Israel and the Church

Yesterday, in our combined Grow Class, we tackled some of the questions that have been on the hearts and minds of the people at Lakeside. The most frequently asked question that we received dealt with the relationship between Israel and the church. Below you will find a reformatted copy of my response in that class. Please feel free to reach out with any questions.

One of the most frequently asked questions in the church is this:What is the relationship between Israel and the Church? Before answering that question, there are two important things we need to establish at the outset.

First, this is not a salvation issue. Faithful Christians disagree on this, so we must approach it with humility and charity. One’s position here does not determine whether or not they are a Christian. As the 17th-century Lutheran theologian Peter Meiderlin famously said, “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; and in all things, charity.” That mindset must guide our discussion.

Second, this question ultimately depends on how you read the Bible. How you understand the relationship between Israel and the Church is shaped by how you understand the storyline of Scripture—how the Bible fits together as a whole.

Broadly speaking, there are two primary ways Christians have approached this issue.

The first is Dispensationalism. This view sees the Bible as divided into different periods, or dispensations, in which God works in distinct ways. In this framework, Israel and the Church are two separate peoples, with different plans and promises. Many who hold this view believe there are still promises to Israel awaiting future fulfillment. Historically, this has been the most popular view in America over the last two hundred years, though it is less common globally.

The second is Covenant Theology. This view sees the Bible as one unified story of redemption, unfolding through a series of covenants that culminate in Christ. In this framework, there is one people of God, one plan of salvation, and all of Scripture finds its fulfillment in Christ. This is the view I hold, because it best accounts for the Bible as a unified, Christ-centered revelation.

At this point, it is important to clarify how we interpret Scripture.

We must prioritize what we might call a New Testament hermeneutic. That simply means we read the Old Testament in light of the New Testament—especially in light of Christ. This does not mean we ignore the Old Testament. Rather, it means that since we now have the full revelation of Scripture, the New Testament functions as the final, authoritative interpreter of the Old. When something in the Old Testament is difficult or unclear, the New Testament helps clarify it.

To answer our central question, we begin with several key New Testament passages.

In Romans 2:28–29, Paul explains that a true Jew is not one outwardly, but inwardly. Membership in God’s people is not defined by external circumcision, but by a transformed heart—by the work of the Spirit.

In Romans 9:6, Paul states, “Not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel.” Physical descent alone does not define the true people of God.

In Galatians 3:7, he writes, “Those of faith are the sons of Abraham.” The true children of Abraham are those who share his faith.

And in Philippians 3:3, Paul tells a largely Gentile church, “We are the circumcision.” He takes language that once belonged to Israel and applies it directly to believers in Christ.

This pattern becomes even clearer when we compare the Old and New Testaments.

In Exodus 19, Israel is called God’s treasured possession, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. But in 1 Peter 2:9, Peter applies that exact language to the Church—a body made up largely of Gentiles. The identity once associated with Israel is now applied to all who are in Christ.

How can the New Testament do this? The answer is found in Christ. Throughout the Old Testament, we see a recurring pattern of God’s “son.” Adam is called God’s son, yet he fails. Israel is also called God’s son, yet they too fail—especially in the wilderness. But when we come to the New Testament, we see something different. Jesus steps into that same story and succeeds where they failed. Hosea 11:1 says, “Out of Egypt I called my son,” originally referring to Israel. But in Matthew 2, that same verse is applied to Jesus.

Why? Because Jesus is reliving Israel’s story—but this time, He gets it right. He is the obedient Son. Where Israel failed, Christ obeyed. Where Israel broke the covenant, Christ fulfilled it. As Jesus Himself says in Matthew 5:17, He came not to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it.

Here is the key: Christ does not act alone. Everything He accomplished, He accomplished as our representative. And through faith, we are united to Him. Because of that union, what is true of Him becomes true of us. His identity becomes our identity.

Because Christ is the true Israel, all who are united to Him belong to the people of God.

This is why Paul can refer to “the Israel of God” in Galatians 6, even when addressing a largely Gentile audience. They have not become ethnic Jews, but they belong to Christ—and therefore share in His identity.

What, then, do we do with the promises made to Israel? Some believe those promises are still awaiting future fulfillment. However, the New Testament teaches that all of God’s promises find their fulfillment in Christ. As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 1:20, “All the promises of God find their Yes in Him.”

Importantly, these promises are not diminished—they are expanded. Take the land promise. In the Old Testament, it is tied to a specific geographic location. But in Matthew 5:5, Jesus says, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” The promise grows from a piece of land to the whole renewed creation.

The same is true of the temple. In the Old Testament, the temple was the place where God dwelt with His people. But in John 2, Jesus identifies Himself as the true temple. And because we are united to Him, Paul can say in 1 Corinthians 3:16 that we are now the temple of God.

This pattern reflects a broader biblical principle. In Colossians 2, Paul says that the Old Testament realities were shadows, but the substance belongs to Christ. The entire Old Testament points forward to Him. What was anticipated in types and shadows finds its fulfillment in Christ.

So what is our obligation toward Israel today? We should love Jewish people. We should share the gospel with them. We should pray for them. Romans 11 makes it clear that God is not finished saving Jewish people. We must also reject antisemitism completely.

At the same time, we are not required to treat modern Israel as having a separate covenant with God or a unique political status. Our obligations toward them as a nation are the same as toward any nation: to promote justice and protect the oppressed.

In summary, Christ is the true Israel. The Church is united to Him. Therefore, the Church shares in His identity and His promises. Understanding this helps us see the Bible as one unified story—centered not on a people group or a land, but on a Person: Jesus Christ.