The church is the body of Christ, which was established on the Day of Pentecost as described in Acts 2. It comprises both Jewish and Gentile individuals who have embraced the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. The church functions on both a local and global scale. A local church is a community of believers who gather for Bible study, worship, fellowship, and to observe the two ordinances of baptism for believers and the Lord’s Supper. The Christian church is a mystery not disclosed in the Old Testament and exists separately from Israel, possessing a unique identity and mission.

The Meaning of Church

The word church is frequently used to translate the Greek term ekklesia, which signifies those who are called out, an assembly, a congregation, or a Christian community. In the New Testament, the writers apply the term in both a broad and a specific manner. In its general application, it pertains to any gathering, such as a group of believers meeting in a specific location like Ephesus (Eph. 1:1). Notably, the assembly mentioned in Acts 19 refers to a non-Christian group of worshippers of the Greek goddess Artemis rather than followers of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 19:34-35). The term ekklesia is also used to describe Israel as a general assembly (Matt. 18:17, Acts 7:38, Heb. 2:12). In Matthew 18:15-17, Jesus discusses matters related to disciples within the group, but the context suggests it pertains to a Jewish assembly (a synagogue) rather than the Christian church. In Acts 7:38, Stephen addresses a Jewish crowd and refers to “the congregation in the wilderness,” which denotes the Israelites who Moses led out of Egypt. In Hebrews 2:12, the author cites Psalm 22:22, using ekklesia in a general sense to denote a gathering of Jewish individuals.

When applied to Christians in the New Testament, ekklesia takes on a technical meaning and refers to those who are members of the body of Christ in a spiritual sense (1 Cor. 12:12-13). They are members by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:8-9). The first reference to the Christian church occurs in Matthew 16:18, “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” The fact that Jesus talks about the church in a future tense, “I will build My church” denotes that the church was not in existence when He spoke. The Christian church began on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. It is mainly in the writings of Paul that the Christian church is identified as the body of Christ. Ephesians 1:22-23 says, “And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” In Colossians 1:18 Christ is described as the head of the body, the church. This fact is also made in Ephesians 5:23 and Colossians 1:24.

In the New Testament, the Lord Jesus is frequently called the Head of the body, which refers to the church. The Greek term soma, meaning body, appears more than 140 times in the New Testament and is predominantly used to denote physical bodies. Nevertheless, it is also used numerous times to describe the church, the body of Christ (Rom. 12:5, 1 Cor. 10:17, Eph. 1:23, and Col. 1:18).

The Universal Church

The New Testament church is both universal and local. The universal church refers to the world-wide body of believers. The New Testament shows the universal church in passages such as 1 Cor. 10:32, 1 Cor. 12:28 and 1 Tim. 3:15.

John Nelson Darby (1800-1882) said, “What were churches in scriptural times? “Church” means simply an assembly, or, from local use in Greek, an assembly of privileged persons, of citizens. The whole multitude of believers gathered into one by the Holy Ghost formed the assembly or church. Only here of course it was God’s assembly; of course those in Rome or Corinth could not meet in Jerusalem. Hence there were assemblies in different places, forming each locally God’s assembly in the place. It may be well very briefly to examine how the assembly is viewed in scripture as a whole, before we speak of local assemblies. It is viewed as the habitation of God; and also as the body of Christ, and first of the former. In one sense the church is not yet formed, not complete. All that shall be united to Christ in glory form part of it.”

The global church is present throughout the entire world. Consequently, when we encounter another Christian, we are meeting someone who is a member of the universal church, even if they do not belong to the same local congregation as we do. At the time of the rapture, all believers will be caught up to join the Lord in the sky (1 Thess. 4:13-18). The church will be taken away from the earth to be with the Lord.

The Local Church

The term church is also used to describe a local assembly of God’s people who gather frequently at a certain place. For instance, the assembly in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1) and the assembly in Corinth (1 Cor. 1:2) represent local churches. In contemporary terms, Wrexham Gospel Hall serves as the venue for the gathering of God’s people. The church or assembly consists of the believers, rather than the physical structure. Throughout the New Testament, a building is never called a “church”; it always refers to the people as the church. The assembly of God’s people can meet anywhere. In New Testament times believers often met in the homes of fellow believers. Paul mentions several house churches such as the one run by Aquila and Priscilla (1 Cor. 16:19).

Israel and the Church

A key aspect of dispensationalism is the belief that Israel and the church are distinct entities. The church, comprised of believers who are both Jewish and Gentile, is considered the body of Christ, formed at the point of salvation.

Contrarily, some Christians adopt a different perspective, viewing the church as a singular people of God that traces back to the book of Genesis. They interpret the church as a collective of believers throughout all ages. Proponents of this belief argue that Israel represented the church of the old covenant, while the New Testament church signifies Israel of the new covenant. This perspective is referred to as covenant theology. Although there are numerous insightful writings and valuable resources from covenant theologians, I personally disagree with their interpretation regarding Israel and the Church. I hold the belief that God has distinct plans for both Israel and the church, which are not the same. Israel is not the church and the church is not Israel.

When examining the Old Testament, it’s evident that there are two distinct groups: Jews and Gentiles. This division originated with God’s call to Abraham, where He intended to establish a unique relationship with him and promised to bless the world through his lineage (Gen. 12:1-3). A person is considered a Jew if they are a biological descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The biblical basis for identifying a Jew is rooted in the Abrahamic covenant, where God assured that the nation of Israel would arise from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as detailed in Gen. 12:2, 13:16, 15:5, 17:1-2, and other scriptural texts. A Gentile refers to anyone who is not a Jew. For instance, Ruth was a Moabitess, and this identification remained even after her conversion.

