This post lists the passages I have found that support the Reformed understanding of the Church while contradicting the Dispensational understanding; specifically, they show us that the Church is the New Testament form of the Old Testament Israel. They do not directly address secondary issues such as eschatology; while eschatology is highly important to both systems, under the reformed system, eschatology is driven by other doctrines (such as ecclesiology and and soteriology) rather than vice versa. (This is why, of the four orthodox positions, three are commonly held by the Reformed and only one is ever held by the Dispensational.) This post does not offer a framework for systematizing these passages but only brief arguments for or explanations of the relevance of the passages to this debate; I plan to put together a skeletal framework in a later post.

Primary Passages

• Acts 15:13-18 (cf Amos 9:11-12) – James states that the inclusion of the Gentiles into the Church fulfills Amos’ prophecy that David’s tent (house) would be restored. Even if one argues the Gentiles are separate from David’s house in Amos, James tells us the inclusion of the Gentiles in the Church means David’s house has been rebuilt. Therefore, the Church, with David’s Son as its head, is David’s rebuilt house. Because this prophecy is fulfilled in/by the church, Amos’ prophecy is an example of the Church being foretold in the OT.
  (Side note: With the Church, the longstanding play on the word “house” is finally concluded; David wanted to build God a house (temple), but God promised to build David’s house (family). In the Church, David’s house is now God’s house.)
• Romans 2:25-29 (esp 28 & 29) – Paul reveals that physical circumcision is irrelevant; instead, the heart condition (circumcision of the heart) determines who is a Jew (a member of Israel) and who is not. (Note that ethnic purity or descent from Abraham was never of major concern under the Old Covenant but rather inclusion in the covenant by means of circumcision. I’m not including the evidence for that in this post.)
• Romans 9:6-7 (also v8-13 & cf John 1:11-13) – Physical descent is inadequate for inclusion in spiritual Israel. Implicit is that physical descent is completely irrelevant – “the children of promise are counted as offspring” (cf Gal 4:28). The verses following 9:6 focus the discussion on election and supernatural birth rather than physical birth or ethnic descent. (See MacArthur’s Millennial Manifesto by Samuel Waldron, pgs 49-55 for a detailed argument.)
• Romans 11:16-24 – Unbelieving Jews have been removed from Israel and the saved Gentiles have been added to Israel. The warnings as well as the context tell us the tree is Israel. Being removed from the tree is a sign of unbelief therefore the tree cannot represent “God’s focus/plan” since God’s focus directly involves the unbelieving. And Paul’s argument centers on the present remnant of Israel, therefore the tree must represent Israel. The tree “belongs” to those who were cut off while the Gentiles were cut from a separate tree to be added to the cultivated tree. Finally, there is no new tree, but the same tree with Gentiles added and unbelieving Jews removed.
• Galatians 3:7-29 (in particular 7, 15-18, 27-29) – The Abrahamic promises were made to Abraham and his (singular) offspring, Christ. Any who are of faith, who are in Christ, are also Abraham’s offspring – sons of Abraham. Israel (the nation) was never given the promises unconditionally, but only conditionally through the Mosaic Covenant; to claim otherwise is to claim that God added to the covenant after it was ratified since the covenant was made only with Abraham and Christ. Those of faith (the Israel of God/true Israel, also called “the remnant”) in national Israel are in Christ and therefore unconditional recipients of the promises. Any who are in Christ are one people.
• Galatians 6:16 – Paul pronounces a blessing upon all who follow the rule that circumcision is irrelevant. The blessing is on either one monolithic group (those that follow the rule) or on two distinct groups (those that follow the rule and ethnic Jews). The Greek allows for either interpretation but the context demands a singular group. If Paul’s blessing is on two groups, then he has just violated his own rule and acknowledged that circumcision is relevant and counts for something; he has in fact undermined the message of the epistle he has just penned. We can only conclude that “and” is best understood as “even;” therefore the Church is the Israel of God. (See MacArthur’s Millennial Manifesto by Samuel Waldron, pgs 39-48 for a detailed argument.) It is important to note that Paul is not here introducing a new argument or doctrine; he is emphasizing the doctrine of his letter by explicitly referencing what was already understood by the early Church.
• Ephesians 2:11-21 – Whereas the Gentiles were previously 1) separated from Christ, 2) aliens to Israel, 3) strangers to the covenants of promise, and 4) without hope and without God, now, believing Gentiles are brought near to God by being placed in Christ. Christ has, because he was made physical man, destroyed the division between Jew and Gentile by nullifying the Law. He did this in order to make a new man and so bring peace between man and God through the cross. Because he did this, Gentiles now 1) have access to God, 2) are no longer strangers and aliens, 3) are made citizens of Israel, 4) and are built (with the rest of Israel) on the prophets and apostles into the new temple with Christ as the cornerstone. Note that Paul still acknowledges physical distinctions (“Gentiles in the flesh” “what is called the circumcision”) while arguing that the “real” differences have been undone. Finally, if the church is later removed and the nation of Israel becomes the primary focus of God, Christ’s purpose for coming and dying is reversed (v15 “He did this to create in himself one new man out of two…” NET).
• 1 Peter 2:9-10 – The Church is here explicitly fulfilling promises given to Israel (v10 cf Hosea 1:6-9 & 2:23); both Gentiles and Jews in the Church are now a people and have received mercy. The Church is a chosen race, royal priesthood, holy nation, people for God’s possession. This is all language that describes Israel.

