The Church !
The Church !
The word church in the greek signifies called out, for the church is called out or separated from the rest of mankind or the world, that world which lieth in wickedness 1 Jn 5:19
19 And we[The Church] know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
They [The Church ] are the ones whom God by His Spirit separates from darkness Acts 26:18; Col 1:13, and especially its seen here 1 Pet 2:9
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
Thats the church called [kaleō] out of [ek]
You put them together you have the word ekklesia which is the word church !
So the church can be called a chosen people, a royal priesthood, an Holy Nation, a peculiar people !
Now all these apply to Israel Ex 19:5,6.
So those called out of darkness into marvelous light constitutes the Church, and the called out here as indicated were typified under old covenant Israel Ex 19:6, in fact they were even called by the Spirit the church in the wilderness Acts 7:38
38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:
Now understand this, the church in the wilderness was the seed of Abraham, a separated people from the rest of the nations of the world, for Stephen even begins His sermon with Abraham being called out Acts 7:2-3
2 And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,
3 And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.
And this is the beginning of the official outward formation of the church, the called out ones, and this call came to Abraham as an Gentile or as Paul says in Uncircumcision Rom 4:9-13
9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
So its the Seed of Abraham that is the Church, the called out ones, and all who are called by Christ that are Abraham's Seed Gal 3:29
29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
So the church in the wilderness which was Abraham's Seed, is the Church in the New Covenant that is Abraham's Seed Gal 3:29, the big difference now being, the church under the Old Covenant of Abraham's seed was primarily comprised of Abraham's physical seed who had been given Faith in Christ as he had been given [Jn 8:56], whereas under the New Covenant, it consist more of Abraham's non jewish seed of the gentiles who have been given faith in Christ. Lets remember that Ishmael was also Abraham's physical seed, and he was circumcised because that pictured a deeper truth Gen 17:22-25
22 And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.
23 And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him.
24 And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
25 And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
The message is this, that Abraham would be given a spiritual seed called out of both jews and gentiles alike, and they are simply the called as here Rom 9:24
24 Even us, whom he hath called[Seed of Abraham], not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
Even though this called people are from out among jew and gentile, its still restricted to Abraham's Seed Gal 3:29.
That Abraham has this exclusive Seed or Offspring from amongst all nations, not just one [national israel] is clear from God's word here when He changed his name from Abram to Abraham Gen 17:5
5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
So technically his Name Abraham should be more connected to him being a Father of many nations more so to just one !
It cannot be made any more plainer that God made Abraham the Father of a Seed that comprised a multitude of nations, which included national Israel, but not limited to. And Paul interprets that here Rom 4:16-18
16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
and thats the whole Church, called out of darkness, into the Marvelous light of God's Kingdom of His Dear Son Col 1:13, who by the way is Abraham's Seed. Matt 8:11
And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
Thats Abraham's Seed, the Church/called out ones, God's Israel from all nations !