own worst enemy can sometimes be a closed minded mentality.

I use only scriptures to prove what I teach.

Several links prove scientifically what I teach as well but those are there for those who can appreciate it.

 

[Rex]

Do any of you that simply contest that NT fact that Israel is one, comprised of both Jews and Gentiles ever consider what we read in Acts and other places?

People were insisting on segregation of the Jews and the Gentiles even in the early "church" gathering of believers, in every and all cases it was discouraged by one of the Apostles or Paul.

The common fact is "there is now no distinction between Jews and Gentiles'
Romans 10:12
Gal 3:28
Col 3:11

I mean really now If what you have been taught to believe is that God segregates saved Jews and Gentiles don't you think we should be able to find this taking place or being taught by the Apostles? Niki you know Justin is not a believer in the teachings of the NT do you believe similar to Justin on this point? With no foundational scripture to support it?

 

[Joe Domingo]

Jesus made it very clear to those who had a physical bloodline from Abraham. He clearly told them in the 8th chapter of John that they were of their father the Devil. Jesus explains to them why he says this ... he tells them that they do not have Abraham's seed (this is a spiritual quality they lacked). Also, Nicodemus, he was born a Jew and yet Jesus told him that he had to be born again - which is the same as being born of God. See 1 john chapter 3.
And Paul almost always in almost all of his epistles continuously speaks of the circumcision of the spirit of the heart. Paul after his conversion - is only accepting as Israel all those who are born again. Paul realized what Jesus was teaching - that flesh and blood do not guarantee the Kingdom. Not only that - but that Abraham's descendants are spiritual. Hence Israel and Judah are spiritual nations not carnal. When Paul tells the Romans about being grafted in - it should be clear to the reader that this is a spiritual grafting into the nation of Israel. But Paul does not stop there. He even goes as far to say that the natural/carnal Israelites can be grafted back in - wo! but what does that mean? How can they be grafted back in? Hum - sounds familiar - Nicodemus said, how can a man enter his mother's womb again?
Therefore - it should be easy to understand what Paul is saying to those who can carnally prove they descend from Abraham - Paul is saying that if they are born again - they can be grafted back into the Israel of God.

 

[Niki]

Can I ask you which of the scriptures that I have published on my website are not proving that Israel is spiritual today?

May I ask you why you think they are saying most of us do not believe what you say they state? DNA etc aside of course

I have been accused of teaching replacement theology. This is not replacement theology. If you read all of the content in my website with an unbiased mind. I guarantee that you will begin to ponder the truth of what I am saying.

While it is good to hold fast to what you believe, your own worst enemy can sometimes be a closed minded mentality.

I use only scriptures to prove what I teach.

Several links prove scientifically what I teach as well but those are there for those who can appreciate i

Fair enough...although it sure sounds like RT when someone states Israel is now spiritual only.

How do you deal with God stating He will bring back those He has scattered from all nations back to the land He gave them?

You see, what you are stating would put quite a few scriptures in doubt.

You have, or it sure seems like it, the church REPLACING Israel...hence the term I used. This is basically what people who DO say they
believe the church has superseded the Israelites will state.

So do you wish for another term for what you state?

Are you a Christian? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God and that He died for our sins and rose again on the third day?

I'm asking because I have noticed this forum has quite a few people that appear Christian at first then after awhile we find them stating such things
as they don't believe Jesus is God.

So, I ask what I do.

Thanks

I mean really now If what you have been taught to believe is that God segregates saved Jews and Gentiles don't you think we should be able to find this taking place or being taught by the Apostles? Niki you know Justin is not a believer in the teachings of the NT do you believe similar to Justin on this point? With no foundational scripture to support it?

I believe what those two sites I referenced state...and they are simply PACKED with scripture...which is why I posted them...they will make the case that I and others here
are making.

Have you tried those?

