Israel and the Church

By Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, Th.M., Ph.D.
Founder/Director, Ariel Ministries, Tustin, California

There is no Biblical evidence the Church began either with Adam or Abraham, nor that it existed in the Old Testament, nor during the earthly life of Christ: Matthew 16.18.

The first evidence the Church is distinct from Israel was at Pentecost. This is based on the relationship of Spirit-baptism to the Church. According to Colossians 1.18, the church is the body of Christ. First Corinthians 12.13 teaches entrance into this body is by Spirit-baptism. But Acts 11.15,16 teaches Sprit-baptism was not instituted until the Holy Spirit came upon the Jewish believers in Acts 2.1-4.

The second evidence of distinction between the Church and Israel is three events in the life of the Messiah were prerequisites to the establishment of the Church and so the Church could not have come into being until these events had taken place:

Jesus’ death by which atonement was provided: Matthew 16.18-21.
The resurrection of Jesus: Ephesians 1.20-23.
The ascension of Jesus: Ephesians 4.7-11. The Holy Spirit was not provided until after Christ’s ascension.

The third evidence shows distinction between the Church and Israel is the mystery characteristics of the Church. In Biblical terminology, the word mystery is often used to describe a New Testament truth not revealed in the Old Testament: Ephesians 3.3-5,9 and Colossians 1.26,27.

Four features the Church exists separate from Judaism, but never revealed in the Old Testament were:

The concept of Jewish and Gentile believers united into one body: Ephesians 3.1-12.
The doctrine of Messiah indwelling every believer: Colossians 1.24-27; 2.10-19 and 3.4,11.
The Church as the bride of the Messiah: Ephesians 5.22-32
The Rapture, with its corollary events of the resurrection of the “dead in Christ” and the transition into Heaven of the living believers: 1 Corinthians 15.50-58.

The fourth evidence the Church is distinct from Israel is the concept of the “one new Man” in Ephesians 2.15. This “one new man” is distinguished from both Israel and the Gentiles and is comprised of believing members from both groups, identified as the Church in Ephesians 2.16, “the body,” and Ephesians 3.6, the “same body.”

The fifth evidence is the three groups are distinguished from each other in 1 Corinthians 10.32: “Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God.” This verse is a contrast made well after the Church had been established.

The sixth evidence is the term Israel is never used of the Church. In the New Testament it is either used of Jews in general or Jewish believers in particular. Galatians 6.16 speaks about the subject of Jewish believers. Judaizers or Jews who demanded adherence to the Law of Moses were deceiving Gentiles to obtain salvation through the Law. To them, a Gentile had to convert to Judaism before s/he qualified for salvation through Christ. In verse 15, Paul states the important thing for salvation is faith, resulting in the “new man.” He also mentions two elements of the Church: circumcision and uncircumcision. These two elements refer to two groups of people: believing Jews and believing Gentiles. These two entities of the Church are also identified by these very same terms in Galatians 2.7-9.