In the present church age, there are three distinct groups: Jews, Gentiles, and the church itself. This is the reason Paul states in 1 Corinthians 10:32, “Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God.” The term “Greeks” in this passage signifies Gentiles. In the KJV and several other translations, the term Gentiles is used instead of Greeks. The third group, the church, is made up of both Jews and Gentiles who have placed their faith in Christ as their Lord and Savior.

While both Israel and the church are considered the people of God, the Christian church is separate from the nation of Israel. The word Israel appears more than 73 times in the New Testament, and it never refers to the church. Instead, Israel refers either to the nation or to the collective people, or to the faithful remnant within. It is never applied to the Church as a whole or to Gentile believers. The continued use of the term Israel, even after the establishment of the church, strongly indicates that Israel is distinct from the church.

“Israel” in the New Testament

Matthew	12 verses found	12 matches
Mark	2 verses found	2 matches
Luke	12 verses found	12 matches
John	4 verses found	4 matches
Acts	21 verses found	21 matches
Romans	10 verses found	12 matches
1 Corinthians	1 verse found	1 match
2 Corinthians	2 verses found	2 matches
Galatians	1 verse found	1 match
Ephesians	1 verse found	1 match
Philippians	1 verse found	1 match
Hebrews	3 verses found	3 matches
Revelation	3 verses found	3 matches

“Jew” or “Jews” in the New Testament

Matthew	5 verses found	5 matches
Mark	6 verses found	6 matches
Luke	5 verses found	5 matches
John	66 verses found	71 matches
Acts	76 verses found	79 matches
Romans	11 verses found	11 matches
1 Corinthians	6 verses found	8 matches
2 Corinthians	1 verse found	1 match
Galatians	6 verses found	8 matches
Colossians	1 verse found	1 match
1 Thessalonians	1 verse found	1 match
Revelation	2 verses found	2 matches

Additionally, the term Jew or Jews appears 186 times in the New Testament. Each instance refers to individuals who are direct descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The term Jew is never applied to Gentiles or the church. The ongoing emphasis on these distinctions throughout the New Testament strongly supports the notion that Israel and the church are distinct entities.

The Scriptures highlight several distinctions that indicate Israel and the church are separate entities. Israel is identified as a nation (Exd. 19:6), while the church does not constitute a nation. God’s agenda for Israel primarily revolves around the nation and the land promises given to Abraham, in contrast to the church’s mission to reach every nation. The church is described as a mystery that was not revealed in the Old Testament (Col. 1:26-27 & Rom. 16:25-26). Worship in Israel took place at the Tabernacle and later at the Temple, whereas the church is considered the body of Christ and each believer’s body is a temple for the Lord. Israel performed animal sacrifices to atone for sin, but Christians offer themselves as a living sacrifice to God (Rom. 12:1, Heb. 13:15). The priesthood in Israel was unique to the tribe of Levi, while Christians act as priests to God (1 Pet. 2:9). Additionally, Israel operated under the Mosaic Law (John 1:17), whereas the church follows the law of Christ (1 Cor. 9:21, Gal. 6:2). While Israel was obligated to give a tithe from their agricultural produce, Christians are not required to pay a tithe. Instead, the New Testament emphasizes that giving should be done with a joyful heart to please God (2 Cor. 9:7). As you can see from the examples given worship, law, sacrifices and priesthood are different in terms of Israel and the church.

When Paul stated, “But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants, but: “through Isaac your descendants will be named.” (Romans 9:6-7), he was referring to both Jewish believers and non-believers. There were individuals who were Jews only by birth, alongside Jews who believed in Jesus as the Messiah, similar to the distinction between Gentile believers and non-believers. Paul clarifies this further in Galatians 6:16, “And those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.” Here, “them” represents Gentile believers, while “the Israel of God” pertains to Jewish believers. Although God is currently working through the means of the church, we some not draw the conclusion that God is finished with Israel. God still has a plan and purpure for Israel and one day the Lord will restore Israel and bless the world through Israel. At a time appointed by God the Jewish people we again be regathered to the Promised Land.

Here are some key passages of Holy Scripture that point to this promise of God. Isaiah 11:11-12 says, “Then it will happen on that day that the Lord Will again recover the second time with His hand The remnant of His people, who will remain, From Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, And from the islands of the sea. And He will lift up a standard for the nations And assemble the banished ones of Israel, And will gather the dispersed of Judah From the four corners of the earth.” Isaiah 14:1 says, “When the Lord will have compassion on Jacob and again choose Israel, and settle them in their own land, then strangers will join them and attach themselves to the house of Jacob. Isaiah 60:21 says, “Then all your people will be righteous; They will possess the land forever, The branch of My planting, The work of My hands, That I may be glorified.” Ezekiel 11:17 says, “Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries among which you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.” Ezekiel 36:24 says, “For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land.” Jeremiah 30:3 says, “For behold, days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘when I will restore the fortunes of My people Israel and Judah.’ The LORD says, ‘I will also bring them back to the land that I gave to their forefathers and they shall possess it.” And finally  Amos 9:14-15 says, “Also I will restore the captivity of My people Israel, And they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them; They will also plant vineyards and drink their wine, And make gardens and eat their fruit. “I will also plant them on their land, And they will not again be rooted out from their land Which I have given them,” Says the Lord your God.”

Closing Remarks

In this article, I have argued what defines the church and who constitutes it. I have highlighted several important Scripture passages that illustrate the distinction between Israel and the church. The church is an assembly of God’s people who have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour. It comprises both Jews and Gentiles from all nations across the globe. The church operates in both local and universal contexts. God has a distinct plan and purpose for Israel and the church, which are different from one another. During this church age, God is actively working through the church while setting Israel aside for the time being. He has not abandoned Israel and will eventually return to it with a new plan and purpose. I hope this paper has aided and inspired you to grasp the difference between Israel and the church.