After all I have posted in opposition to what Justin believes, I cannot believe you would ask such a thing. Therefore, and unfortunately , I am guessing you are just casting a
very wide and dubious net to see what you might catch. The problem there, is that those bottom draggers quickly fill up with things that should not be in included.

The worst part of this is, that you continue to have me stating things I have not said nor that I believe. That's not going to work with me.

I agree with JB's statement here (the sites I reference do also)

I have been to the website and i think it's superfluous to argue Israel after the flesh is a hybrid. Nevertheless, the 'Israel of God' is indeed all those in the faith whether that be Jew or gentile etc.

I disagree that Gentiles have replaced the Israelites as per the op's arguement.

Perhaps that's clearer...I don't know.

 

[Rex]

No Niki I haven't visited the site you posted, I don't pay much attention to external links, I haven't visited Joe's ether.
It's the equivalent of debating someone in the third party and absent as well, If Christians can't express what they believe on their own I'm not going to purse the conversation when people, for a lack of how to respond reference someone elses opinion, Of course I can't debate or confront someone that is not present.

1) I'll simply have to presume you don't have some scriptures to support what you believe.
2) I'm not going to read someone elses long explanation about how they have convinced you of your position, If it were an undeniable fact, the evidence should be clear as is the case in who is the Israel of God, -------->>>>>being both Jews Gentiles.

 

[Joe Domingo]

Hi Nikki,

As a person that has been reading the scriptures since I was 14, I am now 45 I can tell you that I am intimately familiar with them all.


Yes I am quite aware that there are scriptures that say that the Lord will bring his people back from the nations that he scattered them to ...

But honestly - these scriptures of re-gathering actually make more sense to me as the re-gathering of Abraham's spiritual seed. Not carnal seed.

See Nikki - this is where Christians are falling short of understanding.
It's like those Christians who say they are not under the law but require people to pay tithes. You can't have your cake and eat it to. If a person wants to render a tenth to the Lord it must be done by grace. Not because you have to pay tithes but because you want to. There is a difference.

The method of tithing I am using as a parallel thought.

We can't have Jesus teaching Abraham's spiritual seed and physical seed. That simply does not become sound doctrine. A Samaritan woman tried to confront Jesus with both an ethnic and religious argument. She felt he had no right to ask her for water because ethnically he was a Jew and religiously he was a Jew. She was Samaritan and therefore not a Jew in either sense. Jesus dismissed her arguments and told her that neither in her mountain of worship nor in the Jew's mountain of worship would his father seek those to worship him. This dismissal in effect disqualifies both ethnicity and religiosity from the conversation. Jesus got to the heart of the matter with her. He told her the father is seeking those who will worship in spirit and in truth. I can't make things any more clearer than this.

See the following scriptures:

John 3:7 "Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'

John 8:44 "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

John 4:24 "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

By all means please read these scriptures in their entire context. Jesus is teaching in all three instances that his Kingdom is not about flesh and blood. He dismisses all of their nationality, race, ethnicity and physical descent from the Patriarchs.

So Nikki, when you read those scriptures of promise to Israel, it is spiritual Israel.

Also Nikki, I will show you scriptures that provide hints on how God has always desired spirit rather then flesh.

Numbers 11:27 And a young man ran and told Moses, and said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”
28 So Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, one of his choice men, answered and said, “Moses my lord, forbid them!”
29 Then Moses said to him, “Are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!”
Moses wanted everybody in Israel to be spiritual.

1 Samuel 10:6 Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man.
God required Saul to receive his spirit before he could become King.

Isaiah 29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
God is looking at the inward part of man - not flesh, not race, not ethnicity

Nikki - I can pull out many more scriptures that are very clear to me where God is going with his message. God was always dealing with the spirit. When he changed Jacob's name to Israel - he did not do it for fashion and form or because Jacob was from a superior race. He named Jacob Israel because of the spiritual characteristic that Jacob possessed inside. The renaming of Jacob should be enough to explain why Israel is spiritual.

