Donna answers G regarding The Israel of God                                      

Reference:  The 144,000 standing on Mount Zion must keep The
Sabbath -- G  February 6, 4:33 am

G wrote:

" One of the quickest paths to a misunderstanding and misinterpretation of
 the prophetic picture is to conflate Israel and the church. The Bible
presents Israel and the church as distinct entities.

In order to take the promises and requirements for Israel and transfer
them to the church, it is necessary to either ignore significant
portions of the New Testament or completely twist them out of their
clear meaning and context."

Donna writes:

G makes sweeping statements without a single scripture to support
them. Here, the reader can see that it is G that perverts the words of
Paul.  Paul takes the promises and requirements for Israel and
transfers them to the church that is comprised of Jews and
Gentiles:

"For ye are ALL THE CHILDREN OF GOD by faith in Christ
Jesus. 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 ALL ALL ONE IN CHRIST JESUS.  AND IF YE BE
CHRIST'S, THEN ARE YE ABRAHAM'S SEED, AND HEIRS
ACCORDING TO THE PROMISE."  Galatians 3:26-29

To the church in Rome (comprised of Jews and Gentiles) Paul said:

"For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that
circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which
is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit,
and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God."
Romans 2:28-29

To the church at Philippi (comprised of Jews and Gentiles) Paul said:

"For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and
rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh."
Philippians 3:3

To the church at Corinth (comprised of Jews and Gentiles) Paul
said this about their requirement to obey The Commandments of
God:

"Is any man called being circumcised [a Jew]? let him not become
uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? [a Gentile] let him
not be circumcised.

Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, BUT THE
KEEPING OF THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD."
1 Corinthians 7:18-19

The Israel of God are the children of the promise.  They have
received the promise of the Father; that is, the Spirit of Christ* that
comes after their faith has been tested and approved.  
 
 "Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they
are not all Israel, which are of Israel:  Neither, because they are the
seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed
be called.  That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these
are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are
counted for the seed."  Romans 9:6-8

Donna Kupp

*   I refer the reader to "The Adoption of Sons" under related
subjects at this website: