When God Changes A Name
God is the one that changes the names of people (not corporately, but individuals) in the bible, to describe how he sees them. ‘Abraham’ means "father of many nations" and that is how God saw him. But the name ‘Israel’ means "prince of God," and that is how the nation of Israel will be seen of God when he continues his program with them in the future, as a kingdom of priests and an holy nation in the earth.
1 Peter 2:9
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;
However, that is not the role that God created the body of Christ for. We were created to fill the heavenly places with the glory of God.
Ephesians 1:3-12
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
So remember, the body of Christ, was never Israel, and will never be. Israel and the body are separate, distinct entities, and not one and the same.
Paul says in that he does not want the body of Christ to be ignorant of this mystery,....that blindness in part is happened to Israel until the fulness of the gentiles be come in, then shall all Israel be saved.
Romans 11:25-26
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
You see, Paul separates Israel from the body. In fact, Paul says that today, in the dispensation of grace, Israel is an enemy of God. Today, God considers that nation as his enemies.
Romans 11:28
As concerning the gospel, they [unbelieving Israel] are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election [the believing remnant of Israel], they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
So in order to really understand the grace message and the word rightly divided, one must understand that Israel and the body are separate, distinct and different entities in God's program. The "natural" man that Paul is talking about in 1 Corinthians is a lost, unsaved person, and not a believer.
1 Corinthians 2:14
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
When Paul talks about believers who don't have spiritual discernment, he calls them "carnal."
1 Corinthians 3:1-4
And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
Hopefully this helps!
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