And yes - Jesus has always been and will always be my Lord and Saviour - nothing can ever change that - he is my life and in him I move and have my being. In him it is that I speak these words. In him it is that I teach spiritual Israel. By his holy Spirit I receive the unction to go forth and evangelize for the Israel of God.

 

[Niki]

No Niki I haven't visited the site you posted, I don't pay much attention to external links, I haven't visited Joe's ether.
It's the equivalent of debating someone in the third party and absent as well, If Christians can't express what they believe on their own I'm not going to purse the conversation when people, for a lack of how to respond reference someone elses opinion, Of course I can't debate or confront someone that is not present.

1) I'll simply have to presume you don't have some scriptures to support what you believe.
2) I'm not going to read someone elses long explanation about how they have convinced you of your position, If it were an undeniable fact, the evidence should be clear as is the case in who is the Israel of God, -------->>>>>being both Jews Gentiles.

No...not really....because then using the Bible to form a response would also be third party.

That's fine with me. But then stop telling me I am wrong if you cannot even source my belief through the handy dandy link provided and even though
I stated the site (s) are REPLETE with scripture.

Presumption is guessing with an opinion.

I will always do research before forming an opinion...and I sure did my share with someones T experience. You researched that one till the cows came home
and now they must all be in the barn or maybe all the ducks are in a row...whatever.

No one has convinced me but me, myself and I through prayer, study, meditation on the word, illumination of the Holy Spirit, research and whatever else my
limited abilities make available to the brain God put between my rather well shaped ears.
Joe ~ sorry but will have to get back to you another day this week...have to go get back to someone else in another thread I promised an answer to on something

Thanks

 

[JB_Reformed Baptist]

Jesus made it very clear to those who had a physical bloodline from Abraham. He clearly told them in the 8th chapter of John that they were of their father the Devil. Jesus explains to them why he says this ... he tells them that they do not have Abraham's seed (this is a spiritual quality they lacked). Also, Nicodemus, he was born a Jew and yet Jesus told him that he had to be born again - which is the same as being born of God. See 1 john chapter 3.
And Paul almost always in almost all of his epistles continuously speaks of the circumcision of the spirit of the heart. Paul after his conversion - is only accepting as Israel all those who are born again. Paul realized what Jesus was teaching - that flesh and blood do not guarantee the Kingdom. Not only that - but that Abraham's descendants are spiritual. Hence Israel and Judah are spiritual nations not carnal. When Paul tells the Romans about being grafted in - it should be clear to the reader that this is a spiritual grafting into the nation of Israel. But Paul does not stop there. He even goes as far to say that the natural/carnal Israelites can be grafted back in - wo! but what does that mean? How can they be grafted back in? Hum - sounds familiar - Nicodemus said, how can a man enter his mother's womb again?
Therefore - it should be easy to understand what Paul is saying to those who can carnally prove they descend from Abraham - Paul is saying that if they are born again - they can be grafted back into the Israel of God.

I have no problems with the tenor of your argument. I agree ONLY spiritual Israel is significant. SHALOM

JB I agree it is superfluous but I really believe some people need to be shown that Israel is not a particular race.

Many people stateside believe Israel is now the Jews who match a particular Russian/Eastern Bloc ethnicity. Dress a certain way and look a certain way. This of course is hardly anything close to the truth, since Arnie himself freely admits that Israel is a middle eastern country and therefore it's people should look like someone from the middle east.

In terms of the state of Israel as it exist today.

The state of Israel is composed of several types of people. There are the Arabs who have been dwelling in the land prior to the Zionist take over. These Arab populations have been relegated to Gaza and the West Bank. Then there are many people from all over the World who are Jewish that migrated to the country, such as the Ethiopian Jews. I even know of a couple of families that moved to Israel because they converted to Judaism. Then of course there's the Russian and Eastern Bloc Jews. These are people that the latest DNA study by Eran Eihaik have been found to descend from the Khazar peoples.

Keeping in mind that all of these people who have migrated to the Land of Israel are either practicing Judaism or are born to Jewish parents, but have no proven lineage tracing back to Jacob and his sons ....

