Because the masters of the laws of Judaism are filled with their own glory and seek the glory that comes from people, and the masters of the laws of Christianity are filled with their own glory and seek the glory that comes from people, the two sets of self-seeking religionists are perpetually at odds one against the other. Neither truly knows God. Each is ready to murder the other while preaching about the necessity for social justice and the rights of people.

The true Jew is the Jew of the circumcised heart. The true Christian saint is the believer of the circumcised heart, be he Jew or Gentile. The true Jewish saint and the true Christian saint may be in the religious organizations but the organizations are not in them. Some day the organizations will be done away and God's Israel will fulfill the words of the Hebrew Prophets and the Christian Apostles (all of whom were Jews!).

Physical Israel; spiritual Israel. Israel was the name given to Jacob, the son of Isaac, because he struggled with the angel of God and prevailed. From that day to this the term Israel has been used to refer to those who are physical descendants of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob, and sometimes to members of the Christian churches.

Today there is considerable confusion concerning who is Israel. Some are teaching that Israel refers only to physical Jews and that all the words of the Hebrew Prophets are directed toward the physical land and people of Israel.

This can be disproved easily by the New Testament.

Unto whom [the Hebrew Prophets] it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us [the believers in Christ] they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. (I Peter 1:12)

Others are insisting that the Christian Church has replaced Israel in the plan of God. This also can be quickly disproved from the New Testament.

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. (Romans 11:25-27)

At least one Christian teacher has advanced the idea that the two witnesses of Revelation, Chapter 11 are Israel and the Church.

In every instance, a distinction is made between Israel and the Christian Church. There is, however, an abundance of Scripture to prove that true Israel and the true Church are one and the same body, having the same Prophets, the same Apostles, the same Holy Spirit, the same blood of atonement, the same promise of the one Kingdom of God to come.

To be continued.