Today,
reply is on the church of Jesus Christ being the successor to Israel
as the “chosen nation” of GOD that appears within divine prophecy
and revelation. While the holy writings describe the rise and fall
of material nations on the earth such that specific cultures and
states are identifiable to students of secular history, politics, and
world events, for Christian believers, the focus is properly that of
participating within a spiritual body whose members will exist on the
earth throughout eternity. It is written: Romans 8: 5-9, New World
Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition) [NWT]: 5 For
those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things
of the flesh,+ but those who live according to the spirit, on the
things of the spirit.+ 6 For setting the mind on the flesh means
death,+ but setting the mind on the spirit means life and peace;+ 7
because setting the mind on the flesh means enmity with God,+ for it
is not in subjection to the law of God, nor, in fact, can it be. 8 So
those who are in harmony with the flesh cannot please God. 9
However, you are in harmony, not with the flesh, but with the
spirit,+ if God’s spirit truly dwells in you. But if anyone does
not have Christ’s spirit, this person does not belong to him. A
fighter in the “Yahoo! Answers” public forum on Religion &
Spirituality who used the ID “TeeM” (Level 7 with 9,141 points)
posted the following:
Who
is the nation that replaced the nation of Israel as God's chosen
people?
(Matthew
21:43) “43 This is why I say to you, the Kingdom of God will be
taken from you and be given to a nation producing its fruits. . .”
(1
Peter 2:7-10) “7 It is to you, therefore, that he is precious,
because you are believers; but to those not believing, “the stone
that the builders rejected, this has become the chief cornerstone”
8 and “a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” They are
stumbling because they are disobedient to the word. To this very end
they were appointed. 9 But you are “a chosen race, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, a people for special possession, that you
should declare abroad the excellencies” of the One who called you
out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 For you were once not
a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not been shown
mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
THE
GOLDEN ARROW: But I say, Keep walking by spirit+ and you will carry
out no fleshly desire at all.+ For the flesh is against the spirit
in its desire, and the spirit against the flesh; these are opposed to
each other, so that you do not do the very things you want to do.+
Furthermore, if you are being led by spirit, you are not under law.
Now the works of the flesh are plainly seen, and they are sexual
immorality,*+ uncleanness, brazen conduct,*+ idolatry,
spiritism,*+ hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, dissensions,
divisions, sects, envy, drunkenness,+ wild parties,* and things like
these.+ I am forewarning you about these things, the same way I
already warned you, that those who practice such things will not
inherit God’s Kingdom.+ On the other hand, the fruitage of the
spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,* kindness, goodness,+ faith,
mildness, self-control.+ Against such things there is no law.
Moreover, those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed to the stake
the flesh together with its passions and desires.+ If we are living
by spirit, let us also go on walking orderly by spirit.+ (Galatians
5: 16-25, NWT)
THE
DOUBLE DAGGER: Acknowledging Christ as Son (03/08/2020); TWO Kinds
of People? (02/21/2020); Disciples and “Little Christs”
(11/05/2019); How GOD Speaks Today (12/10/2018); The First “Chosen”
People (05/03/2018); Cultural, Political, Spiritual Growth?
(07/10/2016); Divine Inheritance and Resurrection? (07/06/2016);
Thoughts On The Kingdom? (11/18/2015)
“TeeM”,
many mature Christian believers acknowledge the “holy nation”
spoken of in the Scriptures is not a kingdom or sovereign state
identified by geopolitical boundaries and land measurements, rather
it is the church, the new creation of the Son of GOD. Through
Jesus Christ, the present day operations of divinity among mankind
may be understood as in a season of grace and reconciliation that is
spirit in process and substance. Mankind is not being challenged
with mysteries and questions that require years of academic
instruction and secular research. Rather, humanity has been granted
a revelation whereby otherwise invisible and unknown aspects of
divinity are made accessible, alive, approachable, and indwelling.
Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, mankind now may receive a
fresh endowment of the same life essence (breath; spirit;
word) that was imparted to Adam at Creation from the makeup of GOD.
Inseparable aspects of divine fullness are imparted that include
balance, commitment, faith, forbearance, holiness, longsuffering,
lovingkindness, oneness without sameness, personhood, wisdom, and
wrath against sin. As vessels of divine DNA (so to speak), believers
are to exist and mature on the earth as the children and heirs of GOD
until the appearing of Jesus Christ to harvest the earth. Consider
again the following that uses language from the New World Translation
of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition) [NWT]:
(1.)
John 18: 33-37, NWT: 33 So Pilate entered the governor’s
residence again and called Jesus and said to him: “Are you the King
of the Jews?”+ 34 Jesus answered: “Are you asking this of your
own originality, or did others tell you about me?” 35 Pilate
replied: “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief
priests handed you over to me. What did you do?” 36 Jesus
answered:+ “My Kingdom is no part of this world.+ If my Kingdom
were part of this world, my attendants would have fought that I
should not be handed over to the Jews.+ But as it is, my Kingdom is
not from this source.” 37 So Pilate said to him: “Well, then, are
you a king?” Jesus answered: “You yourself are saying that I am a
king.+ For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the
world, that I should bear witness to the truth.+ Everyone who is on
the side of the truth listens to my voice.”+
(2.)
Romans 10: 1-4, NWT: 10 Brothers, the goodwill of my heart and my
supplication to God for them are indeed for their salvation.+ 2 For I
bear them witness that they have a zeal for God,+ but not according
to accurate knowledge. 3 For because of not knowing the righteousness
of God+ but seeking to establish their own,+ they did not subject
themselves to the righteousness of God.+ 4 For Christ is the end of
the Law,+ so that everyone exercising faith may have righteousness.+
(3.)
Ephesians 2: 18-22, NWT: 18 because through him we, both peoples,
have free access to the Father by one spirit. 19 So you are no
longer strangers and foreigners,+ but you are fellow citizens+ of
the holy ones and are members of the household of God,+ 20 and you
have been built up on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,+
while Christ Jesus himself is the foundation cornerstone.+ 21 In
union with him the whole building, being harmoniously joined
together,+ is growing into a holy temple for Jehovah.* + 22 In
union with him you too are being built up together into a place for
God to inhabit by spirit.+
There
is far more that should be said, correctly examined, and spiritually
apprehended. (For example, (4.) John 18: 33-37, KJV: 33 Then
Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and
said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews? 34 Jesus answered him,
Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?
35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief
priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? 36 Jesus
answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of
this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be
delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. 37
Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered,
Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this
cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the
truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.) Even
so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according
to your faith.
Citations
from the NWT Translation of the Bible were downloaded 11:56 AM to
1:15 PM, March 16, 2020 from the Watchtower Online Library site @
https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/b/r1/lp-e/nwtsty/40/21#study=discover&v=40:21:43.
New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition).
Copyright © 2020 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of
Pennsylvania.
THE
BLACK PHOENIX
Washington,
DC
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