Replacement Theology 2

It is easy to bring an accusation against others, claiming that they have taught something or do teach something which is contrary to scripture. Misrepresenting someones position concerning what they believe and teach seems quite common in our society today. This is nothing new however, and will continue till Christ comes. Nevertheless, it is one thing to accuse someone of something, but is quite another thing to prove that accusation. In this article I want to show that the charge brought against what I have written is a false charge and lacks any proof backing it up.

Therefore, I am writing this response against the charge of ‘Replacement Theology’ brought against me by a blogger who blogs over at ‘The Return of Benjamin.’ The blogger uses the term ‘Supersessionism’ against me and then turns around and equates everything under that term to what I have written.

First, let us begin by stating that the Bible is the only infallible, inerrant, authoritative source of divine revelation. In other words, all questions concerning doctrine should be drawn out of scripture alone. Therefore, I stand upon the hermeneutical principle of ‘sola Scriptura’. I also stand upon the hermeneutical principle known as analogia fide or the analogy of faith. This hermeneutical principle simply stated means that scripture interprets scripture. Also when I stated that all questions concerning doctrine should be drawn out of scripture, I mean that we are to exegete the text. Exegesis means to draw out of the text of scripture what it states. The opposite of this is eisegesis or the reading into the text what is not there. Finally, no doctrine should be developed on any one single scripture, but our doctrines are to be developed while considering the entire scope of Divine revelation. (1)

Secondly, let us also begin by defining the term Supersessionism. Seeing that the word is not defined in many older theological dictionaries, shows that the term must be of recent origin. So I turned to Theopedia.com to define it.

“1.Supersessionism is the traditional Christian belief that Christianity is the fulfillment of Biblical Judaism and therefore Jews who deny that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah fall short of their calling as God’s Chosen people.

2.Supersessionism, in its more radical form, maintains that the Jews are no longer considered to be God’s Chosen people in any sense. This understanding is generally termed ‘replacement theology.’”

If the first definition is correct, then certainly the Bible itself teaches this view. Jesus himself taught this view, Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. Also Paul stated that the things written in the Old Testament were for us, Rom 4:23-24 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead… Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.1 Co 9:9-10 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: 1Co 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

And Peter proclaims that the things that the Old Testament Israelites ministered, they ministered unto us 1Pe 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

These things were types and shadows, until Christ should come, of whom is the realty of what the entire Old Testament pointed. I shall later show that the modern day Rabbis use the same hermeneutical principle that I use.

One of the errors that the writer at ‘The Return of Benjamin’ made was to accuse me of the more radical form of the word, as defined above, even though I wrote against that radical definition. The radical form of Supersessionism is the term ‘Replacement Theology.’

Before I begin showing what the scriptures teach concerning ‘Who is Israel’, I will deal with a couple of ‘The Return of Benjamin’s’ statements:

Okay, this got my interest. I’ve debated subjects with those of a Covenant Theology persuasion before, but this is the first time that I’ve heard someone claim that Supersessionism (their preferred term) isn’t what they believe in. So what does the author believe?

As I have shown above, the author at ‘The Return of Benjamin’ uses the radical definition of the term Supersessionism to read my article. He takes everything under that term and equates it with everything that I have had to say on this subject. He also uses the term Dispensationalism, over and against Supersessionism and equates everything under that heading with a single term. This is erroneous. He acts as if he can use either term, in the singular, and grasp every concept under that single term. This shows that he hasn’t understood either position. Just as the term Supersessionism has been modified and many branches have come off it, even so the term Dispensationalism has been modified and many branches have come off of it. If he would do his research, then he would find that the term Dispensationalism has undergone radical changes, so that today we have what is called the Progressive Dispensationalists. These ‘Progressives’ have moved toward covenant theology.

Secondly, he states that Supersessionism is (their preferred term). By stating “their preferred term,” he means that it is our or my preferred term. However, you would think that someone who is writing a book would have at least given a few names of scholars and theologians who prefer this term. I have within my own library over 20,000 books, essays, and articles from a Covenantal Reformed perspective and none of these books, essays, or articles contain that word. I also have within my own personal library over 20,000 mp3’s from Covenantal Reformed Seminaries, Churches, and Conferences around the world. I carry four mp3 players with me everyday and listen to these mp3’s all day long and none of these speakers use this term.

