What role will the physical descendants of Abraham play in God’s future purposes? Unlike some, who seem to have it all mapped out, I don’t know. And I’m content to leave it at that.
I do, however, know that when Paul refers to the Israel of God in Galatians 6:16, he is referring to all those Gentiles and Jews who have trusted Christ Jesus as Lord or, perhaps better stated, King.
The letter of Paul to the Gentile churches in Galatia was written to warn these new Gentile converts about submitting to circumcision and seeking to become members of God’s earthly family, Israel, in order to be fully accepted into the new faith they had embraced.
This is why Paul is so careful to distinguish between what he refers to as “the present city of Jerusalem,” which he says is “in slavery with her children,” and the “Jerusalem that is above,” to which he says all who have placed their faith in Christ Jesus belong. (Galatians 4:25,26)
It is also why he is so careful to make the point that God’s promise to bless all nations through Abraham was “spoken to Abraham and his seed.” He goes on to point out that “Scripture does not say ‘and to seeds,’ meaning many people, but ‘to your seed’ meaning one person who is Christ.” (Galatians 3:16)
The full force of his argument is felt when he tells those Gentiles in Galatia (who were being pressured to become Jews in order to fully belong to God’s family) that “in Christ Jesus, you are all children of God through faith.” Furthermore, he says, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile . . . for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 4:26,28,29)
Consider these closing words to the Galatians - “Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation. Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule - to the Israel of God.” (Galatians 6:15-16)
To belong to the Israel of God is to belong to the family of God and to belong to the family of God is to belong to the Israel of God. And that family membership is made possible one way and one way only; through faith in Jesus the Messiah, the King, the Savior of the world.
In Christ,
Dan
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