The Paul warning….out of the past

Peter and his brethren recognized Paul’s teachings were very deep and required in depth knowledge to fully understand. Note Peter’s warning below in verse 3:16. One must NOT attempt to interpret Paul outside of the context of the First Century. Those who did in the early church were called Gnostics and labeled as heretics.

2Pe 3:15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
2Pe 3:16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
2Pe 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

In what follows, we will see how Paul explains the status of believers in Messiah Yeshua in the overall community of the House of Jacob. The Greek language numbers and included as well as Thayer’s definitions of some of the salient words helping the modern reader to understand the comcepts Paul conveyed to the first
century readers.

Paul on the change in a believer’s relationship to Israel.

Eph 2:11 WhereforeG1352 remember,G3421 thatG3754 yeG5210 being in time pastG4218 (once, i.e. formerly, aforetime, at some time) GentilesG1484 (foreign nations not worshipping the true God, pagans, Gentiles) inG1722 the flesh,G4561 whoG3588 are calledG3004 UncircumcisionG203 (a condition in which the corrupt desires rooted in the flesh were not yet extinct) byG5259 that which is calledG3004 the CircumcisionG4061 inG1722 the fleshG4561 made by hands;G5499

Eph 2:12 ThatG3754 atG1722 thatG1565 timeG2540 ye wereG2258 withoutG5565 (separate, apart) Christ,G5547 being aliensG526 (to be shut out from one’s fellowship and intimacy) from theG3588 commonwealthG4174 (citizenship, the rights of a citizen) of Israel,G2474 andG2532 strangersG3581 (foreigner, a stranger; alien from a person or a thing; without the knowledge of, without a share in) from theG3588 covenantsG1242 (God’s covenant with Noah, etc.) of promise,G1860 (a promised good or blessing) havingG2192 noG3361 hope,G1680 (joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation) andG2532 without GodG112 (godless, ungodly) inG1722 theG3588 world:G2889 (the ungodly multitude; the whole mass of men alienated from God, and therefore hostile to the cause of Christ)

Paul on the change in one’s heritage…the adoption

1Co 10:1 Moreover,G1161 brethren,G80 I wouldG2309 notG3756 that yeG5209 should be ignorant,G50 how thatG3754 allG3956 ourG2257 fathersG3962 (fathers, i.e. ancestors, forefathers, founders of a nation) wereG2258 underG5259 theG3588 cloud,G3507 andG2532 allG3956 passedG1330 throughG1223 theG3588 sea;G2281
Rom 9:4 WhoG3748 areG1526 Israelites;G2475 to whomG3739 pertaineth theG3588 adoption,G5206 (that relationship which God was pleased to establish between himself and the Israelites in preference to all other nations) andG2532 theG3588 glory,G1391 andG2532 theG3588 covenants,G1242 andG2532 theG3588 giving of the law,G3548 andG2532 theG3588 serviceG2999 (the service and worship of God according to the requirements of the Levitical law, to perform sacred services) of God, andG2532 theG3588 promises;G1860

Rom 9:5 WhoseG3739 are theG3588 fathers,G3962 andG2532 ofG1537 whomG3739 as concerningG2596 the fleshG4561 ChristG5547 came, who isG5607 overG1909 all,G3956 GodG2316 blessedG2128 for ever.G1519 G165 Amen.G281

Notes on Paul’s examples above:

Carefully reading the above, one sees a change in the status of believers. He explains they become part of the House of Jacob through adoption.
Placing believers outside the commonwealth of Israel dates back to the founding of Constantine’s New Church and the underlying replacement theology. For those who don’t know, the doctrine of replacement theology states: God has reneged on His promises to the House of Jacob, and now The Church gets the blessings while the Jews get the curses. So much for Malachai 3:6…”I change not” and Hebrews 13:8…”the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”

The Church in the Prophets???

A witness showing the church is NOT a separate entity comes when one tries to find The Church in the prophets. It is not found there.
Why? There are two possible answers to this:

1) God didn’t know The Church would exist,

2) It is there, but we don’t recognize it. This answer is confirmed by Paul’s teaching. The adoption (grafting in) makes one a citizen of the Commonwealth of Israel…not separate.