The Church: New Creation, Not New Israel

The Church: New Creation, Not New Israel Christopher Skinner I have lost count of the numerous times I have heard the expressions “New Israel”, “True Israel” or “Spiritual Israel”. These are phrases used by many Christians to refer to the church today regardless of racial background. The phrase is not helpful to the cause of Jewish evangelism and it is not biblical. It is also a theological statement that implies that God has cancelled his future promises to the Jewish people and transferred them to the church. This is commonly known as replacement theology and flies in the face of Romans 11:1-2: I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew.1 The Apostle Paul makes it clear here that God has not rejected Israel, and he even qualifies what an Israelite is. An Israelite has to be descended from one of the twelve tribes of Israel. This demonstrates another reason why this topic is so important: God is faithful, and to teach replacement theology is to undermine Gods faithfulness. It is an attack on his character. Furthermore, it undermines our own eternal security. If God has made promises to the nation Israel and has changed his mind, then how can we be sure that he is not one day going to do the same thing to us as individuals? It is a great comfort to remember that Gods gifts and calling are without repentance (Romans 11:29). Replacement theology has very deep roots in church history. Justin Martyr, a church father in the second century said that The true spiritual Israel, and descendants of Judah, Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham...are we who have been led to God through this crucified Christ2 Justin Martyr believed that the church had replaced Israel in Gods plan. Irenaeus followed this view and stated in relation to the Jewish people: They who boast themselves as being the house of Jacob and the people of Israel, are disinherited from the grace of God.3 This new theology, as we have seen, is contrary to New Testament teaching and is the product of anti-semitism. How strange and sad that the early Gentile Christians had fallen into such hatred. They had a Jewish saviour and had received spiritual blessings from the Jewish people and this how they repaid them. The legacy of this error is still with us today and it has been the root cause of tension between Christian and Jewish communities. Those who propagate replacement theology use the NIV translation of Galatians 6:16 as a proof text: 1 New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Unless otherwise indicated (such as here), all scripture quotations are from the original King James Version. 2 Dialogue with Trypho, Chapter XI. Source: www.ccel.org (Christian Classics Ethereal Library) 3 Against Heresies, chapter 21. Source CCEL. The Israel and Church of God Author: http://chris-biblethoughts.blogspot.com/ Page 1 of 12

Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, even to the Israel of God.4 From this it is argued that the church is “The Israel of God”. The NIV here departs from the other translations in translating the Greek word kai as “even”. It actually means “and” as translated by the other mainstream versions. The King James Version is an example: And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. The “Israel of God” is a separate group from the “many as walk according to this rule”. The former group are Jewish believers as opposed to the Judaizers who insisted that the Galatians had to be circumcised. The latter were the Galatians themselves who did not need circumcision. It is saying “as many Galatian believers who walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon true Jewish believers”. Many Christians have a fuzzy idea that Gods people in the Old Testament was the nation Israel and that Gods people in the New Testament constitute the church. Confused thinking over this is what leads to these errors. It is my intention in this article to provide exegetical, systematic and, most importantly, biblical thinking in relation to Israel and the Church. We have already seen that Israel is a nation composed of people descended from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This is simple. Anybody not descended from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has no claim to being an Israelite. The Church is not Israel, and has not replaced Israel in Gods purposes. What then is the church? In contrast to replacement theology, dispensationalism maintains a distinction between Israel and the Church. Whilst dispensationalism and replacement theology are mutually exclusive, they are not the only positions. Many good individuals and organisations teach neither position. The current author favours the dispensational distinction between Israel and the church and this paper is expounding the Biblical basis for this distinction. The word translated church in the New Testament is the word “ekklesia” which means a “called-out assembly”. The word is used in Acts 19:32 in reference to an assembly of the people of Ephesus. A “church” or “ekklesia” is not necessarily related to religious practice but can be an assembly for any purpose. The same word is used in the Septuagint several times, often in reference to Israel but not always. In Deuteronomy 9v10 Moses states: And the LORD delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written according to all the words, which the LORD spake with you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly. The concept of an assembly also appears in Psalm 22:22: I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. Psalm 26:5 refers not to Israel but to an “assembly of evildoers”. Israel is called “the church in the wilderness” in Acts 7:38. Clearly the concept of an “ekklesia” is rooted in the Old Testament but a more complete doctrine of it is found in the New Testament. As we shall see, the Church of God as found in the New Testament has attributes which are not found in the Old Testament assembly and is therefore a new entity. 4 Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. The Israel and Church of God Author: http://chris-biblethoughts.blogspot.com/ Page 2 of 12

The first time the word “church” appears in the New Testament is in Matthew 16: 16 Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. In contrast to the other assemblies already in existence, Jesus the Messiah is going to build his assembly. By implication, this assembly did not exist when the Lord spoke these words. You cannot build something that already exists. The Church that exists today did not exist in Old Testament times. The New Testament informs us that this church is the body of Messiah and provides further proof that it was a new entity. He [Messiah] is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence (Colossians 1:18) The reception into Israel was by physical birth. The reception into Messiah's body is not by physical birth but by spiritual conversion and the baptism of the Holy Spirit: by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles (1 Cor 12:13). Israel is composed of Jewish people only but the church is composed of Jews and Gentiles. Israel is composed of believers and unbelievers but the church is composed of believers only. The Baptism of the Spirit was a future promise in the days of John the Baptist (Luke 3:16) and it was fulfilled at Pentecost. When Gentiles first joined the church, Peter had to explain to his puzzled Jewish audience that “the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning”. Pentecost was the start of something new. Neither Spirit baptism nor the body of Messiah existed in the Old Testament whereas Israel did. This is further evidence that Israel and the church are distinct entities. God The Father gave Christ to be the head of the church at his ascension. Just as a body cannot exist without its head, so the church could not have existed without the headship of Messiah. This means that the church could not exist prior to Messiahs ascension. This is exactly what Paul implies in Ephesians: [God The Father] raised him [The Lord Jesus Christ] from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Ephesians 1:16-20) Whilst Messiah is eternal, his role as head of the church began at the ascension. Further evidence that the church is new can be found in Ephesians 2: 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; 12 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: 13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the The Israel and Church of God Author: http://chris-biblethoughts.blogspot.com/ Page 3 of 12

blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15 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; 16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby. The church is not the new Israel but is “one new man”. It was not an ancient man that had existed for a long time. It was recent in origin. It reconciled Jew and Gentile to God and to each other, whereas under the Old Covenant there was enmity between Jew and Gentile. Not only did the church not exist in the Old Testament, it was not even foreseen: 1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, 2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: 3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 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; 6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel. Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. 8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: 10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, (Ephesians 3:1-10) A mystery is a secret. The revelation of the church and the revelation of Jews and Gentiles being equal members in the church were secrets until it was revealed to Paul. This church is not only called “the body of Messiah” but is also “the bride of Messiah”. Israel is not Messiah's bride but Messiah is King of Israel. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.(Ephesians 5:25-32) Another secret has been revealed. The Lord Jesus Christ is going to be united with his bride, the church. Ultimately the church and Israel share the same eternal destiny in that they will both spend eternity in the presence of Yeshua. He is the Messiah of Israel and the head of the church. Before eternity arrives, Israel is promised territorial and spiritual restoration. There is a day coming in which all Israel will be saved (Romans 11:26). This means that they are still a nation and that God has not finished with them. The hope of the church is not physical restoration but marriage to her husband. Because this was a secret, it was not revealed in the Old Testament but the New The Israel and Church of God Author: http://chris-biblethoughts.blogspot.com/ Page 4 of 12

