Recently, a couple of different emails crossed our virtual desk respecting, “Who is the Israel of God today?” Certainly, the Bible clearly portrays the physical descendants of Abraham through Isaac, Jacob, etc. as the historical Israel of God. Unfortunately, many first century Jews relied solely on their ancestral relationship to Abraham for their spiritual hopes. John the Baptist warned, “And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham” (Matthew 3:9).
God made a three-fold promise to Abraham that included descendants, land and a (conditional) spiritual blessing for the whole world (Genesis 12:1-3). Irrespective of one’s ancestry, only those who embrace the spiritual blessing on God’s terms are part of the Israel of God today.
“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” (Romans 2:28-29).
“…For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 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” (Romans 9:6-8).
In the Gospel Age, under the scope of which all people living today are bound, those who obey the Gospel of Christ (2 Thessalonians 1:8; Hebrews 5:8-9) are counted as the seed of Abraham and heirs (Ephesians 3:6) of the blessings contained in the spiritual promise made to him.
“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 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. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:27-29).
Following the New Testament plan of salvation makes of anyone the spiritual seed of Abraham and adds him to the Israel of God today. Dear Reader, have you been baptized into Christ?
