It is important that we remember that the Bible in its original writings did not consist of chapters and verses. Therefore, we should not start and stop our readings and studies with these divisions, but look at the writings in their complete form, noting appropriate changes in subject discussion. Dispensationalism/Zionism has re-interpreted much of Scripture, looking at it through the lens of Judaism. This is why they miss much of the truths stated and revealed in Scripture. Especially those truths re-interpreted by Jesus and His Apostles from the Old Testament Scriptures. Whether deliberately or ignorantly, they ignore much of what the New Testament has to say and try to develop their theology based on a Pharisaical-type interpretation of the Old Testament (the interpretation the Pharisees applied caused them to miss the predictions and first coming of Jesus). With this in mind, let us now look to Scripture for its clear teachings.
"Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called 'Uncircumcision' by the so-called 'Circumcision,' which is performed in the flesh by human hands—remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR; for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace which was given to me for you; that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief. By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God's grace which was given to me according to the working of His power. To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him. Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory." Ephesians 2:11-3:13
Five things were true of Gentiles in the past. We were...
Paul takes national, physical, ethnic Israel and divides them into two groups: believing Israel and unbelieving Israel. According to Romans 2:28-29, unbelieving Israel are not true Jews. Believing Gentiles, having circumcision of heart, according to these verses, are true Jews. According to Romans 9:6-8, unbelieving Israel does not belong to Israel. Believing Gentiles, according to these verses, do belong to Israel, as attested by Galatians 3 and Ephesians 2:11-3:13.
There has always been a faithful remnant of believing Jews in national, physical, ethnic Israel. These were the true Israel. (Jesus Himself is the true Israel.) Not all national, physical, ethnic Jews were true Jews (see Rom. 2:28-29). But some were. Not all national, physical, ethnic Israel were true Israel (see Rom. 9:6-8). But some were. When Jesus the Messiah came, the evidence of whether a national, physical, ethnic Jew was part of the true Israel was whether he/she confessed Jesus as the Son of God or denied Him. Jesus stated that, "He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him" (John 5:23). Even the Apostle John stated that, "Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also" (1 John 2:23). If you reject Jesus, you reject God; and if you reject God, you are not part of true Israel, even though you may be a national, physical, ethnic Jew.
The picture that Romans 11:17-26, Galatians 3, and Ephesians 2:11-3:13 paint is this: the true Israel becomes the Church of Christ and the Church of Christ emerges as the true Israel. The two are one in the same! God has one Church, one body, one people. This one body of Jewish believers and Gentile believers, from both the Old Testament and the New Testament, is not only the true Israel—spiritual Israel—but also the true Church, which consists of anyone (Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female) having the same faith as Abraham. Any theology that attempts to divide what God has joined together is an aberrant, heretical theology. Biblical theology teaches expansion theology!
- ...separate from Christ
- ...excluded from the commonwealth of Israel
- ...strangers to the covenants of promise
- ...having no hope
- ...without God in the world
- ...in Christ ("you who formerly were far off have been brought near")
- ...included in the commonwealth of Israel ("you are fellow citizens with the saints")
- ...heirs of the covenants of promise ("fellow partakers of the promise")
- ...with hope ("the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body")
- ...with God in the world ("of God's household")
"Even so Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, 'ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU.' So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. ... Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, "And to seeds," as referring to many, but rather to one, "And to your seed," that is, Christ. ... There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise." Galatians 3:6-9, 16, 28-29Following on what Paul had just said in 2:11-22, he begins what he is about to reveal in 3:1-13 with, "For this reason." In Ephesians 3, Paul informs us that the mystery was made known to him by revelation, and that this mystery was not known to former generations. What was this mystery? That Gentiles are fellow heirs with the Jews (v.6): "the mystery...has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs." Romans 11:17-26 explains this mystery of the Gentile inclusion. True Israel—believing Israel, spiritual Israel—is expanded with the inclusion of believing Gentiles who are grafted in with them.
"But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, 'Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.' Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree? For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, 'THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB.'" Romans 11:17-26As the ESV reads, "In this way all Israel will be saved." What way is that? By the inclusion of the Gentiles: "a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in." In to what? Into Israel: "and so all Israel will be saved." 'All' does not refer to 'each and every individual,' nor does 'Israel' here mean physical, national Israel. The first 'Israel' speaks of physical Israel, while the second 'Israel' speaks of the true—the spiritual—believing Israel, which consists of believing Gentiles. Dispensationalists want to deny this, but if you carefully pay attention to what this passage is saying, to the picture it is painting, that is precisely what is being taught. Expansion Theology!
Paul takes national, physical, ethnic Israel and divides them into two groups: believing Israel and unbelieving Israel. According to Romans 2:28-29, unbelieving Israel are not true Jews. Believing Gentiles, having circumcision of heart, according to these verses, are true Jews. According to Romans 9:6-8, unbelieving Israel does not belong to Israel. Believing Gentiles, according to these verses, do belong to Israel, as attested by Galatians 3 and Ephesians 2:11-3:13.
There has always been a faithful remnant of believing Jews in national, physical, ethnic Israel. These were the true Israel. (Jesus Himself is the true Israel.) Not all national, physical, ethnic Jews were true Jews (see Rom. 2:28-29). But some were. Not all national, physical, ethnic Israel were true Israel (see Rom. 9:6-8). But some were. When Jesus the Messiah came, the evidence of whether a national, physical, ethnic Jew was part of the true Israel was whether he/she confessed Jesus as the Son of God or denied Him. Jesus stated that, "He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him" (John 5:23). Even the Apostle John stated that, "Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also" (1 John 2:23). If you reject Jesus, you reject God; and if you reject God, you are not part of true Israel, even though you may be a national, physical, ethnic Jew.
"The manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places." Ephesians 3:10God's aim is to hold up the Church as a showcase of the glory of His perfections, saying to Heaven and Hell, "This is the glory of My Son—His Church!" This was supposed to be Israel's destiny. Now, Jews and Gentiles together as the Church will be God's people. Jewish rabbis and Dispensationalists/Zionists will say that God has two plans to bless people: one for Jews and one for Christians. Jews can get to God without Jesus without becoming Christians, and Christians can get to God with Jesus without becoming Jews. But this is false! Jesus made is absolutely clear: "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me!" If Jew and Gentile do not come to and through Jesus alone, they do not come at all. They will spend eternity in Hell.
The picture that Romans 11:17-26, Galatians 3, and Ephesians 2:11-3:13 paint is this: the true Israel becomes the Church of Christ and the Church of Christ emerges as the true Israel. The two are one in the same! God has one Church, one body, one people. This one body of Jewish believers and Gentile believers, from both the Old Testament and the New Testament, is not only the true Israel—spiritual Israel—but also the true Church, which consists of anyone (Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female) having the same faith as Abraham. Any theology that attempts to divide what God has joined together is an aberrant, heretical theology. Biblical theology teaches expansion theology!