So whose preferred term is it anyway? I would say that it is the preferred term of the author at ‘The Return of Benjamin’ who understands neither Supersessionism, nor Dispensationalism.

Finally, the author at the blog ‘The Return of Benjamin’ stated: this is the first time that I’ve heard someone claim that Supersessionism (their preferred term) isn’t what they believe in. Yet I didn’t even use that word in my entire original post that he was writing against. I was writing against the radical form of the word Supersessionism. So his accusation falls short because he can’t prove his accusation, seeing that the term Supersessionism was never used in my article.

At first I found this interesting, since it bore some resemblance to my own Adoption Theology. Since part of my purpose in developing Adoption Theology was the hope of providing some middle ground between the extremes of Supersessionism and Dispensationalism, finding a similar theological thread in the Reform tradition would be exciting.

The author of the post at ‘The Return of Benjamin’ hopes to find some middle ground between Supersessionism and Dispensationalism and this is why I state that the author doesn’t know either position. Little unbeknownst to him Dispensationalism has created that middle ground already. Today’s dispensationalists have moved towards the Reformed covenantal approach to scripture. The progressive dispensationalists have left some of what classical dispensationalism taught.

Secondly, the author at ‘The Return of Benjamin’ states plainly that he has developed a new theological system known as Adoption Theology. He has searched, hoping to find a similar theological thread in the Reform tradition. I will correct this error by quoting from R. C. Sproul:

“Although tradition does not rule our interpretation, it does guide it. If upon reading a particular passage you have come up with an interpretation that has escaped the notice of every other Christian for two-thousand years, or has been championed by universally recognized heretics, chances are pretty good that you had better abandon your interpretation.”

In other words, if the author of ‘The Return of Benjamin’ has developed a new theology and can’t find anyone throughout church history who has touched on it, then maybe it is because that theological interpretation of scripture, doesn’t exist in scripture. This is one reason why Dispensationalism is erroneous. No one until Darby ever came to the conclusion, by reading scripture, that God had a separate plan for Israel and the Church. Of course, I can disprove Dispensationalism without ever appealing to this argument.

Finally, I want to touch on the subject of the fact that the author of ‘The Return of Benjamin’ is trying to develop a middle position between Supersessionism and Dispensationalism. (2)

It is possible that both Supersessionism (the first definition given) and Dispensationalism are both false. Yet it is impossible or against logic for them both to be true. So if Supersessionism is true (the first definition given), then Dispensationalism is false. If Dispensationalism is true, then Supersessionism is false. So if one is true and the other is false, then to develop a middle ground position would be an amalgamation of the two and it would also be false. Augustine and Pelagius debated concerning God’s grace and man’s ability. Augustine was right and Pelagius was wrong. However, a few years later Cassian tried to develop a middle position between the two. If Augustine was right, then both Pelagius and Cassian were wrong. Semi-Pelagianism is also erroneous. During the Reformation the Protestants held to Augustine’s position and the Roman Catholics held to Cassian’s position (some would argue that Rome held to Pelagius’ position) and so Arminius’ students sought middle ground. If Rome was wrong, then Arminianism is also wrong.

Look at that key phrase: “God has cut off natural Israel.” All of it, apparently. Not a single thought given to the Messianic Jews who still identify with national Israel, as Paul did (Rom. 11:1). And to fulfill the promise, God has replaced, superseded, or, as the author puts it “engrafted Gentiles into Israel.” Now, we have no problem with the concept of “engrafting,” but there is a difference between grafting new branches onto a tree and replacing every single branch in the tree! One will enrich the tree, giving it a longer life, while the other will certainly kill it!

