The One People of God: The Church and Israel

Introduction: Before we can answer the question of the Church, we must understand the nation of Israel and how it relates to the Church.

Three Views of the relationship of the Church to Israel

1. Replacement (Reformed) View

Israel was the Old Testament Church

The Church is the New Testament Church

All the signs of the OT Church are superseded by the signs of the NT Church (Temple/Church, Universal and Visible Church, Passover/Communion, Circumcision/baptism).

2. Dispensational View

Israel is God’s initial plan

The Church is merely a parentheses

Initially, there were two separate means to salvation: Israel by the Law and Gentiles by the Cross.

3. One People of God View

The nation of Israel was given—in part—to show God’s desire for a people.

The Church is the fulfillment of the OT promise given to all of humanity.

The center of human existence is the Cross of Jesus Christ.

Three Biblical Metaphors including the Church and Israel

1. A Kingdom of Priests ()

2. A Tree of Life ()

3. A Temple Household ()

Conclusions from the Biblical Text

1. There is only one way to salvation for all peoples whether Jew or Gentile

2. God desires all types of people to be saved

3. All people who are saved should be ‘deposited’ into the church—which is the household of God (1 Tim 3:14-16)

4. The Church is the pillar and support of Truth ()

The Church’s One Foundation

1 The church's one Foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord; she is His new creation, by water and the Word; from heav'n He came and sought her to be His holy bride; with His own blood He bought her, and for her life He died.

2 Elect from ev'ry nation, yet one o'er all the earth, her charter of salvation, one Lord, one faith, one birth; one holy Name she blesses, partakes one holy food, and to one hope she presses, with ev'ry grace endued.

3 Tho' with a scornful wonder, men see her sore oppressed, by schisms rent asunder, by heresies distressed, yet saints their watch are keeping, their cry goes up, "How long?" And soon the night of weeping shall be the morn of song.

4 The church shall never perish! Her dear Lord, to defend, to guide, sustain, and cherish, is with her to the end; tho' there be those that hate her and false sons in her pale, against the foe or traitor she ever shall prevail.

5 'Mid toil and tribulation, and tumult of her war, she waits the consummation of peace for evermore; till with the vision glorious her longing eyes are blest, and the great church victorious shall be the church at rest.

6 Yet she on earth hath union with God the Three in One, and mystic sweet communion with those whose rest is won. O happy ones and holy! Lord, give us grace that we, like them, the meek and lowly, on high may dwell with Thee.