Romans 2:29 is frequently used to say "true Israel is spiritual, therefore the church is spiritual Israel." But Paul is speaking in Romans 2:17 to Jews-people "called a Jew" under the Old Testament law. Israel's outward circumcision had become worthless through disobedience ( Rom 2:23-25). True covenant Jews are those circumcised in heart ( Deut 10:16), not just outwardly.
Paul is addressing unbelieving Israel, not redefining the church. In Romans 9:6-11, he describes removing faithless Jews ("dead branches")-but does not replace them with Gentiles. The "doers of the law" were not Gentiles, nor the church ( Rom 3:19-21). Spiritual Israel in the New Testament is believing Israel under the new covenant ( Heb 8:8-12).
Jesus declared in Matthew 21:43 that the kingdom would be taken from unbelieving Israel and given to a believing Israelite nation-not the body of Christ. The NT replaces the OT within Israel's program, but the church is separate, revealed as the "mystery" apart from covenant promises.
Page 3 - Romans 2 and Spiritual Israel
Romans 2:29 is frequently used to say "true Israel is spiritual, therefore the church is spiritual Israel." But Paul is speaking in Romans 2:17 to Jews-people "called a Jew" under the Old Testament law. Israel's outward circumcision had become worthless through disobedience ( Rom 2:23-25). True covenant Jews are those circumcised in heart ( Deut 10:16), not just outwardly.
Paul is addressing unbelieving Israel, not redefining the church. In Romans 9:6-11, he describes removing faithless Jews ("dead branches")-but does not replace them with Gentiles. The "doers of the law" were not Gentiles, nor the church ( Rom 3:19-21). Spiritual Israel in the New Testament is believing Israel under the new covenant ( Heb 8:8-12).
Jesus declared in Matthew 21:43 that the kingdom would be taken from unbelieving Israel and given to a believing Israelite nation-not the body of Christ. The NT replaces the OT within Israel's program, but the church is separate, revealed as the "mystery" apart from covenant promises.
God Bless
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