The author at ‘The Return of Benjamin’ has missed the point. According to him he believes that natural Israel is going to be saved. If my opponent would use the hermeneutical principle known as analogia fide or the analogy of faith, then he would not fall into this error. Simply stated the analogy of faith means that scripture interprets scripture. If I can show several scriptures that plainly state that natural Jews, those who are non-elect will not be saved, then I have proven my point. Is there any scriptures that state this? Absolutely! Only those who have been converted are part of True Israel and those only have been and will be saved.

1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

The natural man receives not the things of God, neither can he know them.

Rom 11:7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.

Non-elect Israelites were blinded and have been cut off. Just as non-elect Gentiles will not inherit the kingdom.

The author of ‘The Return of Benjamin’ is more dispensational in his thinking over and against his new system of ‘Adoption Theology.’ He believes that genetic birth gives someone a right to God’s eternal kingdom. This is erroneous. The new birth is given only to those of whom God has chosen in Christ.

Joh 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Joh 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Notice that Christ came to his own and they all did not receive him. Nevertheless, those who did receive him, he gave power to become the sons of God. John tells us plainly that there were some Israelites who received Christ. But notice verse 13. They did not receive him or were not born again by the Holy Spirit based upon blood (natural DNA or genetics), nor because they willed it, nor because man willed it, but because God did.

My post never stated that God would replace every branch on the tree. This is why I stated that you argue as a dispensationalists. You only quote what you want to based upon your dispensational system. I know you claim to have developed some middle ground, but that claim is spurious to say the least. Had you not held to dispensational tendencies then you would have also quoted what I said here.

A quote from my article: So Hosea is told that natural, unbelieving Israel is cut off, nevertheless the faithful in Israel will still be part of Israel according to Paul in Romans 9.

Why did you miss this? It is because your dispensational views only allowed you to see what you thought was against your system. You stated and I quote:

Not a single thought given to the Messianic Jews who still identify with national Israel, as Paul did (Rom. 11:1).

So my article, that you were writing against, did not contain one single thought that was given to the Messianic Jews who still identify with national Israel. Humbug! Poppycock! Your dispensational views only blinded you to what you wanted to see.

Those messianic Jews that have come to faith would be willing to forsake their identification with today’s Israel if they were reading their Bibles. As I shall later show, the Judaism in existence today within the nation Israel, is nothing more than Babylonian occultism. Did any Messianic Jews stand around and identify themselves with the Israel of their day when it was leveled to the ground? No! All the Christians, both Jews and Gentiles fled when Rome seized the city of Jerusalem. They all remembered the prophecy given by Christ, wherein he told them: Mt 24: 15-16 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains…..Not a Christian one was killed in this event.

At no time does Paul say that the Gentiles become Israel, meaning the Jewish people, but rather that they are “citizens” of Israel the same way that he himself was a citizen of Rome. They are children of Abraham by adoption through Yeshua, yes, but Ishmael, Esau, and the children of Keturah were all children of Abraham–and yet none of them were Israel.

Again, my friend, you do not know the scriptures nor the power of God. If I can show one single verse that states that anyone who is circumcised in the heart is a Jew and show that those who have faith in Christ are Abraham’s seed, then your argument collapses. But remember, I stated that no doctrine should be developed upon any one single scripture. So I will use several.

A true Jew is not one who is circumcised in the flesh. This circumcision profits nothing. Remember Paul stated that fleshly circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God 1 Cor 7:19. (Which if one is circumcised in the heart, then they will strive to keep these commandments of God)

Rom 2:24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.
Rom 2:25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.
Rom 2:26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?
Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

So if a Gentile is regenerated by the Holy Spirit and keeps the righteousness of the law, then his circumcision in the heart is counted as circumcision, even though he isn’t circumcised in the flesh. He is also a True Jew. A true Jew has been brought into the kingdom by the Holy Spirit and the circumcision of the heart. This includes Israelites and Gentiles.

Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Paul told the Gentiles at Galatia that they were Abraham’s seed and they were heirs according to the promise. Natural lineage does not make someone an heir to the Abrahamic promises, but fulfilling the conditions of the covenant did.

Jesus is the True Israelite and the only heir to all the Abrahamic promises. Can I prove this? Yes I can.

Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

The promises were not made to ‘seeds’ plural, but to one ‘seed’, singular. The promises were made to Jesus Christ, the greatest of all Abraham’s descendants and the only one worthy to inherit the promises because he fulfilled all the conditional aspects of the covenant.

Therefore anyone in Christ is a co-heir of those promises.

Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ
Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Secondly, I want to point out that your arguments are weak. You state: At no time does Paul say that the Gentiles become Israel, meaning the Jewish people, but rather that they are “citizens” of Israel the same way that he himself was a citizen of Rome.

I would like to state that your dispensationalism is showing again because this is a weak argument in the fact that, even though Paul was not a natural Roman by Genetics, nevertheless he was a Roman. I have a neighbor who married a woman from the Philippines. She had to obtain citizenship to come to this country. She got her green card and now she can be called an American. She didn’t have to be born here to be an American.

Thirdly, you state: They are children of Abraham by adoption through Yeshua, yes, but Ishmael, Esau, and the children of Keturah were all children of Abraham–and yet none of them were Israel.

You are correct. The promise wasn’t through any of those such as Esau, the children of Keturah or Ishmael. But the promise was through Isaac. Follow Romans 9 out where Paul is arguing that there is an Israel within Israel or a True spiritual Israel inside natural Israel and he brings his arguments to a conclusion by stating:

Rom 9:22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
Rom 9:23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
Rom 9:24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
Rom 9:25 As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
Rom 9:26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.

Paul even quotes Hosea, the same passage of scripture on which my original article was based.
Finally, here are several scriptures showing that redeemed Gentiles are, not only citizens, but Israelites.

Eph 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God

Eph 3:4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
Eph 3:5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
Eph 3:6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

Then Paul closes his letter to the Gentiles at Galatia by saying:

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

Paul can’t be referring to unbelieving Israel when he states that peace and mercy will be on as many as walk according to this rule and then calls them the Israel of God. Unbelieving Israel wouldn’t walking according to that rule during his life. This scripture ties back to Romans 9:

Rom 9:6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
Rom 9:7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
Rom 9:8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

True Israel is contrasted with natural Israel. They are not all Israel (fleshly), which are of Israel (spiritual). Neither are they Abraham’s children just because they were of his natural seed.

You see in my article I stated that God cut off natural Israel and you accuse me of ‘Replacement Theology’. Yet Paul states that those which are the children of the flesh (natural Israel) ARE NOT THE CHILDREN OF GOD. I guess Paul held to Supersessionism also.

 

Stay tuned for my next article: Replacement Theology 3: Who is not Israel according to Christ and the Apostles?

 

 

Notes:

(1) Of course, we interpret within the context of the paragraph, chapter, and book the scripture we are examining is found. But also the entire scope of special revelation has to be kept in mind while forming doctrines.

(2) I would contend that the author at “The Return of Benjamin’ doesn’t hold to some new system of theology that he has developed. But instead, holds to dispensationalism. It is prevalent within his own thinking.

Are You a True Jew?

 

Mp3 Download Click here.

The Abrahamic promises are made to the ‘Israel of God’

The promises of God are numerous: relating to this life and also that which is to come. They concern our temporal wellbeing, as well as our spiritual, covering the needs of the body as well as those of the soul. Whatever be their character, not one of them can be made good unto us except in and through and by Him who lived and died for us. The promises which God has given to His people are absolutely sure and trustworthy, for they were made to them in Christ: they are infallibly certain for fulfillment, for they are accomplished through and by Him.

A blessed illustration, yea, exemplification, of what has just been pointed out above is found in Hebrews 8:8-13, and 10:15-17, where the Apostle quotes the promises given in Jeremiah 31:31-34. The Dispensationalists would object and say that those promises belong to the natural descendants of Abraham, and are not to us. But Hebrews 10:15 prefaces the citation of those promises by expressly affirming, “Whereof the Holy Spirit is [not “was”] a witness to us.” Those promises extend to Gentile believers also, for they are the assurance of grace founded in Christ, and in Him believing Jews and Gentiles are one (Galatians 3:26). Before the middle wall of partition was broken down, Gentiles were indeed

 

“strangers unto the covenants of promise” (Ephesians 2:12), but when that wall was removed, Gentile believers became “fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel” (Ephesians 3:6)!

