For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither
male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Many Christians today think believers today are just Spiritual Israel. That each of us are Spiritual Jews. This conclusion comes from not rightly dividing the Word of Truth. (2 Tim. 2:15)
The verses above state that every believer, who has been baptized into Christ, has put on Christ. It also says there, in Christ, there is no difference between Jew and Gentile. These verses do not say anything about becoming spiritual Jews, once we're saved. What does it say? We are all one in Christ Jesus.
Believers today have become one Body. (Eph. 4:5) That one Body is the Body of Christ. The Body of Christ is a new creature. (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15) Spiritual Israel is not something new. It's taking some old group, Israel, and modifying it to sound new. To make it sound more spiritual. However, it's not something brand new. The Body of Christ is something completely new. It was never prophesized/spoken of by the Old Testament prophets or by the 12 apostles. It was made manifest, first, to the Apostle Paul. Then, he revealed it to us. And besides, why insist on calling believers today Spiritual Jews? Why not Spiritual Gentiles?
This passage also doesn't mention anything about water baptism. All it says is that believers have been baptized into Christ. How does this happen? By the working of the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor. 12:13) Now, read Romans 6:3,4 and Colossians 2:10-12. Both talk about how each believer was buried with Him in baptism. In the context, these passages are talking about Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. Christ was buried in a physical tomb (the earth), not water. If we have died and been raised with Christ, well then we also must've been buried with Him. Baptism means "identification." When we believe that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day, we automatically become identified in His death, burial, and resurrection. This happens by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit baptizes us into Christ, into the Body of Christ, and we therefore, have put on Christ. In Christ, we are all one.
This passage also doesn't mention anything about water baptism. All it says is that believers have been baptized into Christ. How does this happen? By the working of the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor. 12:13) Now, read Romans 6:3,4 and Colossians 2:10-12. Both talk about how each believer was buried with Him in baptism. In the context, these passages are talking about Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. Christ was buried in a physical tomb (the earth), not water. If we have died and been raised with Christ, well then we also must've been buried with Him. Baptism means "identification." When we believe that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day, we automatically become identified in His death, burial, and resurrection. This happens by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit baptizes us into Christ, into the Body of Christ, and we therefore, have put on Christ. In Christ, we are all one.
Therefore, Jew and Gentile believers are joined together in one Body, the Body of Christ. (1 Cor. 12:12-13) We each are made a new creature. We are one new man. In this new creature, our old identities (Jew/Gentile) are done away. At this time, we aren't all made Spiritual Jews, nor are we all made Spiritual Gentiles. Instead, we are all one in Christ. We are one new man. We are all the Body of Christ. We all belong in Christ, and Christ is in each and everyone of us. Don't try to downgrade this wonderful truth by saying we are Spiritual Israel. We have been made into something completely new, the Body of Christ!
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