Testament does reveal it more completely. 51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. (1 Cor 15:51-54) Another secret has been revealed. Not all believers are going to die. At some point in the future all living believers will immediately be transported into the presence of God without seeing death. Their bodies will be transformed instantly into glorified resurrection bodies. The believers who have died will be raised at this same event: 13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thess 4:13-18) The Lord, The Messiah himself, is coming for his church to take them into his presence. Some believe that this coming is when he comes down to earth, but it explicitly says here that we are going to be with the Lord, not that the Lord will come to be with us. This event is known as “The Rapture”. Although this belief is today associated with dispensationalism, many nondispensationalists have understood this to be the plain meaning of the passage. John Gill, Reformed Pastor at the Metropolitan Tabernacle (1720 to 1771) stated in his commentary: Shall be caught up: suddenly, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, and with force and power; by the power of Christ, and by the ministry and means of the holy angels; and to which rapture will contribute, the agility which the bodies both of the raised and changed saints will have: and this rapture of the living saints will be.5 Matthew Henry also believed that this referred to a rapture: At, or immediately before, this rapture into the clouds, those who are alive will undergo a mighty change, which will be equivalent to dying. This change is so mysterious that we cannot comprehend it: we know little or nothing of it, 1 Co_15:51. Only, in the general, this mortal must put on immortality, and these bodies will be made fit to inherit the kingdom of God, which flesh and blood in its present state are not capable of.6 This hope of glory is made very individual to members of the church in Colossians: 5 John Gills Exposition of the Entire Bible. Provided by E-Source. 6 Matthew Henrys Commentary upon The Bible. Provided by E-Source. The Israel and Church of God Author: http://chris-biblethoughts.blogspot.com/ Page 5 of 12

I [Paul] am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; 26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory Yet another mystery revealed. The indwelling Messiah who is the hope of glory. The Messiah himself is not a mystery, but his indwelling in saints is. This is the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit only came upon certain people (most notably prophets, priests and kings) for various tasks. Under the Messianic covenant he indwells all believers. We are sealed by him until the day of redemption. It is this that is our hope of glory. Believers disagree on the timing of this event but most agree that it is imminent. The Bible also affirms the imminence of Messiahs coming for his church (e.g. 1 Cor 1:7, Phil 3:20, 4:5, 1 Thess 1:10). It can happen today and it may not happen in our lifetime. Because the nature and destiny of the church were kept secret prior to Messiahs ascension, they cannot be the subject of Old Testament prophecy. The promises for Israel are still for Israel. As for the Church, she has a glorious identity and destiny of her own. Charles Wesley penned it in this well known song: Rejoice in glorious hope Jesus the Judge shall come and take his servants up to their eternal home We soon hear the archangels voice The trump of God shall sound Rejoice

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Appendix: Jewish and Gentile identity in The Church A Jewish believer today is both part of Israel and part of the church. He is Jewish by descent and has been baptised into the body of Messiah. He retains his Jewish identity. Likewise Arab Christians, Chinese Christians and other nationalities retain their identities and cultures. This means unity and diversity exist within the church. Many Gentile believers fall into the insensitive error or “denationalising” Jewish believers today and oppose any expression of Jewishness within the church. Some do it from ignorance but others from faulty theology. One can expect it from replacement theologians but sadly even some dispensationalists fall into this error. Many misuse Paul's teaching in Galatians to justify this: 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 3:38) To argue that any distinctions between Jews and Gentiles have been erased on this verse is bad exegesis. It is talking about status before God. It means that it does not make any difference whether you are Jew or Gentile, it does not mean that you are not Jew or Gentile. Those who apply faulty exegesis in this verse do not apply it consistently. The fact that there is neither male nor female has not prevented the ongoing disputes over women in leadership. There is still male and female in the body of Messiah. Likewise, slaves were not liberated from their tasks when they got converted and free men were not made into slaves. The Apostle Paul in particular regards himself as Jewish many times in the New Testament, indicating that national distinctions still exist. In addition to those who erase national distinctions, there are those who believe that a Gentile becomes a “spiritual Jew”. This is also based on bad exegesis. Romans 2 is an example: 28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 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. A surface reading on that verse alone would appear to vindicate this error. However, the context of this verse demonstrates otherwise. Paul in this passage is talking to ethnic Jews, not to Gentiles. He talks about Gentiles in chapter 1 of Romans and in verse 17 in chapter 2 he turns to the Jewish people. Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God. It is these he is speaking to. In one sense, there is a “spiritual Israel”, but it is an inner circle within physical Israel. Paul's point is that a true Jew is both a Jew in spirit and in flesh, not just one or the other. Gentile believers cannot be true spiritual Jews because they are not Jews in the flesh. Incidentally, Paul would not have got away with teaching this error in his day. The Jewish people were proud of their heritage and the Romans were proud of their heritage. Both sides would be in uproar if he said these things. The same error is sometimes based upon a misunderstanding of Paul's Olive Tree Metaphor in Romans 11: 16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. 17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; 18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be The Israel and Church of God Author: http://chris-biblethoughts.blogspot.com/ Page 7 of 12