 

As Romans 11 expresses it, they partake of the root and fatness of the olive tree (verse 17)! Those promises in Jeremiah 31 are made not to the Jewish nation as such, but to “the Israel of God” (Galatians 6:16), that is to the entire election of grace, and they are made infallibly good unto all of them at the moment of their regeneration by the Spirit.

Arthur W. Pink The Application of Scriptures-A Study of Dispensationalism

Replacement Theology

There are multitudes of Christians within American evangelicalism today that lay the clear charge of ‘replacement theology’ against those who interpret the Old Testament with the New. Among such persons are men like John MacArthur who has come out with his own study Bible, after many years of ministry. What baffles me is the fact that men like MacArthur clearly understand what ‘replacement theology’ teaches, but nevertheless will still lay this charge against Reformed Theologians who teach no such thing.

I know that there are many dispensationalists who have spent their whole life writing against ‘replacement theology,’ but who clearly have misrepresented the Reformed position on the word of God. Now don’t get me wrong, scholars need to reject ‘replacement theology;’ nevertheless I cannot see spending one’s whole life writing against it. I am sure that there are some who hold to the erroneous position known as ‘replacement theology,’ yet I do not know of any. Therefore I believe that the reason this term is used against covenant theology is not so much an ignorance of what covenant theology teaches, but instead is used to discredit covenant theology and build prejudices against it. In my analogy of the situation, I just see it as a strawman argument against what covenant theology believes and represents.

Reformed Theology does not teach ‘replacement theology.’ Reformed theologians teach what is known as ‘expansion theology’ or ‘unity theology.’ Allow me to define both for clarification.

‘Expansion theology’ basically states that God, while initiating his new covenant towards Israel in the person and work of Jesus Christ, is also expanding the house of Israel unto the uttermost parts of the earth, by bringing Gentiles into the fold. This view is clearly taught throughout the Old and New Testament. Most dispensationalists will state that the mystery hid throughout the ages was that God would start a church during which time he would quit dealing with Israel and deal primarily with the Gentiles. But does scripture teach that? or Does scripture teach that the mystery that was hid throughout the ages, but is now revealed, was that God would make the Gentiles fellow heirs and partakers of the same body of Israelites? Let’s examine the scripture where the great mystery was explained by Paul:

 

Eph 3:4-6 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

 

How dispensationalists get two separate plans out of verse six is beyond me. There are not two separate plans, one for Israel, and another for the Church. Let’s examine several more scriptures to prove this:

 

Eph 2:11-19 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 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: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

 

Paul is plain in these verses that Gentiles were at one time alienated from the citizenship of Israel, from the covenants, and from Christ. But now God is taking two peoples, Jews and Gentiles, and making one body of people out of them. Is this not what Christ declared in “John 10:16 and other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” Did you get what Christ is saying? Jesus declared that he had sheep that were not of the fold of Israel, namely the Gentiles, which he would bring in and there would be one fold and one Shepherd.

We could also move to Romans 11 whereby Paul uses the metaphor of a tree when he speaks of Israel. Here Paul is plain that the Gentiles are being engrafted into the root of that tree.

The term ‘unity theology’ plainly states that there is unity in God’s plan of redemption. Men have always been saved by faith all the way back to Abel. There is unity in the Old and New Testaments and unity in God’s covenant dealings with man. God in the Old Testament had a people for his name and in the New Testament God is expanding that people.

It is clear that those of the dispensational stripe do not know the word of God, for if they did you would not hear them making the claims that all of modern Israel is God’s chosen people. Paul declared in Romans 9:6-7 “that they are not all of Israel who are of Israel…..Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children.”

John MacArthur at his 2007 Shepherd’s Conference, in his rant against the Reformed position concerning Israel and the Church, declared that if we believe in election, then certainly God is going to save all of Israel. Yet this is precisely why we should not believe in the salvation of every single Jew, because we understand that election is centered in God’s good pleasures and not in being born of natural descent from a certain person Ephesians 1:4-5.

