One church or two? Does God view believers in pre-Christian days the same way as he views New Testament believers? Did Christ promise to expand his existing church into the international, multicultural, multilingual spiritual community promised to Jacob in the book of Genesis and portrayed in the book of Revelation, or did he found a completely new church at Pentecost? Are the promises of God to Israel in the Old Testament applicable to the Israel which is "not Israel" according to the apostle Paul in Romans 9? Why are the gentiles who are addressed by the apostle Paul in Galatians 6 part of "the Israel of God"? How much of God's promised inheritance to his ancient people can they claim, as the spiritual children of Abraham? The Christian church in modern times may look very different to the patriarchal family of Abraham's day, but qahal yisrael cannot die out or be replaced. Expanded? Yes! Developed? Yes! Transformed? Yes! But exchanged, one version for another? Never! God is simply not that kind of a craftsman.
