Of course they are. Paul tells us in Galatians, an epistle written specifically to deal with questions related to the above, “Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham” (3:7). If you have faith and only if you have faith you are the sons of Abraham, Jew or Gentile. That’s one family, one patriarch. The truth is, however, that not even the most diehard of classical dispensationalists has ever denied this. They, after all, not only read their Bibles but revere them. They may hold to a paradigm and an eschatology that I think are in error, but they’re neither idiots nor devils.
Think of it this way. I could have asked this question, “Are Gentile believers a replacement for God’s people, the Jews?” The answer would have been, “Of course not.” The truth is that not even the most diehard classical covenant theologian would ever affirm this. They, after all, not only read their Bibles but revere them. We may hold to a paradigm and an eschatology that dispensationalists think are in error, but we’re neither idiots nor devils.
All of which should tell us that each view is rather a bit more nuanced that it is often painted to be by the loyal opposition. Dispensationalists agree that all those who will spend eternity in the new heavens and the new earth will be there because of the work of Christ applied to them through faith in that work alone. Covenant theologians agree that the Jerusalem Council left room for Jewish believers to be circumcised and Gentile believers not to be. In short, there is a connection that is real, organic and biblical. And there is a distinction that is real, organic and biblical. Perhaps we ought to learn to be a bit more gracious to our brothers and sisters on the other side of this issue.
Just today I heard for the first time that John Wesley, when asked if he thought he would see George Whitefield, with whom he had worked closely for many years but with whom he’d had a falling out over predestination, said, “I don’t think so. He’ll be far too close to the throne of heaven for me to see him.” Truth be told, I’d heard the exact same story. I’ve told the exact same story with this key difference, it was Whitefield who was asked the question and answered the same. It was the honorable Dustin Benge who told the story that revealed my story was inside out.
I was disappointed to learn that I’d had it wrong. Not because I don’t like being wrong. I don’t, but that isn’t the issue. I was disappointed because I wanted the guy on my side of the predestination scuffle, George Whitefield, to be the gracious one in the story. Which reveals my own weakness in showing grace to my brothers and sisters with whom I disagree on secondary matters. Let Wesley be the hero because either way, Jesus is the hero.
We need to stop bemoaning the impact of the internet on our discourse and start repenting and changing. We need to be good Augustinians in affirming not just “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty” but in practicing “In all things, charity.”