Under the Old Testament administration of the people of God, God commanded that every Israelite that would not keep his commands should be cut off. So it is clear that the promises, even under the Old Covenant of Moses were only to the faithful. Can we find evidence in scripture that plainly states that God has cut off natural Israel and is engrafting Gentiles into Israel in order to fulfill the Abrahamic promise of a seed as numerous as the stars? Absolutely. Let’s examine some scripture from Hosea:

 

Hos 1:6-9 And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Loruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away.

But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen. Now when she had weaned Loruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son. Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God.

 

Listen to what God states here. God plainly declares that natural Israel is no longer his people. God cuts off all the unbelievers because Israel failed to weed them out. So God cuts them off himself. Can we find this type language in the New Testament? Absolutely. Jesus stated in Mat 21:42-43:

 

Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

 

Notice that natural Israel is again in the context of those of whom shall be cut off. The nation that the kingdom of God was given to is the Church 1 Peter 2:9.

So Hosea is told that natural, unbelieving Israel is cut off, nevertheless the faithful in Israel was still part of Israel according to Paul in Romans 9, whereby he declared: that they are not all of Israel who are of Israel…..Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children, but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

But if God cuts off unbelieving Israel, then how could Israel be as the sand of the sea without number? God plainly declares to Hosea that he will engraft foreigners into Israel. Let’s read Hosea 1:9-10:

 

Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God. Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.

 

God tells Hosea that natural Israel shall be cut off, but God will still keep the promises to Abraham of being blessed with a people that is numerous as the sand of the sea, because God is going to bring the Gentiles into the nation of Israel. Paul quotes this portion of Hosea in Romans 9:25-26 while discussing who true Israel consists of. Remember Paul declared that natural Israel is not the true seed of Abraham, but only spiritual Israel or called out Israelites Romans 9:6-7. Paul is showing the Romans that the word of God is not ineffective just because every single Jew isn’t saved. Paul goes on in Romans 9 and shows that Isaac was chosen and not Ishmael. Jacob was chosen and not Esau. So it is not of him that willeth or of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. Therefore God shows his wrath in vessels fitted for destruction that he might show his glory on those for whom he beforehand prepared to glory, of all that are called of Jews and Gentiles.

 

Rom 9:22-26 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.

 

So God declared to Hosea that natural Israel would be cut off and Gentiles would be grafted in. This is the exact language that Paul uses in Romans 11 when he discusses the cutting off of branches on a tree. Paul also declares in Romans 11 that only elect Israel receives God’s grace and the rest are blinded. Romans 11:5-7

 

Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.

 

When Dispensationalists get to Romans 11:26 they cannot understand it because they are not interpreting scripture with scripture. Dispensationalists believe that in the end of this age that there will be a move by God in which he will elect every single Israelite into spiritual Israel. Yet we have already seen that there is a remnant that is being saved and the rest are blinded. Also right after Paul quotes Hosea in Romans 9, in order to prove that God is saving Gentiles as part of his people, then he quotes Isaiah and shows that God is only going to save a remnant of those who come from Abraham’s natural seed.

 

Rom 9:27 Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:

 

I challenge all my dispensational friends to read the Bible with eyes of understanding and to interpret scripture with scripture. Though there is a modern nation called Israel, nevertheless they reject Jesus as their Messiah and therefore they are not the children of Abraham. Gentiles who believe in Jesus are the true children of Abraham. Also even to this present time there are naturally descended Jews that are being saved. Paul declared in Romans 11:5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. So every naturally descended Jew that comes to faith becomes part of the church.

I have shown that God has one plan. I have shown that Gentiles are fellow heirs and of the same body as the remnant of Israelites that are being saved. So if dispensationalists want to declare that Israel and the Church are two separate entities, then they do it against God’s very words. If dispensationalists want to declare that believing Jews will inherit the land while believing Gentiles inherit heaven, then they present a false dichotomy that is not present in the scriptures.