Supporting Passages

• John 8:39 (see context) – Jesus distinguished between Abraham’s physical descendants and his spiritual descendants. The physical offspring are condemned because they are not Abraham’s spiritual children.
• John 10:16 – Jesus only has one flock. He brings the Gentiles (sheep not of the fold) into the fold so that there is only one fold.
• John 11:51-52 – Jesus died so he could gather all the children of God into one people.
• Romans 4:13-16 – The land promise (here explained to refer to the entire earth) is guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring. The Jewish people (“the adherents of the law” or “they which are of the law”) are not the heirs so that the promise is not void. The heirs are not simply those who are under the law but rather everyone who shares Abraham’s faith.
• 1 Corinthians 10:1 – The church at Corinth was a mixed church of Jews and Gentiles. But here, without distinguishing between Gentiles and Jews, Paul states that the people of the exodus are the forefathers of the Corinthians. He is concerned that they might not know of the stated episode in the history of Israel, something no ethnic Jew would forget. Rather than reminding them, he is informing them!
• 1 Corinthians 10:18 (see a formal translation eg KJV, NKJV, YLT, LITV) – By using one half of his frequent “flesh” vs ”spirit” formulation, Paul implies there is an “Israel after the spirit.” This also implies that “Israel after the spirit” cannot simply be a subset of “Israel after the flesh” but must be a different set.
• 1 Corinthians 12:2 (see NKJV, ASV) – The usual Greek for “Gentile” is used. The use of the past tense implies that the Corinthian Christians are no longer pagan Gentiles but also that they are not Christian Gentiles; they are now members of God’s re-formed Israel.
• 2 Corinthians 6:16-7:1 (cf Lev 26:12, Jer 32:38, Eze 37:27, Hosea 1:9-10, Jer 31:9, Isaiah 52:11, Eze 20:41, 2 Sam 7:14, Isaiah 43:6, noting the context of each) – We are the true temple of God, just as he promised in the OT (promises made to Israel). Those promises in the OT are given to us, the Church (7:1).
• Galatians 4:21-31 – The son of the slave (Haggar) was born according to the flesh and not promise. Ethnic Israel corresponds to Haggar but we (the Church) are children of promise.
• Hebrews 2:16 (see ~v9ff) – Jesus was made a man so that he would be able to help the offspring of Abraham, implied to be all the elect. (See the NLT if needed)
• Hebrews 6:17-18 – God gave his oath in order to show his unchangeable purpose to the heirs of the promise. His oath and his promise were given so that we who have fled to him for refuge might have strong confidence. We who have fled for refuge (Christians) are implied to be the heirs of the promise.

Supporting Passages – Jesus is True Israel

Crucial to the Reformed understanding of the Church as Israel is recognizing that the New Testament teaches Jesus is True Israel. These verses support that claim.

