The Israel Of God -- (II.)
In the preceding paper we discussed God's people under the Old Testament. As we continue our study of Anglo-Israel error, we shall ask:
III. Who Are Not God's People Today?
This will help us to arrive at the proper conclusion as to who God's Israel is today.
1. The fleshly seed of Abraham are not the peculiar people of God today. Rom. 9:718 makes this clear: "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." Notice particularly the statement, "They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God." Now why should any person build a whole theory around the idea that the United States and Great Britain are the fleshly descendants of Abraham — Ephraim and Manasseh in particular? Yet, through "endless genealogies" they try to show that we are the descendants of Abraham and thus a chosen people of God. Paul says that the children of the flesh are not the children of God.
2. Thus, the Israelites according to the flesh are not God's people. The Israelites according to the flesh were lost, and "they are not all Israel, which are of Israel." (Rom. 9:1-6). In Born. 10:1-3 we hear the prayer of Paul for Israel, who "being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."
In order to advance the theory of Anglo-Israelism, it is necessary to trace genealogies. In many of their books and tracts, Anglo-Israelists have long, genealogical charts trying to uphold false theory. But inspiration forbids such. We are commanded not to "give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions." (1 Tim. 1:4). We are told to "avoid genealogies" (Tit. 3:9). We cannot obey these commands and accept the Anglo-Israel doctrine. You cannot uphold Anglo-Israelism without these genealogies, but you cannot obey Christ without avoiding them. Which will it be?
Still further, we are informed that God's people are not the people of any particular nation. Peter declared: "Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him." (Acts 10:34-35). If I say that the people of Great Britain and the U. S. A. are God's special people, I contradict Peter.
However, I believe that Romans 2 is the most powerful refutation of any theory that seeks to exalt one nation above another. In verses 7-11 we learn that God will render to every man according to his deeds: eternal life to them who patiently continue in well doing, but indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish upon everyone that does evil — both Jews and Gentiles. Why? "For there is no respect of persons with God." Any person of any nation who obeys the gospel and continues in well doing will go to Heaven. It matters not as to the color of his skin or where he lives. On the other hand, every person of every nation who does not obey the gospel will be lost, and his nationality or social prestige do not matter. God respects no man's person. The fleshly Israelites today are not God's peculiar people.
3. Circumcision according to the flesh does not make one a child of God. Gal. 6:15 says, "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision ..." Again, "Circumcision is nothing." (1 Cor. 7:19).
4. God's people today are not the same as they were before Jesus came. This fact should stand out to all who read God's word. "And I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God." (Hos. 2:23). Paul uses this prophecy in Rom. 9:25 to show that the Gentiles can be God's people as well as fleshly Israel: "As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved." Suppose it could be proven that the people of Great Britain and the U. S. were actual descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh. That would not prove one thing so far as their theory is concerned. It would not serve as proof that these nations are God's chosen. Why? Because God doesn't have the same people now as His own that He did before Jesus came. Israel was God's nation before the coming of Jesus — but now it is different.
5. Therefore, the fleshly Jew is not God's chosen one. "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 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." (Rom. 2:28-29).
IV. Who Are God's People Today?
1. Those who are spiritually the seed of Abraham.
a. They that are the children of the promise. "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." (Rom. 9:8). But who are these children of the promise?
b. They that are of faith. "Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham . . . So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham." (Gal. 3:7-9). Therefore, all who are justified by faith are the children of the promise and the spiritual seed of Abraham. But what does it mean to be "of faith?" Notice that:
c. They that are Christ's are Abraham's seed. "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Gal. 3:29). Who are Abraham's seed? They that are Christ's. And these are the ones who are the "children of promise,' or "heirs according to the promise." How do we become Christ's? When we learn this, we shall learn how to become the seed of Abraham. "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." (Gal. 3:26-27). Remember, if we are "of faith" we are the children of Abraham. But still we ask, "How do we become children of God by faith?" The answer: "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ." These are children of God by faith, and they belong to Christ. Since they belong to Christ, they are Abraham's seed. Of what nationality is he speaking? No particular nation. "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." (v. 28). The Spiritual seed of Abraham — those who have believed and have been baptized into Christ — these are God's children today.
2. Spiritual Israel is God's people. "The Israel of God" are God's people now — Christians. "For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel." "But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly: and circumcision is that of the heart." (Rom. 3:29). If you are a Christian, you are a part of God's Israel regardless of your nationality.
3. Circumcision of the heart. We noticed in the passage just quoted that the man who has circumcision of the heart is a Jew inwardly. Paul shows that it is the same as being a new creature (Gal. 6:15). On another occasion he showed that it was keeping the commands of God that counted (1 Cor. 7:19) and, again, that it was faith that works by love (Gal. 5:6). In Col. 2:11-12 he defines the spiritual circumcision for us: "IN whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: buried with him in baptism . . ." When you are scripturally baptized, you become a new creature, and you become a Jew inwardly and are a part of the people of God. Your nationality doesn't matter. The important thing is obeying the Lord's commands.
4. Thus, the people of God are Christians. God determined to "take out of them (Gentiles) a people for his name." (Acts 15:14). He does so by the preaching of the gospel (Acts 15:7). When we obey the gospel, we become a "chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." (1 Peter 2:9-10). "But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." (Eph. 2:13). Since we are baptized into Christ (Rom. 6:3; Gal. 3:27), it is when we are baptized that we are made nigh and become the people of God. We, as God's people (the circumcision of the heart), are expected to serve Him acceptably: "For we are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." (Phil. 3:3).
I trust that this will suffice to show who God's Israel today is. I haven't delved into the writings of Anglo-Israelism in these papers, but such is not necessary. The Bible reveals who God's people today are. Are you a part of His people? It does not depend upon your physical birth, but upon the new birth.