In another post, I went over my list of grievances against mainstream Christianity (you can read it here), what some of my counterparts call pagan Christianity. One of the topics on my list was the idea that the church and Israel are separate, this comes from the false doctrine of dispensationalism. No matter how many PhDs and Christian leaders claim it to be the truth, the Bible, however, teaches something else entirely.
Israel and the ‘Church’ are the Same
I want you to know that if you believe in Yeshua, you have been made part of Israel. I am not saying the church replaced Israel, but that they are the same, this is supported with the following.
“This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear. This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spoke to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:” (Acts 7:38) other translations
“This is the Mosheh (Moses) who said to the children of Yisra’ĕl (Israel), ‘יהוה your Elohim shall raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brothers. Him you shall hear.’ “This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness with the Messenger who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received the living Words to give to us,” (Acts 7:38) The Scriptures
In Hebrew the word “qahal” means assembly, the Greek word translated from this “ekklesia” can mean either congregation or assembly, it is from ekklesia that we get the word “church”. So when you read in the “Old” Testament and you see the word assembly, know it means church. Here is an example from scripture:
“There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a sabbath to the Lord.” (Leviticus 23:3) other translations
“Six days work is done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a set-apart gathering. You do no work, it is a Sabbath to יהוה in all your dwellings.” (Leviticus 23:3) The Scriptures
This is a brief explanation of Israel and the church being the same but demonstrates the validity of the claim.
Being a Part of Believing Israel is Tied to Belief
How do I know that being a part of Israel has much less to do with blood than it does with faith?
“However, it is not as though the word of Elohim has failed. For they are not all Yisra’ĕl (Israel) who are of Yisra’ĕl (Israel), neither are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham, but, “In Yitsḥaq (Isaac) your seed shall be called.” That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of Elohim, but the children of the promise are reckoned as the seed.” (Romans 9:6-8)
Here Paul tells us that just because you are an Israelite by blood that does not make you a part of the true Israel. It doesn’t matter if you can trace your lineage to Abraham, you could still not be a child of Abraham. So then, how do we know who is a true decedent of Abraham?
“For you are all sons of Elohim through belief in Messiah יהושע. For as many of you as were immersed into Messiah have put on Messiah. There is not YehuḏI (Jew) nor Greek, there is not slave nor free, there is not male and female, for you are all one in Messiah יהושע. And if you are of Messiah, then you are seed of Abraham, and heirs according to promise.” (Galatians 3:26-29)
You are descendants of Abraham’s seed if you belong to Yeshua, it is a Spiritual family, much like how you and I are brothers and sisters through the Messiah. To further solidify that point Paul also wrote this at the beginning of Galatians:
“Know, then, that those who are of belief are sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, having foreseen that Elohim would declare right the nations by belief, announced the Good News to Abraham beforehand, saying, “All the nations shall be blessed in you,” so that those who are of belief are blessed with Abraham, the believer.” (Galatians 3:7-9)
So far, we’ve covered how we know that we are Abraham's children, but what about being members of Israel?
“Therefore remember that you, once nations in the flesh, who are called ‘the uncircumcision’ by what is called ‘the circumcision’ made in the flesh by hands, that at that time you were without Messiah, excluded from the citizenship of Yisra’ĕl (Israel) and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no expectation and without Elohim in the world. But now in Messiah יהושע you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah. ” (Ephesians 2:11-13)
“So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens of the set-apart ones and members of the household of Elohim,” (Ephesians 2:19)
At one time we were separate from Israel, without the Messiah we had no hope, but through the work of Yeshua, we have been made part of the commonwealth of Israel.
Grafted into Israel
Paul writes in Romans, how we have been grafted into the olive tree of Israel.
“And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, have been grafted in among them, and came to share the root and fatness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. And if you boast, remember: you do not bear the root, but the root bears you! You shall say then, “The branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” Good! By unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by belief. Do not be arrogant, but fear. For if Elohim did not spare the natural branches, He might not spare you either. See then the kindness and sharpness of Elohim: on those who fell sharpness, but toward you kindness, if you continue in his kindness, otherwise you also shall be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, shall be grafted in, for Elohim is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more shall these who are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?” (Romans 11:17:24)
I am neither a Jew (as far as I know I don’t come from Judah) or a gentile, for in Yeshua I have become an Israelite. I've also created a syllogism to demonstrate the validity of my argument,
1. Gentiles are anyone who is outside the nation of Israel.
2. We, followers of Yeshua, have been grafted into the olive tree of Israel.
3. Therefore, those of Messiah are not gentiles.
Test all things even this teaching, and it is my hope, my prayer, that the Rauch Hakodesh will guide you into all truth.
P.S.
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