How then do any of these non native people qualify as a legitimate Israel?

... .


Galatians 3
26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Words in bold are very clear. The word seed is applied to the believer in Christ.

1 John 3
7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
The word whoever is also very clear as to its intent - it is being applied to anyone not specifically to Jesus.

SHALOM

 

[Arnie Manitoba]

Galatians 6:16
"And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God."

Joe .... do I have to point out that whole topic is about circumcision ?

Are you not way off track using things like that to claim you are Israel ?

Best wishes

See Ephesians 4:13
"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:"

Joe .... do I have to point out that Ephesians is speaking directly to Jewish believers .... not you and me !!!

As a matter of fact it tells them not to be like the Gentiles in Eph 4:17 ..... So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking

 

[aspen]

I think the secular government of Israel has caused a lot of grief in the middle east. I do not have an opinion right now about the legitamacy of the state of Israel, but i do disagree with the manner in which they manage the Palistinian people - it reminds me of the injustice we dealt out to native peoples in america. we all have blood on our hands

 

[Arnie Manitoba]

And now is the time for all of us to embrace the name God has given us.

God has given us a name Joe .... we are the Gentile Christian believers

I expect you will disagree with that ...... fine ...

Then you must explain to us who the gentile believers are .... if we are not them .... who are they ????

best wishes

 

[justaname]

Joe .... do I have to point out that whole topic is about circumcision ?

Are you not way off track using things like that to claim you are Israel ?

Best wishes


Joe .... do I have to point out that Ephesians is speaking directly to Jewish believers .... not you and me !!!

As a matter of fact it tells them not to be like the Gentiles in Eph 4:17 ..... So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking

I think you may want to do more research as to who the audience is for the epistle of Ephesians.

Actually it is a predominately Gentile audience, where the worship of Artemis was prevalent. (cf Acts 19) There were some Jews in the region, but the dominate culture was Pagan, where the majority of believers in the church were pagan converts. The location is where the modern nation of Turkey is. The church in the region at that time was most likely house churches as the letter was written in the early stages of the church.

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus:

 

[Rex]

I think you may want to do more research as to who the audience is for the epistle of Ephesians.

Actually it is a predominately Gentile audience, where the worship of Artemis was prevalent. (cf Acts 19) There were some Jews in the region, but the dominate culture was Pagan, where the majority of believers in the church were pagan converts. The location is where the modern nation of Turkey is. The church in the region at that time was most likely house churches as the letter was written in the early stages of the church.

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus:

I see Armie as the poster boy on this sight for all the main stream dispensationalist pre tribe teachers. I've listened to so much of this for 35 years I can nearly predict just what defence they will take? the most frequently used is "they were not talking to Gentiles they were speaking to the Jews"

But out of the otherside of their mouth they disreguard what Paul says about the subject, which has has already been mention threw-out this thread, wasn't Paul explicidy sent unto the Gentiles? wasn't it God's primary purpose for Paul? How fitting that modern dispensationalist are to poo poo Pauls message about who Isreal is. He directly repeated this message at least 3 times. And offering his interpretation of OT promises.

I give Arnie a bit of a break he's simply the product of the modern church's lattest theology, word by word.
Arnies disagreement isn't with us it's with Acts 9:15

 

[Arnie Manitoba]

I see Armie as the poster boy on this sight for all the main stream dispensationalist pre tribe teachers. wrong I've listened to so much of this for 35 years I can nearly predict just what defence they will take? the most frequently used is "they were not talking to Gentiles they were speaking to the Jews" Rex .... below are a couple of verses that indicate the Galatian audience was Jewish

.....“We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ.

..... “But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners .....,

But out of the otherside of their mouth they disreguard what Paul says about the subject, which has has already been mention threw-out this thread, wasn't Paul explicidy sent unto the Gentiles? yes he was Rex ... wasn't it God's primary purpose for Paul? yes it was How fitting that modern dispensationalist are to poo poo Pauls message about who Isreal is.that is a completely different subject He directly repeated this message at least 3 times. the essence of his repeated message is that jew and gentile are alike under christ (life by the spirit) (grace - not law)..... what Paul never says is that the church has replaced Israel .....

