New Book on Israel and the Church

A short and very pointed book about Israel and the Church has just been released:

P. Chase Sears, Heirs of the Promise: The Church as the New Israel in Romans (Snapshots; ed. M.F. Bird; Bellingham, WA: Lexham, 2015). Available in paper back and esp. through Logos. $9.99.

Here’s the blurb:

In Heirs of Promise, P. Chase Sears answers these questions by taking a biblical-theological approach to the book of Romans. He argues that Paul views the Church as the new Israel—not a replacement of Israel, but rather the continuation of Israel reconstituted in Christ. As the Son of God, Jesus is the true Israel, through whom all of God’s purposes for Israel and creation are realized. Through faith in Christ, the Church becomes God’s new covenant people and heirs of all his saving promises. Sears examines how people united to Jesus find their identity in him. He explains how Old Testament promises made to Israel are being fulfilled in the Church. And he shows how Paul applies descriptions of Israel to all those who believe the gospel. These themes from Romans demonstrate that Paul considers the Church to be the new Israel, and thus Heirs of Promise.

Why I like this book, and why I think it is important for the American evangelical scene, is that it pushes back on some recent books published by Broadman & Holman (see here and here) which push a more  dispensational line on Israel and the church. This volume is a good corrective in my opinion which is why I welcomed it into the Snapshots series with Lexham press. I just finished writing a Romans commentary and I wish I had Sears’ contribution on hand when I did, would’ve  been so helpful on Romans 9-11. Alas. But others can enjoy it now!