Think on this: “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:29)
Pray on this: Gracious Father, grant that by your Holy Spirit, we might know our true identity. Help us to understand that we have been grafted into the Israel of God (and not the church). Grant that we might recognize that we are now included as citizens of the Israel of God. Clear up the identity crisis that so many Christians are dealing with. In Jesus’ name, AMEN
Right on, Jim!! Thank you.
I’d like to make just one observation regarding Ephesian 2:12 which Jim quotes:
In the translation Jim quotes he reads, “…you were excluded from citizenship in Israel…”.
The Greek word here for “citizenship” is “πολιτεία” (politeia). This word means “the administration of civil affairs”; “a commonwealth or state”; “a citizen”; or “the rights of a citizen”.
I make this point because the translation “citizenship in Israel” seems to me a little bit “weak” as to what is really being said in this passage.
Most people living in America, for example, are “citizens”, but unfortunately way too many are not involved in true “citizenship” — they do not pay taxes, they do not vote, etc. To be a full participant in “politeia” is to be fully engaged in the “rights of citizenship”. In other words, we as Gentile Believers must no longer view ourselves as outsiders or “immigrants”, if you will, to Israel. Rather we must see ourselves as full members of the commonwealth of Israel with all the rights and obligations that go with that citizenship. Sadly, too many Christians [especially those who hold to “supersessionism” or so called “replacement theology”] view Israel and the Jewish people as being different and somehow estranged from the life of Messiah, when in fact just the opposite is true.
If we are, indeed, “citizens of Israel” then we need to be standing with the people of our new homeland, defending them in word and deeds, and especially in our prayers. For in a very real sense, those are “our” boys and girls in Israeli uniforms; young men and women who are putting their lives on the line to defend “our” homeland.
“Am Israel Chai” — “The nation of Israel lives.” And that includes all of us Gentile Believers who follow and worship the Jewish Messiah, Yeshua!
Correction above -Jim quoted Galatians 2:12, not of Philippians 2:12, which I discovered when I looked up the passages.
Actually correction below to Jasper’s post.
Just a note to clear up any confusion about which passages were quoted by Jim in the Spot Report: They were Romans 11:17-18, Ephesians 2:12-13, and Galatians 3:29. May the Lord bless His Word to all who read it.