I give Arnie a bit of a break he's simply the product of the modern church's lattest theology, word by word. wrong sir

Arnies disagreement isn't with us it's with Acts 9:15

I certainly agree that Paul was the Apostle to the Gentiles as per acts 9:15 ..... but he also spoke and taught many times to Jews as well .... that is also stated in Galatians several times .

 

[justaname]

This is a good read on the subject.
http://www.sbts.edu/resources/files/2010/10/sbjt-v14-n3_cowan.pdf

 

[Arnie Manitoba]

Joe Domingo .... if it means anything to you .... it would not bother me one tiny bit ... if you and I and all the Christians are "spiritual Israel" or "physical Israel"

As you compile your studies you must also make a note of all the places where it indicates that Israel is Israel and is distinct from the Gentile Christian church.

You (we) must point those things out and offer an explanation of our point of view.

Otherwise our work is incomplete and should not be used as a teaching.

It is poor scholarship if we only use the scripture we like , and leave out scriptures which oppose our (personal) view.

All the cults and false teachers do that ... we should not .... We can find abundant scriptures that portray Jesus as just a man .... but if we leave out all the scriptures that show Him as God , we only have half the story.

We should do the same when pondering "who is Israel" and "who is the gentile church"

And keep in mind that even scholars (who feel Israel is Israel) will quickly admit that they are still left scratching their heads and remain uncertain about many issues.

best wishes in your studies.

Again I say .... I would not be personally offended if the church replaced Israel .... I actually would prefer it ..... trouble is that the bible indicates a distinction between the two .... especially in the end times.

Arnie

 

[Rex]

This is a good read on the subject.
http://www.sbts.edu/resources/files/2010/10/sbjt-v14-n3_cowan.pdf

Pretty decent read

I'm going to post this section because many, including myself don't always follow external ,inks.

View #2: “
the Israel of God”
refer s to the
church
In spite of these arguments and objections, it
seems best to understand Paul as speaking of one
group in 6:16 and applying the phrase “the Israel of
God” to all believers, Jew and Gentile. Paul invokes
peace and mercy upon all who walk in confor
-
mity to the new creation: “that is, upon the Israel
of God.” The church is, thus, the “true Israel” or
“spiritual Israel.” The following reasons are offered
in support of this view.
(1) While it is certainly true that nowhere else
in the New Testament do we find the
term
“Israel”
being applied to the church, the
concept
is ubiqui
-
tous. I will limit my survey to the writings of Paul.
The apostle frequently speaks of believers in Christ
(including Gentiles) using Old Testament language
that originally referred to Israel. Believers are God’s
“elect” or “chosen” (Rom 8:33; Eph 1:4; Col 3:12;
1 Thess 1:4) and those whom he has “called” (Rom
8:28; 1 Cor 1:24). They are “sons of God” (Rom
8:14; Gal 3:26) and “sons of Abraham” (Gal 3:7).
Paul tells the Ephesians they are a “holy temple”
and a “dwelling of God” (Eph 2:21-22). In con
-
trast to the Judaizers and their false circumcision
(“mutilation,” Phil 3:2), Paul tells the Philippians,
“
We
are the (true) circumcision” (3:3). In Romans,
Paul clearly makes a distinction between ethnic and
spiritual Israel. Being a Jew is not outward, nor is
circumcision outward. A true Jew is one inwardly,
whose heart has been circumcised by the Spirit
(Rom 2:28-29). If being a (true) Jew is not about
externals but the circumcision of the heart, then
this would apply in a spiritual sense to Gentiles.
Therefore, the objection that the term “Israel” is
never used to refer to the church (except for Gal
6:16!) is not very weighty in light of the clear evi
-
dence for the concept.
(2) The context of Galatians justifies under
-
standing “the Israel of God” as designating all
believers, Jew and Gentile. While questions of syn
-
tax and grammar in Gal 6:16 must be addressed,
Thomas Schreiner is right: “It is unlikely that the
dispute can be resolved on the basis of grammar
alone.”
15
The most decisive factor is the context of
the epistle in which the phrase is found. Through
-
out the letter, Paul has argued that Gentiles need
not be circumcised and practice “works of the law”
to be justified, receive the Spirit, and be incorpo
-
rated into the people of God (2:16; 3:2; 5:2-6).
Rather, those of faith are sons of Abraham and,
in Christ, receive the promised Spirit (Gal 3:7,
14). The Galatians are sons of God in Christ Jesus
through faith (3:26), having received adoption as
sons (4:4-7). Through their incorporation into
Christ—who is the seed of Abraham (3:16)—
they

