PMW 2024-094 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

This is my last study in this four-part series on Israel in theology and the Bible. I am demonstrating the Reformed view of Israel in the Scriptures. We are now ready for my sixth observation:

6. THE NEW COVENANT CHURCH IS CALLED ABRAHAM’S SEED

Israel’s biological descent from Abraham was a source of great Jewish pride. God is often called in Scripture “the God of Abraham” (Gen 28:13; 31:42, 53; Exo 3:6, 15–16; 4:5; 1 Kgs 18:36; 1 Chron 29:18; 2 Chron 30:6; Psa 47:9; Matt 22:32; Mark 12:36; Luke 20:37; Acts 3:13; 7:32). Because he is “the God of Abraham” the Jews expected blessings in terms of their Abrahamic descent (Matt 3:9; 8:11; Luke 3:8; 13:16, 28; 16:23–30; 19:9; John 8:39, 53; Rom 11:1; 2 Cor 11:22). Yet in the new covenant, Gentile Christians are called the children of Abraham.

We see this in Galatians where Paul writes: “therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, ‘All the nations shall be blessed in you’”(Gal 3:7–8). Then a few verses later he forthrightly declares: “if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise” (Gal 3:29).
7. THE NEW COVENANT CHURCH SEES OLD COVENANT ISRAEL AS THEIR “FATHERS”

Following up on the redemptive truth regarding our being children of Abraham, we discover also that new covenant Gentile Christians call Abraham “our father” (Rom 4:16). Paul can even call the old covenant patriarchs “our fathers” (1 Cor 10:1), clearly evincing a spiritual relationship uniting the new covenant people with the old covenant people, related as a seed to its fruit.

Three Views on the Millennium and Beyond
(ed. by Darrell Bock)

Presents three views on the millennium: progressive dispensationalist, amillennialist, and reconstructionist postmillennialist viewpoints. Includes separate responses to each view. Ken Gentry provides the postmillennial contribution.

See more study materials at: www.KennethGentry.com

8. THE NEW COVENANT CHURCH IS GIVEN JEWISH TITLES AND DESCRIPTIONS

Scripture frequently applies old covenant terms to new covenant citizens: we are the “the circumcision” (Rom 2:28–29; Phil 3:3; Col 2:11; cp. Gen 17:13; Acts 7:8), “a royal priesthood,” (Rom 15:16; 1 Pet 2:9; Rev 1:6; 5:10; cp. Exo 19:6), and the “temple of God” (1 Cor 3:16–17; 6:19; 2 Cor 1:16; Eph 2:21). These terms clearly reflect Israel’s covenantal identity, but are applied to the new covenant people.

Peter piles up some of these Old Testament designations and others applying them to the church. He calls Christians: “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation” (1 Pet 2:9–10), which is based on Exodus 19:5–6 and Deuteronomy 7:6. He and Paul call Christians “a peculiar people” (1 Pet 2:10; Tit 2:14), which is a familiar Old Testament designation for Israel (Exo 19:5; Deut 14:2; 26:18; Psa 135:4).

9. THE NEW COVENANT CHURCH IS ACTUALLY CALLED “ISRAEL”

Dispensationalists strongly resist the application of “Israel” to the church, asserting that “the Scriptures never use the term Israel to refer to any but the natural descendants of Jacob.” But if according to the New Scofield Reference Bible Abraham can have Gentiles as his “spiritual seed,” why may we not envision a spiritual Israel?

In fact, Paul applies the name “Israel” to Christians when he writes: “And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God” (Gal 6:16). Here he is referring to Christians as “the Israel of God.” In the Greek the “and “preceding “the Israel of God,” functions epexegetically. That is, we should translate the verse “peace and mercy upon them, that is, upon the Israel of God.” Thus, according to Paul “as many as walk according to this rule [Christian faith]” are the “Israel of God.”

Olivet Discourse Made Easy (by Ken Gentry)

Verse-by-verse analysis of Christ’s teaching on Jerusalem’s destruction in Matt 24. Shows the great tribulation is past, having occurred in AD 70, and is distinct from the Second Advent at the end of history. Provides exegetical reasons for a transition from AD 70 to the Second Advent at Matthew 24:36.

See more study materials at: www.KennethGentry.com

Dispensationalists see Galatians 6:16 as applying to Jewish converts to Christ, “who would not oppose the apostle’s glorious message of salvation.” But such is surely not the case, for the following reasons. The entire epistle of Galatians opposes any claim to a special Jewish status or distinction: “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:26–28).

So here Paul declares that in the new covenant Christ does away with all ethnic distinctions. Why would he hold out a special word for Jewish Christians as “the Israel of God,” when he states immediately beforehand that we must not boast at all, save in the cross of Christ (Gal 6:14)? In fact, “in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation” (Gal 6:15). Elsewhere, Paul can even speak of an uncircumcised Gentile as “a Jew who is one inwardly” whose “circumcision is that which is of the heart” (Rom 2:28–29).

10. THE NEW COVENANT REMOVES ALL ETHNIC DISTINCTIONS

In several places Paul drives home the point that the days of ethnic distinction in God’s kingdom are over with. “There is neither Jew nor Greek . . . for you are all one in Christ” (Gal 3:28). “There is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised” (Col 3:11). “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call upon Him” (Rom 10:12). This principle of “neither Jew nor Greek” explains why the Old Testament promises and prophecies can apply to Gentile Christians and the pan-ethnic new covenant church. It also explains why we should not re-impose ethnic distinctions in our doctrine of the church.

Understanding the Olivet Discourse 
By Ken Gentry
This 5 DVD lecture set was filmed at a Bible Conference in Florida. It explains the entire Olivet Discourse in Matt. 24–25 from the (orthodox) preterist perspective. This lecture series begins by carefully analyzing Matt. 24:3, which establishes the two-part structure of the Discourse. It shows that the first section of the Discourse (Matt. 24:4–35) deals with the coming destruction of the temple and Jerusalem in AD 70. This important prophetic event is also theologically linked to the Final Judgment at the end of history, toward which AD 70 is a distant pointer.

For more educational materials: www. KennethGentry.com

CONCLUSION

Old Testament Israel was long the special, singular people of God. Dispensationalism is built on the view that she remains God’s special people and will one day come again to prominence in God’s dealings with man. In fact, the system is firmly rooted in the notion that Israel and the church must remain distinct. We have seen, though, that the Old Testament expected the expansion of Israel and that the New Testament speaks repeatedly of that expansion in such a way that we may see that the church is the new Israel.

Christ’s Church (20 mp3 downloads)
by Ken Gentry
An in-depth sermonic presentation of the doctrine of the church. This is vitally important today with the evangelical church not living up to its biblical calling
See more study materials at: www.KennethGentry.com