graffed in. 20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. 24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree? The fact that Gentiles have been taken from a wild olive tree into a good olive, according to this view, means that Gentiles have become spiritual Jews and inherited the blessings promised to Israel. This is an error. The olive tree represents the place of spiritual blessing, not the nation Israel. The root is the Abrahamic covenant in which God promised that all nations of the earth will be blessed through Abraham and his seed. There are many other blessings promised upon Abraham's seed but they are inapplicable to Gentiles. The promise of the land of Canaan is an example. God has only promised that to Israel and not to Gentiles. This is why there are some national promises and blessings that are exclusively for the Jewish nation (the natural branches). Gentiles being grafted onto the root of the Abrahamic Covenant means that they have been blessed through the Jewish nation but are not part of the Jewish nation. They are the unnatural branches and inherit the spiritual blessings. In the beginning, the church was composed entirely of Jewish believers but not all the Jews were in the church. The fact that many of the Jewish leaders (including the Apostle Paul before his conversion) persecuted the church demonstrates that it the church and Israel are not the same. It does demonstrates, on the other side, that the church has Jewish roots. Just as a flower pulled out from the ground dies, so does a church when severed from it's Jewish roots. This is a very serious warning to those who oppose expression of Jewish identity. The following diagram (figure 1) may help explain the relationship between Israel and the church. Everyone inside the left hand side is in Israel, and the church is in Israel so every person inside it is in both Israel and the church. In figure 2 the church has moved slightly so that Gentiles can be in the church also. This represents the church later in history.

Israel The Church

Gentile nations

Israel

Gentile nations

Figure 1

The Church

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Figure 2

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Objections to The Messianic Movement Since the Church is composed of Jewish and Gentile believers and we are all one in Messiah, why does a Messianic movement exist? The Messianic movement has been accused of rebuilding “the wall of partition” between Jews and Gentiles. A Messianic Movement which does rebuild the wall of partition should be called to account but this does not mean that the Messianic Movement is wrong in principle. The Messianic Movement has good potential to supplement and complement the work of the wider church. Many of the objections are based on ignorance. Others are a reaction to the extremes. Dave Hunt, an international Christian author, displays both with this rhetoric: If one is a Christian, whether Jew or Gentile, he has believed on Christ the Messiah as Lord and Savior. There is no other basis of salvation. What more could the "Messianic Movement" offer? Obviously, nothing.7 This bold statement displays a desire to hit out at something and a lack of desire to know more. If one rejects the concept of Messianic assemblies on the basis that we are all one in Messiah, then we should extend that rejection to all specialist church functions which exist. This would include childrens ministries, men's prayers breakfasts, youth groups, elderly mid-week meetings, womens meetings as they are all “one in Christ” and “there is neither male nor female”. The local church is an assembly of local believers regardless of age, nationality, social status and sex. Such a mixed group is Biblical and necessary to maintain the unity we have in Messiah but it is unable to meet every individual specific need. It may not be practical to make the meetings specifically Jewish, English or Chinese due to the mixed race congregation. Messianic Fellowships have that capacity to meet the needs of Jewish believers and should support their involvement in local churches also. It is not wrong to criticise practices within the Messianic movement. Those which seek separation from Gentile believers or seek to place believers under the Law of Moses are departing from Biblical principles. Those that seek to complement the wider church and encourage fellowship with Gentile believers whilst retaining a Jewish distinctive have every right to do so. Jews and Gentiles can fellowship together with both retaining their national identities.

