Spiritual Israelite
Well-Known Member
You are obviously not reading those passages carefully at all. Paul specifically points out how one's physical nationality, where or who they descended from, has nothing to do with being the type of Israelite and Jew he was talking about.I responded to PinSeeker's post. The Romans 2 passage is speaking about the descendants of Jacob who are "true Jews" because they are circumcised. The Romans 9 passage is speaking about the descendants of Jacob who will become the True Israel when God circumcises their hearts.
Romans 2:28 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.
One is NOT the kind of Jew Paul is talking about here by way of being one outwardly by way of being physically circumcised. Physical things have NOTHING to do with being that type of Jew. Instead, it has EVERYTHING to do with being circumcised "of the heart, in the spirit". That is what makes someone a true or spiritual Jew. And all Christians have been circumcised of the heart, in the spirit.
Colossians 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
Romans 9:6 It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7 Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” 8 In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.
Paul explicitly indicates here that being part of true or spiritual Israel has NOTHING to do with being a physical, natural descendant of the nation of Israel and of Abraham, but rather has EVERYTHING to do with being reckoned/called through Isaac and being a child of God and of the promise. So, who are the ones called through Isaac and who are the children of God and of the promise? We can look at what Paul wrote in the following passages to determine that, if you believe in interpreting scripture with scripture.
Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 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. 29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
So, the children of God and of the promise are all those who belong to Christ, including all Jew and Gentile believers, and they are the ones counted as Abraham's offspring/seed, which Paul indicated in Romans 9:6-8 are the ones who are part of the Israel of which not all of national Israel are part.
Who are the ones called through Isaac? The same ones who are the children of God and of the promise. This is Paul talking to Jew and Gentile believers collectively, while including himself as well:
Galatians 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. 28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
So, as you can see, my view is based on clear scripture. Your view is based only on your imagination and not on scripture.