become Abraham’s seed. “There is neither Jew nor
Greek,” for they are “all one in Christ Jesus” (3:28).
Therefore, they are Abraham’s offspring and heirs of
the promise (3:29). The “Jerusalem above” is their
mother, so they are “children of promise” just like
Isaac (4:26, 28). Gentiles are not second-class citi
-
zens, but full members of God’s people. As Donald
Guthrie suggests, given Paul’s argument in the let
-
ter, he is perhaps describing the Christian church in
this way “because he wants to assure the Galatians
that they will not forfeit the benefits of being part
of the true Israel by refusing circumcision.”
16
While
it is possible for one to abstract 6:16 from its con-
text and argue that “the Israel of God” in this verse
can
refer to those who are ethnic Jews (particularly
in light of Romans 9-11), it is very hard to accept
this view when one has read the verse in light of the
whole epistle. To make a distinction between Jews
and Gentiles here at the end of the letter would
appear to counteract Paul’s entire preceding argu-
-
ment! Richard Longenecker’s conclusion seems
justified: “All of the views that take ‘Israel of God’
to refer to Jews and not Gentiles, while supportable
by reference to Paul’s wider usage (or nonusage) of
terms and expressions, fail to take seriously enough
the context of the Galatian letter itself.”

Again I say .... I would not be personally offended if the church replaced Israel .... I actually would prefer it ..... trouble is that the bible indicates a distinction between the two .... especially in the end times.
Arnie

The church Gentiles have not replaced Israel, Israel was offered salvation first just as it was promised to Abraham and then unto the Gentiles salvation was placed before them as well. Gal 3:8 was the fulfillment of that promise made to Abraham in Acts 10:44-45 It is confirmed "just as we received" in Acts 15:8-9

If you want to get down to the nitty gritty there was even a predetermined amount of time given "Israel" some will call it the "Jews"
It's found in Dan 9:24-27 70 weeks 70x7 have been determined for you and your people? meaning the Jews. God's grace and conditional convents would close 7 years after the Messiah comes, The one calling in the wilderness preparing the way for Messiah Identified and proclaimed the Messiah had come through John the babiest. 3.5 years latter the Messiah was cut off sacrificed on the cross, but in Acts 1-48 we see the closing of the last 3.5 year time period ending the 70th week, during which salvation was only offered to the Jews, that time spoken to Danial closed in Acts chapter 10. But in no way does it prohibit salvation to the Jews, the new covenant was in effect for both Jews and Gentiles alike, the covenant Jesus spoke of at the last supper, Jesus even mentions Gods pervading grace over Israel would end, for those that look at why He chose to use the words 70x7 in Matthew 18:21-22 He would form the new covenant based on His finial sacrifice.

I wouldn't be holding my breath about how many say, God owes Israel something according to the old covenant, its simply not true. Just as it says in Daniel, in the midst of the week he shall make a covenant, why that's exactly what Jesus did isn't it. Good luck with your boggy man watch froming a covenant with the secular Nation of Israel, it may just be a game of grand illusion.