Claim: “The Church is Israel because Hebrews 3:5–6 says we’re the same house.”
Not so fast.
Hebrews 3:5–6 says:
“Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant… but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a Son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.”
But here’s the key:
“God’s house” is not identical to Israel as a nation. It refers to the spiritual household of faith—those who believe (Jew or Gentile), across time.
Compare with Hebrews 11:13–16
All the patriarchs—including Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses—were looking for a heavenly country. They are saved by faith, just like us (Heb 11:6, 40).
So yes, believers are part of God’s house, but that’s not the same as saying “the Church is Israel.”
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Why this logic fails:
Hebrews is saying Moses was in God’s house, and so are we—by faith.
That doesn’t redefine Israel as the Church or vice versa. It shows continuity of salvation by faith, not erasure of national distinctions.
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Israel Still Exists as a Distinct Entity
Romans 11:1–2:
“Has God rejected His people? By no means! … God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew.”
Romans 11:26:
“And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written…”
If the Church is Israel, this whole chapter becomes meaningless.
Paul explicitly distinguishes the Church (Gentiles grafted in) from ethnic Israel (natural branches).
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Hebrews 3:6 = believers are part of God’s spiritual house through Christ
Romans 11 = Israel remains distinct and will be saved in the future
Both truths stand. Dispensationalism affirms both.
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Being in the same household of faith doesn’t mean we become the same people group.
Hebrews 3:5–6 shows continuity in God’s plan, not identity replacement.
Moses was faithful as a servant in the house (Israel under the Law)
Christ is faithful as a Son over the house (the Church, born of the Spirit)
We’re in the same spiritual household by faith (Galatians 3:26), but Israel remains distinct in God’s redemptive plan (Romans 11:1–2, 28–29).
The Church is a new man (Ephesians 2:15), not a renamed Israel.
Sons don’t become servants. Gentiles don’t become Jews. We are together in God’s house, not merged into a single identity.