Not one member of Israel was eternally redeemed and forgiven through the Blood of Christ. Every member of the Church is.
This statement was made in the thread about arguments against the Post Trib Rapture, but it is a statement I want to focus more on. That thread has been sufficiently derailed and this statement is buried under at least 10 pages of post now so it has effectively been lost. I linked it so that anyone could look at it in its original context.
My first thought when I saw this statement was that, what was being communicated was that no Jews were ever saved by the Blood of Christ, and I would hope we would all agree that it is an incorrect view, especially given that all the Apostles were Jews.
Darrell C took me to task for two words that I switched out in what I saw being communicated. Saved for Redeemed, and Jews for Israel. So for the sake of this discussion I will be using Redeemed or any word with Redeem at its root to try to make my point.
Although on a side note I would like to hear how Darrell C views Redeemed vs Saved, because often they are used interchangeably in Christian Circles, (although a quick Google searched showed that the RCC has given those words distinct theological implications.)
Anyways back to the quote at hand.
Not one member of Israel was eternally redeemed and forgiven through the Blood of Christ. Every member of the Church is.
Darrell on more than one occasion has insisted on a very clear divided between Israel and the Church, so while I disagree with that view based on Romans 9-11, and other passages, I’m willing for the sake of argument to assume that point while looking at this statement.
Israel then means anyone descended from Jacob or Israel, or in other words the 12 tribes of Israel.
Let’s see what the Bible says about their redemption:
In the Pentetuch there is a lot of verses that talk about them being redeemed from Egypt, which we do know from the NT is a type, but we will let the literal sense stand and say those are just about their redemption from Egypt, so we won’t look at those verse. In Ruth they are used to talk about a kindsman redeemer so we will leave those passages alone as well. I will also not go into Job as I have never heard him ascribed to Israel.
In 2 Sam David recognizes that it is God who Redeemed him.
2 Sam 4:9But David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life out of every adversity,
So here we have David, soon to be King of Israel recognizing that He has been redeemed from adversity.
Let’s keep looking at Redeemed as it is used throughout the Bible.
Ps. 19:14Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
Here we have David once again recognizing God as his redeemer.
That Psalms are full of mentions of being redeemed or of God as the redeemer of members of Israel.
Ps. 71:23My lips will shout for joy,
when I sing praises to you;
my soul also, which you have redeemed.
Ps. 74:2We even have redemption being talked about in the past tense.
Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage! Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt.
Ps. 107:1-2Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,
whom he has redeemed from trouble
And its not just the Psalms that talk about redemption in the past tense
Isa. 42:1But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
Isa 44:21-2321 Remember these things, O Jacob,
and Israel, for you are my servant;
I formed you; you are my servant;
O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.
22 I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud
and your sins like mist;
return to me, for I have redeemed you.
23 Sing, O heavens, for the LORD has done it;
shout, O depths of the earth;
break forth into singing, O mountains,
O forest, and every tree in it!
For the LORD has redeemed Jacob,
and will be glorified in Israel.
This passage specifically talks about their sins, being blotted out, and a calling to Israel to turn back to God because of their redemption.
I think I have made my case the the OT shows that Israel was Redeemed in the OT. Now lets see what the NT says
Luke 1:68“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people"
Again notice the past tense of Redeemed here in Zechariah’s Prophecy
Its Prophecy and yet he uses the past tense, because it is a sure thing.
Now I know that DC is going to point out that I have left off the next part of his sentence “by the blood of Christ” well I am getting there, I just wanted to make sure there could be no argument about Israel being redeemed.
Well that is where the wonderful book of Hebrews comes in, as Hebrews sheds a lot of light on the OT, showing how Christ was shown though types and shadows (and that He is Better than all of them)
Heb 9:11-1511 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
15 Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.
Now I was asked to look at Heb 9:11-15 in the other thread and I went into it a bit showing how this passages shows that Christ is a Better Sacrifice, because He is shedding His own blood, not the blood of goats and bulls. The important verse for my argument is vs 15. But since it starts with “therefore” it’s always important to look at what came before.
Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant
Therefore since Christ is a better Sacrifice, He is the mediator of the New Covenant. What does this do? It allows for the called to receive the promise. Who is included in the called? Those under the first covenant. What is the first Covenant? The Law, and who was under the Law? Israel.
It is the blood of Christ that redeems us. It has always been the blood of Christ that redeems people.
To say that Not one member of Israel was eternally redeemed and forgiven through the Blood of Christ. Every member of the Church is.
Is to say that there is another means of redemption outside of Christ, and his shed blood, but Hebrews makes that impossible.
Now I know that DC will probably bring up the fact that I did not touch on his last sentence, of everying member of the churching being redeemed by the blood of Christ, but I will just say I doubt there is anyone that would argue against that statement, I just left his whole statement in tact so as not to be accused of taking it out of context.
Also, since I said for the sake of argument that I will assume a clear divide between Israel and the Church (although it’s really hard to do so when the passage I showed in Hebrews merges them together in Christ) I decided to leave the last part of his statement alone. To go into that next statement, with the assumption of a clear divide, would cause a lot of problems when you talk about the Apostles who are all members of Israel and also the church since the statements said: not one member of Israel.
I will state it again, I disagree with the quoted statement even when making sure to not switch out any words. I do not think that statement has any Biblical Grounds, therefore I cannot let it stand, as it is talking about Redemption which is a crucial doctrine.
This is what happens when I can't sleep. I may not reply too much since we are still on vacation.