Paul seemed to have quickly learned how to distinguish between what he calls "Israel after the flesh," and "the Israel of God." Peter had more trouble with his Jewish prejudices. He reached a point where he consented to eat with the Gentiles, but later withdrew from this association for appearance' sake along with other Jews who also dissembled "insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation." When Samaria was colonized from Assyrian cities, each of which had its especial god, we are told that the people of the land in the resulting idolatry failed to regard "the law and commandment which the Lord commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel." It would almost seem as if Peter thought that the children of Jacob were those who should inherit the promise; but Paul, by spiritual discernment, was able to recognize the spiritual lineage. He said in his epistle to the Romans, "They are not all Israel, which are of Israel: neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children;" and his meaning is fully clarified by his explanation in the epistle to the Galatians, "Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness; know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham."
We may then understand his meaning in his letter to the Ephesians, whom he described as being among the uncircumcised, as "Gentiles in the flesh, . . . without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world;" then explaining how, through Christ, reconciliation has appeared, he adds, "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone." In the epistle to the Romans he says, "Blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved." Peter's clarification came when invited to visit Cornelius, to whom he said, "Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him."
We may find an interesting illustration of this in darkest Africa, in districts into which some of the light given by Bible teaching has penetrated and the power of true religion is becoming manifested. The word religion stands as the distinct positive of the word neglect, which means the omission of duty; whereas religion means the careful and pious observance of duty, especially in giving honor to God or to the overruling power believed in. In connection with the observance of religion some things are set apart for sacred use and become taboo or forbidden for secular use. Certain modes of conduct become likewise forbidden, and priests have used the human tendency to awe and fear for their own ends and built up endless superstitions about things taboo. For example, the Pharisees had such regulations regarding what might not be done on the Sabbath that they went so far as to imply that Jesus was breaking God's law concerning the Sabbath by doing God's will on that day in healing the sick.
