08-11-2006, 12:56 PM
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#8
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 67
Rep Power: 3
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The church is never called "spiritual Israel"
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The church is never called "spiritual Israel"
(Source: The Israel Of God, written by: Dr. Thomas Ice,
www.pre-trib.org/article-view.php?id=34)
Galatians 6:16 (English Standard Version)
And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
'[Preterist and covenant theologian, Kenneth] Gentry believes that Galatians 6:16 teaches that the church has replaced or superseded Israel.
'If Abraham can have Gentiles as his "spiritual seed," why cannot there be a spiritual Israel? In fact, Christians are called by the name "Israel": "And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy by upon them, and upon the Israel of God" (Gal. 6:16).[4]
'There is such a thing as "spiritual Israel." Spiritual Israel would refer to Jewish people who have trusted Jesus as their Messiah; but the church is never called "spiritual Israel," as Gentry claims. Let's look at Galatians 6:16 and see what it actually says.
'The passage is simple and clear. The first part of verse 16, which says, "those who walk by this rule;" refers to the rule Paul had just stated in verse 15. "For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation." This is a spiritual category referring to all believers, to which Paul pronounces a blessing: "peace and mercy be upon them." This is followed by his copulative comment "and upon the Israel of God."
(...)
'Johnson is saying that there is no textual or exegetical basis for Gentry's belief that Galatians 6:16 teaches that the "Israel of God" includes the church or Gentiles. Gentry's replacement theology or supersessionism-as he likes to call it-has no basis in the biblical text. It must be that he is so blinded by the demands of his false theology that he continues to insist upon such an interpretation of the Bible and his resulting errant theology. I wonder, along with Lewis Johnson, why "In spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, there remains persistent support for the contention that the term Israel may refer properly to Gentile believers in the present age."[7]
To read more go to:
www.pre-trib.org/article-view.php?id=34
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"And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week,
and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering.
And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate,
until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator."
Daniel 9:27 English Standard Version
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