• Matthew 2:13-15 (cf. Hosea 11:1) – Matthew tells us Joseph & Mary fled to Egypt to fulfill God’s prophecy that he would call his son Israel out of Egypt. Note that a “literal” reading requires this to be a fulfillment of Hosea’s prophecy, not merely a literary reference to Hosea.
• Matthew 3:13ff – Like OT Israel, upon leaving Egypt Jesus’ next action is to “pass through” the water. Of course much time had intervened in reality but Matthew presents this as the next event in Jesus’ life.
• Matthew 3:16-17 (cf Exodus 4:22-23, Jeremiah 31:20, Hosea 11:1-2) – Just like OT Israel, Jesus is proclaimed to be God’s Son.
• Matthew 4:1-11 – Immediately following his baptism, Jesus then spends 40 days in the wilderness where, like OT Israel, he was tested but, unlike OT Israel, he successfully resisted every temptation. The parallel of 40 days with OT Israel’s 40 years in the wilderness is obvious.
• Matthew 12:15-21 (cf Isaiah 42:1-4, see the context, esp 41:8) – Matthew informs us that Jesus’ miracles of healing (at least these specific ones) were done to fulfill an OT prophesy about Israel. Matthew directly implies that Jesus is the servant in the OT prophesy, who, in context, is literally Israel.
• Matthew 8:14-17 (cf Isaiah 53:4) – Matthew tells us that Jesus’ healing of the sick & casting out demons fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy of a suffering, healing servant. While the servant of Isaiah 53 is a strongly debated point, the original champions of the literal hermeneutic, the Jews, are quite certain that Israel is the servant spoken of here (see here for example – https://outreachjudaism.org/gods-suffering-servant-isaiah-53).
• John 15:1 (cf Psalm 80:8-16, Isaiah 5:1-30, esp v7, Jeremiah 2:21, Hosea 10:1, Mark 12:1-9) – Jesus calls himself the true vine. The word “true” requires a type or predecessor of which Jesus is the true form. The OT and Jesus himself tell us Israel is the vine in question. If Israel is the typological vine, then Jesus, the true vine, is the true Israel.
• Acts 3:13 (cf Isaiah 44:21, 49:3, 52:13, & Luke 1:54-55) – Just like OT Israel, Jesus is God’s servant. God glorified his servant, just as Isaiah predicted (52:13).

The New Covenant Is Given to Elect Israel, the Ekkelsia

The New Testament speaks of the New Covenant exclusively in terms of the Church. It has no conception of it being made with national Israel. Since the New Covenant is made with Israel, the fact that it is made exclusively with the Church provides strong evidence the Church is elect Israel.

• Jeremiah 31:31-34 – Jeremiah is clear the covenant is made with Israel.
• Luke 22:20 – Almost every biblical covenant required blood be shed; Christ’s blood, symbolized by the wine and poured out at the cross, seals the New Covenant. The ordinance that symbolizes this was given specifically to the Church.
• 1 Corinthians 11:25 – Again, this time in the context of a largely Gentile church, we are told that Christ’s blood is the New Covenant. His blood was shed for his Church.
• 2 Corinthians 3:6 – Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, and Timothy are ministers of the New Covenant. The context (esp v3) tells us this is the same covenant spoken of in Jeremiah – the writing of this covenant is not on tablets of stone (Old Covenant) but on the heart.
• Hebrews 8:1, 6-13 – Christ mediates a covenant that is better than the Old Covenant. The quotation from Jeremiah 31 tells us the better covenant Christ is currently mediating is the New Covenant.
• Hebrews 9:14-15 – Jesus mediates the New Covenant for those who are called. Both Jews and Gentiles are called by Christ.
• Hebrews 10:10-19 – Christ’s sacrifice fulfills the promise of the New Covenant. Any who are in this covenant have forgiveness of sins and may enter the holy place.
• Hebrews 12:22-24 – Unlike the Israelites under Moses (see the context), New Testament believers have come to the fulfillment of the Old Testament types. We are able to come because Jesus mediates the New Covenant with His sprinkled blood.

The Kingdom Is Not Postponed

These are several of the New Testament references to the kingdom that show the kingdom was not postponed and cannot be understood as an earthly, national kingdom. They show instead that the kingdom, in some sense, is the gospel/Church and not an exclusively Jewish construction. That the kingdom is in some way currently present and is related to all Christians is further evidence that the New Testament understands the ekklesia to be Israel. Further, it is evidence that the Dispensational hermeneutic, rather than allowing the New Testament to speak for itself, predetermines what the New Testament is allowed to say. This section does not attempt to offer a comprehensive examination or systematic theology of the kingdom.

• Matthew 8:11-12 – The “sons of the kingdom” are rejected while the Gentiles will take their place in the kingdom. Note that this pronouncement takes place prior to the rejection of Jesus by Israel.
• Matthew 12:26-28 – The kingdom is already present during Jesus ministry. Jesus miracles of casting out demons is proof that the kingdom has arrived. The kingdom was not on offer; it came despite being rejected by the Jewish leaders.
• Matthew 13:31-33 – The kingdom spreads to/throughout the entire world. It is not stopped by the failure of the Jews.
• Matthew 21:43 – The Kingdom of God is taken from the Jews (specifically the leadership) and given to the Church (“a people producing its fruit,” both Jews and Gentiles). Note this is the same kingdom Jesus has already been proclaiming (previously called Kingdom of Heaven in Matthew).
• Matthew 22:1-14 – Jesus continued to teach about the kingdom of heaven after the Jews rejected Jesus and he announced it was taken from them (Matt 21:43). This parable again explains that the kingdom would be given to those who were not originally invited to kingdom (the Gentiles).
• Matthew 23:22 – “Heaven” can be used to signify “God”. The Kingdom of Heaven is synonymous with the Kingdom of God.
• Matthew 24:14 – The gospel refers to the kingdom; they are not separate.
• Matthew 25:31-34, 46 – The kingdom is intended for all the elect, both Jew & Gentile. Because of the “already-not yet” nature of the kingdom there is no reason to suppose this passage teaches the kingdom has not yet come (see vs 14-30 for example). Further, the kingdom is synonymous with eternal life, something that all the saved currently have (1 John 5:13).
• Matthew 28:18-20 – The kingdom is the basis for the great commission. Jesus is king (i.e. the kingdom is here!) and therefore we make disciples.
• John 3:3, 5 – Jewishness is unrelated to the kingdom. Rather, salvation is the entrance to the kingdom.
• John 18:36 – The kingdom is not a worldly (read “this present, fallen world”) kingdom, but a spiritual (read “heavenly” or “new creation” rather than “anti-material”) kingdom.
• Romans 14:17 – The kingdom is not physical, this-worldy, but spiritual, next-worldly.
• Acts 1:3-8 – Jesus’ apparent non-answer to the disciples question is not an indication that they misunderstood the timing of the kingdom, but rather that the disciples misunderstood the nature of the kingdom. As soon as the Spirit came upon the disciples (Acts 2:14-36), they began to proclaim the reigning king – the kingdom had come.
• Acts 2:14-36 (esp 29-36) – Peter’s first act following Pentecost and the giving of the Spirit is to proclaim that the King is on David’s throne; the kingdom has come. (Note v30 & cf 2 Sam 7:12-13.) Also, Peter completely fails to understand the prophecy from Joel in a literal manner, but says the cataclysmic language is fulfilled at Pentecost. Finally, Joel’s prophecy referred to Pentecost (and presumably afterwards); therefore, Joel prophesied about the “church age”.
• Acts 8:12, 14:22 – The Christian life (salvation, persecution) is all directly related to the kingdom.
• Acts 20:25 – Paul was a preacher of the kingdom to those at Ephesus (v17). Preaching the Gospel is preaching the kingdom.
• Acts 28:17-31 – The same kingdom Paul preached to the Jews and Gentiles is the kingdom spoken of in the Old Testament and that Jesus proclaimed in Israel. It continued to be offered to Jews first and then to the Gentiles once the Jews continued to reject it.
• Colossians 1:13 – Christians have been transferred from darkness to Christ’s kingdom. We are presently in the kingdom.