The outline that I have written in the margin of my Bible for Galatians 6 is: (1) Burdens That Christians Must Bear (6:1-6), (2) Sowing and Reaping (6:7-10), and (3) Circumcision or the Cross? (6:11-18). I do not recall the source of that outline, but it seems to depict well the contents of the last chapter of Galatians.

In the last section of that chapter we read, "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God" (Galatians 6;15,16). To whom or what does "the Israel of God" refer?

In the Bible the word "Israel" was first used as a second name for Jacob, the son of Isaac. It was Jehovah that gave Jacob the name "Israel" (Genesis 32:28). Later the word "Israel" was used to refer to the offspring of Jacob, as they were called "the children of Israel" (Exodus 1:7; 2:23). A third meaning of the word "Israel" was the territory in which the Israelites lived, Canaan, called "the land of Israel" (1 Samuel 13:19). Yet a fourth biblical meaning for "Israel" was the nation of Israel, as when we read that Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord "and all Israel obeyed him" (1 Chronicles 29:23). Finally, in the Old Testament the word "Israel" sometimes had reference to the Northern Kingdom (after the nation of Israel divided into two nations following the death of Solomon, "Israel" in the north and "Judah" in the south, 1 Kings 15:9).

Since the word "Israel" has a number of different meanings in the Bible, we need to look closely at how that word is used in each separate instance. The truth is, the reference to "the Israel of God" in Galatians 6:16 does not connect well with any of the above-noted usages of the word "Israel." We are convinced that "the Israel of God" refers to the Lord’s church, that is, to Christians. Why?

First, there is the immediate context of Galatians 6:16. The preceding verse speaks about being "in Christ." The same verse talks about one being "a new creature." So, in Galatians 6:15,16 those that are "in Christ" are the same ones that are "a new creature," and they collectively make up "the Israel of God." From other passages we learn that those that are "in Christ" are in His spiritual kingdom or church (Colossians 1:13,14). Those that are in the Christ are Christians, having been born again, leaving behind old things (2 Corinthians 5:17).

A second consideration is that which is often associated with the word "Israel" in the Old Testament. For one thing, the Old Testament portrayed Israel as the chosen people of God (Deuteronomy 7:6). Today, however, the chosen people of God are Christians, not Israelites after the flesh (1 Peter 2:9). Christians are now "the people of God" (1 Peter 2:10). For a second thing, the Old Testament portrayed Israel as "the circumcision," pointing to the circumcision of the flesh as a dividing factor between Israel and other nations. Today, however, under the new covenant it is spiritual circumcision that separates God’s children from others. The Holy Spirit declared, "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 2:29). Thus, those that have been circumcised in the heart, not the flesh, are true Jews. That means that all Christians are spiritual Jews, making them "the Israel of God." The concept of spiritual Jews points to a spiritual Israel of God.

Who or what is the "Israel of God" that is mentioned in Galatians 6:16? It is the church, the children of God. Where are God’s children? In the Christ, into Whom they entered via the faith and baptism (Galatians 3:26,27). Jews after the flesh can become part of the true Israel of God just like any other person can. The process is the same for all: it is via the Lord’s universal scheme of redemption. Any person, Jew of Gentile, becomes part of the kingdom or family of God by being born of water and the Spirit (John 3:5).

-- Roger D. Campbell