Austin Bible Church
Israel remains under the 5th Cycle of Discipline since 70 AD. They no longer represent Jesus Christ on earth. Until the Second Advent of Jesus Christ, the Jews as a nation will be scattered all over the earth. For the Church Age, Israel has been replaced on earth by the Church - the Body of Christ as the custodian of the Scriptures. Acts 2:47; Eph. 2:16; Eph. 4:4-5; Eph. 5:22-27.
"praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved." (Acts 2:47, NASB)
"and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity." (Ephesians 2:16, NASB)
"There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism," (Ephesians 4:4-5, NASB)
The Body of Christ, the Church, is being formed on earth that includes all Church Age believers by means of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit that enters every believer into union with Christ at salvation. 1 Cor. 12:12-14; Col. 2:10; Col. 2:12.
"For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many." (1 Corinthians 12:12-14, NASB)
"and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;" (Colossians 2:10, NASB)
"having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead." (Colossians 2:12, NASB)
Those who believe by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone become positionally higher than the angels by being placed into union with Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit - this is called Positional Truth. Eph. 1:20-23.
"which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all." (Ephesians 1:20-23, NASB)
Because of the session of Christ during the Church Age, the Angelic Conflict has intensified. To handle that intensified spiritual conflict, God has provided significant grace resources for the believer. Eph. 6:11-13.
"Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm." (Ephesians 6:11-13, NASB)
We are given assets that no person on earth has ever had: Positional truth, Jesus Christ indwelling every believer, the universal indwelling of the Holy Spirit in every believer, the priesthood of every believer, the completed written canon of Scripture, every believer in full-time Christian service as an ambassador for Jesus Christ, and we are provided a supernatural way of life with a supernatural way of execution - all unique to the Church Age! By trusting in Christ in the past with the result that every believer will continue to enjoy their salvation forever. Heb. 2:13.
"And again, "I WILL PUT MY TRUST IN HIM." And again, "BEHOLD, I AND THE CHILDREN WHOM GOD HAS GIVEN ME."" (Hebrews 2:13, NASB)
In Isaiah 8:18, “Behold” means to demand attention and is addressed to all angelic creatures. Christ said this from His session in heaven. “I and the children” means our position in Jesus Christ is perfect.
"Behold, I and the children whom the LORD has given me are for signs and wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion." (Isaiah 8:18, NASB)
All Church Age believers receive 40 things at salvation – 39 permanent things and one temporary thing that depends on the believer’s state of sin or spirituality – confession of sin. One of those 39 things is Positional Truth achieved when the Holy Spirit placed us into union with Jesus Christ (Baptism of the Holy Spirit). All Church Age believers receive this permanent position. Relationship is emphasized here.
Parents try to raise their children by doing all of the right things to prepare them for life, but they may turn out to be good children or bad, but they are still their children. Our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ is similar in that we can never change our relationship with Jesus Christ no matter what we do after salvation. This is eternal security in Christ.
God made a plan so great, so marvelous that regardless of whether we fail or succeed we cannot damage His plan. It will still unfold exactly as He planned it in Eternity Past and succeed in His purpose for that plan. The next time you see someone out of fellowship and it burns you, remember they can’t hurt the plan of God.
What about the plans of men? They always fail. Why? They depend on people. They do not use God's grace resources. God's plan depends on God's perfect and absolute attributes. God's plan unfolds in time exactly as He decreed in Eternity Past. God's plan is a perfect plan and always achieves His intended purpose.