你不是以色列，你也不是属灵化的以色列，你是新的被造物。这个新的被造物有属于自己的称谓，我们细细说来。
You are not Israel, nor spiritual Israel. You are the new creature. The new creature has its name. We will show you what it is.
首先，你不是以色列。估计没多少人对这个教导有异议。在旧约里，以色列人会献动物为祭，你不会做这事；以色列人会守逾越节，七天不吃有酵的饼，你不会这么干；以色列人不吃猪肉、不带鳞片的水生物，你吃叉烧包、大闸蟹、鳗鱼寿司。最关键的是，以色列人是雅各的后裔，你的家族族谱追溯到古代，和雅各不是一家的。因为这些原因，你知道自己不是以色列，不能把旧约套用在自己身上。
Not many Christians will disagree that you are not Israel. Israel sacrifices animals in the old testament, but you don’t do this; Israel observes the Passover and eats unleavened bread for seven days, but you don’t follow this; Israel doesn’t eat pig or seafood without scale, but you eat BBQ pork bun, crabs and eel sushi. The most important separation is that Israel comes from one man Jacob, but your genealogy is not related to Jacob. Because of those separations, you are aware that you can’t apply the old covenant to yourself because you are not Israel.
但有一个很流行的说法是：你不是旧约里的那个以色列，可你是属灵化的以色列；旧约确实过时了，但新约是给属灵化的以色列的。这是用“属灵”二字来搪塞！因为“属灵”，你这个外邦人和雅各没有家族关系的问题被敷衍过去了；因为“属灵”，本来是神给以色的新约，突然变你的了；就算你吃着猪肉，从不献祭，做着违反神律法的事，看不出哪点比以色列好，但神给以色列的应许就变成你的了呢？！
There is a popular saying among Christians: You are not Israel in the old testament, but you are spiritual Israel；the old covenant is out of date, but the new covenant is for the spiritual Israel. The term “spiritual” somehow made you, a gentile, connected to Jacob and a partaker of the new covenant between God and Israel. Despise that you break God’s law by eating bacon and never sacrificing animals, but God’s promise to Israel will become true to you since you are “spiritual”?!
“流行”不见得为“正解”。
When a saying is popular, it doesn’t mean it is also right.
你会用关键字搜索圣经内容吗？试试能否在圣经里搜索到“属灵的以色列”。你搜不到！因为圣经没有教导，你一个外邦人，会“属灵化”地取代以色列。耶稣说他给以色列人的律法，一个标点符号都不能移掉；也就是说再怎么“属灵”，也废不掉守安息日，不吃猪肉的条条框框。
Why not try to search the keyword “spiritual Israel” in your Bible? You will find nothing! Because the Bible doesn’t teach that you, a gentile, will spiritually replace Israel. Jesus said his law to Israel, not even a title, will be removed; which means the rules about observing Sabbath day or avoiding pork will not be invalid because of being “spiritual”.
“我实在对你们说，就是到天地都过去了，律法的一点一画也不能过去，都要应验。” — 马太书 5:18
“For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”— Matt 5:18
你确实有个属灵的身份，可跟以色列无关。试试搜索关键字“新的被造物”。
Indeed, you have a spiritual identity, but it has nothing to do with Israel. Try searching the keyword “new creature” in your Bible.
“若有人在基督里，他就是一个新的被造物，旧事已过，看啊，一切都变成新的了。” — 哥林多后书 5:17
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”— 2 Cor 5:7
哥林多书形容一个得救的人为新的被造物。以色列这个被造物在旧约里就存在了，它不是新的； “属灵化的以色列”也是换汤不换药，也不能称为新的。新的被造物一定是从前不存在的，才能被称之为新的。
The second Corinthians said a saved person is a new creature. Israel was created in the old testament, so it is not new. The “spiritual Israel” teaches that you replace the old creature, therefore, there is nothing new. A new creature must be something never existed before.
这个新的被造物叫作基督的身体(或肢体)。
This new creature is called the body of Christ.
基督的身体这个教导在旧约里从未出现，在马太、马可、路加、约翰四书里也找不到，直到保罗书信里，这个新的概念才被揭示。
You can’t find the teaching of the body of Christ in the old testament, nor the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John; but in Paul’s epistles, it is revealed.
试试圣经检索关键字“基督的身体” 或“基督的肢体”。
Try searching the keyword “body of Christ” in your Bible.
“你们就是基督的身体，并且各自作肢体。” — 哥林多前书 12:27
“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.”— 1 Cor 12:27
“我们这许多人，在基督里成为一个身体，互相联络作肢体，也是这样。” — 罗马书 12:5
“So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”— Rom 12:5
神给了基督的肢体非常美好的盼望，若你是基督的肢体，你有神的恩典，完全没必要把你的指望放在神给以色列的应许上。神对基督的肢体有何旨意，在保罗书信里有详细教导。我们再另作文阐释。许多人以为神的子民只有一个团体—以色列，但实际是两个团体—以色列和基督的肢体。总之，这个新的被造物才是你当追求的身份。
God has given the body of Christ an excellent hope. If you are the body of Christ, if you have God’s grace, you don’t need to put your hope on the promises God gave to Israel. Paul wrote about God’s dispensation to the body of Christ, and we will explain it in another blog. A lot of people think God’s people are Israel only, but the truth is God’s people are Israel AND the body of Christ. Anyway, the new creature is the right identity you should pursue.
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