Before examining other post-Pentecost Scriptures that show that Israel was and is God’s Chosen People, let us look at God’s most prolific writer relative to that subject–the Apostle Paul. Paul labeled himself  God’s apostle to the “Gentiles.” English is the only language containing the word “Gentile.” No other language has an equivalent word. The Greek word used to describe the subject of Paul’s ministry is “ethnos,” which means “tribes,” referring to the Tribes of Israel. New Testament writers used the word “ethnos” when referring to the focus of Paul’s ministry. King James translators incorrectly rendered “ethnos” as “Gentiles”–nonIsraelites. Due to this error the entire world has missed the true meaning of Paul’s ministry and has misidentified the people who comprise the New Covenant Church.  Let us examine more New Testament passages that prove Israel to be both the focus of Paul’s ministry and the people that make up most of the end-time church.

First Corinthians 10:1-10–Paul told the church at Corinth that OUR (Israelite) FATHERS came out of Egypt and were baptized in the sea and in the cloud. Notice that the biological fathers of the church at Corinth and the people that came out of Egypt WERE THE SAME PEOPLE–ISRAEL. First Corinthians 12:2–Paul told the Corinthian church: “You know that you WERE (prior to conversion spiritual) GENTILES who had been LED ASTRAY (from God). The church having been LED ASTRAY from God proves that they were descended from Israelites. In that only Israelites had ever been with God, only Israelites could have left Him. Galatians 6:16–Paul told the churches of the province of Galatia that God’s peace and mercy was being poured out on those churches, “and” upon the ISRAEL OF GOD. Many have assumed he was referring to two different entities. As is the case with several Greek words, the literal translation of the word “and” depends on the context of the statement, much like the English word “left.” Considering other statements on the subject, the context of this passage points to the “even” translation. The statement should read thus: “… peace and mercy upon those who walk according to this rule, even upon the Israel of God.” The word “even” fits because the statement concerns the twelve Tribes of Israel (Rom. 9:27;11:25,26), not to biological Gentiles. Notice in Galatians 3:23-25 that Paul was reminding the Galatians that “WE” (himself and the Galatian church) had been kept under the SACRIFICIAL LAW which was “OUR” schoolmaster/tutor until the Seed (Jesus) came on the scene. In 4:3 Paul reminds them that “WE” were under “bondage” (to that law). In 5:1 he said that they (the Galatian church), having been SET FREE FROM THAT LAW, must not be entangled “again” in bondage to it. If the Galatian church was peopled by Gentiles, when were Gentiles ever under the law? Gentiles have never been under the sacrificial law. In these instances Paul was referring to “the law that was added because of transgressions” (Gal. 3:19). Sin is the transgression of the Law (1 Jn. 3:4)–the Ten Commandments. The law Paul and the Galatian church had been under was the law of sacrifices, washings, rituals, etc. It was this law that he was warning the church about RETURNING TO, as some in the church were wanting to do. See God’s Royal Law.

Ephesians 2:11-16–Paul reminded the Church at Ephesus that they (like the Corinthian church) “WERE ONCE GENTILES” (heathen)–they had been spiritual Gentiles, having embraced Gentile religions. Recall that the Jews called their fallen Israelite brethren “Gentiles” (Jn. 7:35).  Hebrews 2:16–God gives help to the SEED OF ABRAHAM. Zachaeus and the woman with the issue of blood were eligible for salvation and healing BECAUSE THEY WERE OF THE SEED (DESCENDANTS) OF ABRAHAM. Hebrews 8:8-12–God made His NEW COVENANT with the twelve tribes comprising the House of Israel and the House of Judah, not Gentiles (Jer. 31:31-33). James 1:1–James wrote to the church, whom he identified as THE TWELVE TRIBES (of Israel) SCATTERED ABROAD (among the Gentiles). These Israelites were to share their “light” with the Gentiles among whom they lived. First Peter 1:1,2–Peter wrote to the church whom he identified as “strangers” (aliens) scattered among the Gentiles, who were the ELECT ACCORDING TO THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD THE FATHER. In 2:9,10 he describes them as A CHOSEN RACE, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, GOD’S OWN POSSESSION (19:5,6). Note that in Deuteronomy 14:2 God describes Israel in those same words. These church mem- bers were “ONCE NOT A PEOPLE (divorced by God) BUT NOW ARE (again) THE PEOPLE OF GOD” (see Hosea 1:10;2:23). In 1:3-5 Peter notes that God had BEGOTTEN “US” “AGAIN” to a living hope, to an incorruptible inheritance, who are KEPT for salvation. “US” referred to the New Covenant Church, including Peter. “Again” reminded them of their ancestors’ extraction from Egypt. First Peter 5:13– Peter noted that those who were “in Babylon” (Jews still living in sin) were selected by God ALONG WITH YOU (“strangers”-scattered Israel) for salvation. They would all make up the “many” who were being “called.” However, only a “few” of them would be “chosen” to be “firstfruits” of God. These are Israelites called and chosen in this age to be God’s “light” to the rest of the world. Today these “firstfruits” comprise His Law-abiding, Jesus-faithing New Covenant Church.