7 The Berean Call, June 2007 Newsletter, Q & As. Also currently available at http://www.thebereancall.org/node/5267 The Israel and Church of God Author: http://chris-biblethoughts.blogspot.com/ Page 10 of 12

Answering Messianic objections to the Rapture As a pre-tribulationist, I have been asked on a few occasions whether I believe Jewish believers will be taken in the rapture. I answer affirmatively on the basis that they are members of the body of Messiah. To believe that only Gentile believers will be taken in the rapture whilst Jewish believers remain on earth to endure the tribulation would be anti-semitic. Whatever one believes regarding the timing of the rapture is not essential to salvation or to fellowship and I have many friends who disagree with my eschatological position. I do desire to respond to various objections against it and David Stern, author of the Jewish New Testament, has penned his objection very well: “When the rapture takes place, do Jewish believers in Yeshua stay behind with the rest of physical Israel, or do they join the rest of the Messianic community with Yeshua in the air? They can't be in both places at once. Is it a matter of our personal choice? Do we have to choose to more loyal to the Jewish people or to our brothers in Messiah?...[Jewish believers] were not told “Now you have abandoned your Jewish people and will spend eternity without them”. Yet this is the clear implication of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture position”.8 The statement that Messianic Jews will spend eternity without the Jewish people is a straw man. No dispensationalist teaches that. Dispensationalists teach that the all Israel and all saved Gentiles will spend eternity together. Just because some Jewish believers are taken into glory at a different time than other Jewish believers does not mean that they will not ultimately be together. Messianic Jews living at the time of the rapture will be taken to be with the Lord Yeshua in heaven. Messianic Jews living at the time of Messiahs return as King and Messiah to Israel will be part of the “all Israel that will be saved” in the future. Those who are taken in the rapture are no less Jewish than those who are part of the nation on the earth. If a Messianic Jew has “abandoned” the Jewish people by being taken up in the rapture, then all Jewish believers who have been taken into glory already (e.g. David Baron, Alfred Edersheim) have also abandoned the Jewish people. Such a notion is nonsense but this is the implication of Stern's objection. Edersheim and Baron were born Jews, lived as Jews, believed in the Jewish Messiah, died as Jews and are still Jews in glory now. Just because a Jewish believer is in heaven does not mean that he is being disloyal to the Jewish nation. The first loyalty of any believer, Jew or Gentile, is to Jesus The Messiah. The purpose of the rapture is not primarily that brothers in Messiah may be “with each other” but “with the Lord”. Of course, it is true that we are with each other as well. The Apostle Paul certainly had no problems with conflicting loyalties. Paul passionately longed for the salvation of his people Israel (Romans 10:1) and still highly valued his Jewish heritage. This did not hinder him from passionately proclaiming his heavenly citizenship with the church and longing to leave this earth to be with his Lord: 21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. (Phil 1:21-23, New King James Version) 20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the 8 The Jewish New Testament Commentary, p804, Jewish New Testament Publications Inc. 1992. The Israel and Church of God Author: http://chris-biblethoughts.blogspot.com/ Page 11 of 12

Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. (Phil 3:20-21, New King James Version) The dilemma of earthly and heavenly citizenship is not unique to Jewish believers. As an Englishman, I still have an attachment to England and will support my country in football matches and other international events. I desire to see all England saved but may never see this happen. Stern's question about loyalties could just as easily be an issue here. David Stern admits that his question “is an absurd question”. It is absurd because it is based on straw men, misunderstandings regarding the pre-tribulation position and complications of his own making.

About The Author Christopher Skinner lives in Leeds and works as a a computer technician. He is a regular attender at City Evangelical Church, Leeds and is on the committee of Leeds Messianic Fellowship. The views expressed are Christopher's personal views and do not necessarily reflect the views of those organisations. For more visit http://chris-biblethoughts.blogspot.com/

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