Not All Israel Is Israel

"I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, [speaking nonsense] against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church. Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God." - 1 John 3:9-11

Have you ever witnessed a time when there was discord in your church. People - professing Christians - could not seem to get along. There was division - not unity - dissention - not harmony. Maybe you witnessed a split where a group of people left - "en masse" - over some issue. Discouraging? Yes. New with our generation? No. The writers of the New Testament addressed problems like this with the churches that they planted and nurtured.

I recall one church we attended while we were in Alabama. I was asked to lead a devotion at the start of a business meeting. There was some contention among the members over a number of issues. I called them "pet rocks". Issues that certain people would pull out of their pockets and talk about when they had an audience. So I decided to speak to the church about Galatians chapter 5. The fruit of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit.

"Now the works [what I call fruit] of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another." - Galatians 5:19-25

I focused on "outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions" with respect to the flesh. I told them that if you wanted to know what a person's underlying motivation was - the flesh or the Spirit - all you had to do was examine the fruit. That was the best business meeting that we ever had - and it was the last time that I was asked to do the devotion.

So what is the problem? James wrote .... 

"Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh." - James 3:10-12

When you see demonstrations of the flesh in the church, it is because 1) a Christian is yielding to their flesh and not the Spirit or 2) the person is not a Christian at all and incapable of being spiritual - merely having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof. (2 Timothy 3:5)

So what does this have to do with Israel? 

"But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel" - Romans 9:6

Not all of the ethnic Jews were part of the Spiritual Israel. Just because people attend church does not mean that they are Christians. Just because they are Christians does not mean that they "checked their old nature at the door." When you encounter situations like this - don't react - reflect - reflect Jesus.

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone