Blog Review: Who are the People of God?
Alan Bandy at Cafe Apocalypsis has recently written several articles in a series on the distinction/continuity between ancient Israel and the New Testament church. The first post summarizes the classic dispensational view and introduces the basic question. A second article discusses Acts 7. The thesis of that article is that
The third article argues that the New Testament and Old Testament are consistent in teaching that "being 'a true Jew' is a matter of the heart and not ethnicity or religious ritual." Or, to put it another way, "the true people of God are not distinguished by ethnicity or religious heritage but by inward faith in Christ."
The fourth post (though I don't think it is the last) deals with Ephesians 2. From that text, he argues that Jews and Gentiles have been forged into a new, third category, "Instead, the 'Church' represents a new category of humanity composed of both Jews and Gentiles who are 'in Christ'." Based on the context of his discussion and the passages he quotes I presume he is contending here that in this three-people scheme the category "people of God" consists neither of Jews nor Gentiles, but of the church ("true Jews").
I encourage you to visit Cafe Apocalypsis and offer your comments to the discussion. This is a very relevant discussion to our Sunday Bible study group which has been studying Genesis and God's dealings with the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob). It is also very relevant to our John study groups, as John parallels some of these important themes regarding what constitutes truly belonging to the category "children of God" (1:11-13; 3:1-8; 8:31-58; and the contrasts shown between Jewish leaders and non-Jews).
As far as commenting on this post: please post your questions or insights into this question - How are we supposed to interpret God's covenant with Abraham as given in Genesis 17:7-8 ("I will be God to you and to your seed after you, I will give to you and your seed after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God")? Specifically, who are the "seed" of Abraham who receive this blessing, and how ought we to understand this promise of land?
Stephen intimates that if you reject Jesus then you are no longer true Israelites. The members of the Sanhedrin that condemned Jesus to death are outside of the New Covenant and are no longer God's chosen people. Thus, inclusion into the people of God is not based on ethnicity or obedience to traditions but solely based on faith in Jesus.
The third article argues that the New Testament and Old Testament are consistent in teaching that "being 'a true Jew' is a matter of the heart and not ethnicity or religious ritual." Or, to put it another way, "the true people of God are not distinguished by ethnicity or religious heritage but by inward faith in Christ."
The fourth post (though I don't think it is the last) deals with Ephesians 2. From that text, he argues that Jews and Gentiles have been forged into a new, third category, "Instead, the 'Church' represents a new category of humanity composed of both Jews and Gentiles who are 'in Christ'." Based on the context of his discussion and the passages he quotes I presume he is contending here that in this three-people scheme the category "people of God" consists neither of Jews nor Gentiles, but of the church ("true Jews").
I encourage you to visit Cafe Apocalypsis and offer your comments to the discussion. This is a very relevant discussion to our Sunday Bible study group which has been studying Genesis and God's dealings with the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob). It is also very relevant to our John study groups, as John parallels some of these important themes regarding what constitutes truly belonging to the category "children of God" (1:11-13; 3:1-8; 8:31-58; and the contrasts shown between Jewish leaders and non-Jews).
As far as commenting on this post: please post your questions or insights into this question - How are we supposed to interpret God's covenant with Abraham as given in Genesis 17:7-8 ("I will be God to you and to your seed after you, I will give to you and your seed after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God")? Specifically, who are the "seed" of Abraham who receive this blessing, and how ought we to understand this promise of land?
1 Comments:
Thanks for the excellent summary, and yes it accurately represents my views. I would encourage you to keep checking my blog because I will have some future posts on the use of ekklesia in the OT (LXX), Rom 9-11; and some other passages. Thanks for your interest.
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