p. 456 | There Is One Body by Editor

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jul 31, 1884

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 10, No. 29.

"There Is One Body."

By Editor

THESE are the words of Paul in his letter to the Ephesians. Christ is the head of the body, which is the church. As Christ is one, there is but one head, and of course there can be but one body. If there were more than one body, there would of necessity be more than one head. And yet, in spite of this truth, there are people, calling themselves by the various names of "Kingdom believers," "Age to Come believers," and "Christadelphians," who virtually deny this conclusion; who affirm that the Gentiles are not fellow-heirs with Israel, and of the same body, and partakers of the promises of God in Christ by the gospel. Eph. 3:6. These would build up the middle wall of partition that has been broken down, and insist that he only is a Jew which is one outwardly, and that they are all Israel which are of Israel. Rom. 2:28, 29; 9:6, 7.

Paul speaks to those who were "Gentiles in the flesh," that is, by birth, and says:—

"That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world."

And some there are who have not yet learned that in the gospel the position of believers from the Gentiles is so changed that they do not stand a separate body. The apostle continues:—

"But now, in Christ Jesus, ye who sometime were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby; and came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers [from the covenants of promise] and foreigners, but fellow-citizens [of the commonwealth of Israel] with the saints, and of the household of God." Eph. 2:12-19.

It seems very much like obstinacy for any one or any class to still maintain, in the face of these declarations, that the literal Israelites are heirs to "the covenants of promise" to the exclusion of the Gentiles. Who are Abraham's seed? Not the unbelieving Israelites, but the faithful from every nation who believe in Christ. "For they are not all Israel which are of Israel." "He is not a Jew which is one outwardly." And if this be so, how can the promise be claimed for him which belongs to the Jew—to the Israel of God? The Saviour speaks of those who say they are Jews, but are not; they are of the synagogue of Satan. Rev. 3:9. To this agree his words to the Jews while he was on earth. John 8:39, 44. And Paul says again: "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Gal. 3:29.

We repeat what we have often said, that all the special promises to the literal descendants of Jacob, were to them as a nation, and were under a covenant made with them at Horeb, called the first or old covenant. But that covenant is all done away. Now if Israel, as a nation, can claim any promise under that covenant, two points must be taken for granted:—

1. An injustice was done to them in abolishing a covenant under which they had claims; or, if it were all of grace, it was a frustration of grace to many generations, to take from them a covenant under which they had claims on certain unfulfilled promises.

2. As all these special or national blessings belonged to the old covenant, and can have no place under the new, if they are yet to be fulfilled, the old covenant must be restored. That is to say, the middle wall of partition which was broken down by the gospel, must be built up again. And this can only be done by the abrogation of the new covenant, for both covenants cannot be in force at the same time.

And what is the position of those who are aiming to do such a work as this? Paul said: “If I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.” Gal. 2:18. And they who would restore the old covenant, and claim national blessings to those who are not of faith, and therefore are not truly Abraham’s seed, make themselves transgressors against the gospel. They are enemies to the cross of Christ, by which Jews and Gentiles are made one body, and alike partakers of the promises.

Paul also says to the Romans that the natural branches (literal Israel) were broken off by reason of their unbelief, but they may be restored by faith. Hence the restoration is an individual work, and is accomplished in precisely the same manner, and by the same means, that the Gentiles are grafted in. In a state of unbelief they are not Abraham’s seed; they are not heirs to the promises; they have become aliens and foreigners. God has not cast them away so that they cannot be recovered; but the work of recovery is in the same manner in which the Gentiles are made children of Abraham. He who denies this, denies the gospel of Christ.

When we presented these facts at the North Pacific camp-meeting, a “Judaising” preacher said to his friends that we had not touched the point. He used a harsher expression than we care to re-produce—especially as it reflected directly upon the truths which we read from the Bible. But he rested principally upon the declaration that God had promised to favor Israel for his name’s sake, and for their father’s sake. Granted; and what then? Suppose we take the words of Christ and of Paul and prove that the believing Gentiles are the children of Abraham, and heirs of the promise; and in like manner prove that the unbelieving literal or fleshly descendants of Abraham have forfeited the promises, and have become the synagogue of Satan, and are not the children of Abraham, or children of the promise, the objector gains nothing by his confident declaration. We fully believe that every promise of God will be fulfilled; but we take the Scriptures to prove to whom they will be fulfilled. We do not believe that any promise of God will ever be fulfilled to any who forfeit them by unfaithfulness. Who can gainsay this, Christ said the kingdom of God was taken from fleshly Israel because of their unbelief, Matt. 21:43; and James tells us who are heirs of it. Jas. 2:5. And to this agree all the Scriptures.