Baptist Perspectives on What Constitutes Israel

A flurry of articles and posts have been published over the last few days regarding who or what constitutes true Israel. While I doubt that I can add anything to what has been written, especially from the perspective of covenantal theology. I am able to write from the unique perspective of Baptist History.

Two passages come to mind that are frequently addressed by Baptist ministers and historians that speak to this matter:

1. Zechariah 11:10;
2. Galatians 3:16;

First, Zechariah 11:10 speaks of God “annulling the covenant that I had made with all the peoples.” 

One Baptist Minister who addressed this passage was the 18th-century English Baptist Minister, John Gill (1697-1771), who wrote what is considered the first comprehensive commentary written from a Baptist perspective. Regarding this passage, he writes, 

“[This is] not the covenant of works, that was made with all mankind in Adam; that was broke, not by the Lord, but by man; and was broke before the Gospel was published; nor the covenant of grace, for this was not made with all the people, nor can it be broken; but the Mosaic economy, the Sinai covenant, called the old covenant, which gradually vanished away: it was of right abolished at the death of Christ; when the Gospel was entirely removed, it more appeared to be so; and this was thoroughly done at the destruction of the city and temple.”

Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 6, p. 734). Mathews and Leigh.

Gill understood the ‘covenant’ in this passage to be the Mosaic covenant. The Old Testament Israelites had so thoroughly broken this covenant that the Lord annulled the agreement.

Second, Galatians 3:16 speaks of the true recipient of the Abrahamic Covenant,

“Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, ‘And to offsprings,’ referring to many, but referring to one, ‘And to your offspring,’ who is Christ.”

The promises to Abraham are pronounced in Genesis 12:1-4 and include the promise of (1) land, (2) being a great nation, (3) a great name, (4) a blessing to many, (5) blessings and curses depending on how people respond to Abraham and his offspring.

Multiple Baptist Ministers address this passage. First, John Bunyan (1628-1688), who affirms the clear meaning of the true heir of the Abrahamic promises:

“Second. This covenant, I say, was made with One, not with many, and also confirmed in the conditions of it with One, not with several. First, that the covenant was made with One (Gal 3:16). “Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy Seed, which is Christ” (Verse 17). “And this, I say, that the covenant that was confirmed before of God, in Christ,” etc. The covenant was made with the Seed of Abraham; not the seeds, but the Seed, which is the Lord Jesus Christ, our Head and Undertaker in the things concerning the covenant.”

Bunyan, J. (2006). Doctrine of the Law and Grace Unfolded (Vol. 1, p. 522). Logos Bible Software.

From this passage, John Bunyan understood the true recipient of the Abrahamic promises to be Christ, not Israel according to the flesh. 

Second, Roger Williams (1603-1683), considered the First Baptist in New England. In his magnum opus, “The Bloudy Tenent of Persecution”, he speaks of the recipients of the promises achieved by Christ, the heir of Abraham’s seed. Williams writes,

“This people of Israel in that Nationall State were a type of all the Children of God in all ages under the profession of the Gospell, who are therefore called the Children of Abraham, and the Israel of God, Gal. 3 & Gal. 6. A Kingly Priesthoo. and holy Nation (1 Pet. 2:9.) in a cleare and manifest Antitype to the former Israel, Exod. 19:6.”

Williams, R. (1867). The Bloudy Tenent of Persecution (S. L. Caldwell, Ed.; p. 328). Narragansett Club. 

Again, Williams understood the recipient of the promise to be Christ. He, therefore, can speak of those ‘in Christ’ as the ‘Israel of God.’

Third, Benjamin Keach (1640-1704) addresses the matter in his work titled “Gold Refin’d, or, Baptism in Its Primitive Purity.” Here, the subject matter is who is eligible for Baptism. A key thesis that he defends is that only those with genuine faith constitute the church.

Keach’s logic is that just as unbelieving Israel can not lay claim to the promises of Abraham, neither can those who have been declared regenerate through infant baptism by the Anglican and Catholic Church. External factors do not create genuine faith. Keach, therefore, writes,

“As, first, it hath been proved, that the Covenant of Grace made with Abraham and his Seed, doth not intend his Carnal Seed according to the Flesh; but his Spiritual Seed, or such who had the Faith of Abraham. And one would think the Apostle might be believed in his expounding that Text, viz. To Abraham and to his Seed were the Promises made, Gal. 3:16. He saith not, And to Seeds, as of many, but as of one, And to they Seed, which is Christ. Compare this with v. 29. If ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s Seed, and Heirs. according to the Promise And again, in Rom. 9:7, 8. he saith, Neither because they are the Seed of Abraham, are they all Children; but in Isaac shall thy Seed be called. That is, they which are the Children of the Flesh, these are not the Children of God: but the Children of the Promise are counted for the Seed…

The Covenant of Grace there made with Abraham and his Seed extends to none but the Holy and Elect Seed, to none but the Spiritual Seed, to such who are Christ’s, or true Believers in Christ only.

Keach, B. (1689). Gold Refin’d, or, Baptism in Its Primitive Purity (p. 101). Printed for the author.

Again, Keach affirms that the promises of Abraham do not extend to physical Israel but were made to Jesus. Those “in Christ” also receive those promises. Meaning:

1. Land – the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God (Heb. 11:10).
2. Being a great nation – Those ‘in Christ’ constitute a great nation (Rev. 7:9).
3. A great name – Christians call upon Christ, who has received the name that is above every name (Phil. 2:9-11).
4. A blessing to many – The blessing of justification by faith (Gal. 3:8). 
5. Blessings and curses, depending on how people responded to Abraham and his offspring – Those in Christ will be saved from their sin, those who reject Christ will answer for their own sin (Rev. 19:13).

It is entirely consistent with early Baptist History to understand that the true recipients of the Abrahamic promise are (1) Christ, (2) those men and women of faith, and (3) not Israel according to the flesh.

The application is that Christians, at least from a theological perspective, are not obliged to align themselves with the physical nation of Israel on the basis that the promises given to Abraham are still in effect to anyone other than people who trust in Christ. Baptists have historically understood that the Mosaic Covenant has been annulled and that Christ is the true heir of the Abrahamic promises, not Israel according to the flesh. As Christians, our allegiance is to Christ, and those in Christ are his chosen people, both Jews and Gentiles.

Although I cannot speak to the current upheaval in the region, I am currently praying for:

1. Christians in Israel;
2. Christians in Iran;
3. Ministers, missionaries and gospel workers in those regions;
4. For God’s spirit to move on people of both nations to bring about repentance and faith.