The claim that only the physical descendants of Abraham (the Israelites) are deserving of salvation or the rapture misrepresents the Gospel message and the teachings of the New Testament. Here’s a clear and scriptural response to this distortion:

### 1. **The New Testament Identifies the Church as the True Israel**
The New Testament teaches that the promises made to Abraham and his descendants are fulfilled in **Jesus Christ** and extended to all who have faith in Him, regardless of ethnicity. This is the foundation of the idea that the "New Israel" is the universal Christian Church, made up of all believers in Christ.

- **Galatians 3:7-9**: "Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: 'All nations will be blessed through you.' So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith."
- This passage explicitly states that **faith**, not ethnicity, determines who is a true child of Abraham.

- **Galatians 3:28-29**: "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise."
- Paul makes it clear that **belonging to Christ** makes someone part of Abraham's seed and an heir to the promises of God.

### 2. **The Gospel Is for All People**
The Gospel message is universal, extending salvation to both Jews and Gentiles. The idea that only Israelites are deserving of salvation contradicts the very essence of the Gospel.

- **Romans 1:16**: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile."
- Salvation is available to **everyone who believes**, not just to ethnic Israelites.

- **Ephesians 2:14-16**: "For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross."
- Through Christ, Jews and Gentiles are united into **one body**—the Church.

### 3. **The Rapture and Salvation Are Based on Faith, Not Ethnicity**
The idea that only Israelites deserve the rapture or salvation is not supported by Scripture. The rapture and salvation are promised to all who are in Christ, regardless of their ethnic background.

- **1 Thessalonians 4:16-17**: "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air."
- The rapture is for those who are **in Christ**, not for a specific ethnic group.

- **John 3:16**: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
- The promise of eternal life is for **whoever believes**, not for a specific nation or ethnicity.

### 4. **The True Sons of Abraham Are Those Who Have Faith**
Jesus Himself addressed this issue when speaking to the Pharisees, who prided themselves on being physical descendants of Abraham:

- **John 8:39-40**: "‘Abraham is our father,’ they answered. ‘If you were Abraham’s children,’ said Jesus, ‘then you would do what Abraham did. As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things.’"
- Jesus taught that being a true child of Abraham is not about physical descent but about doing the works of Abraham—namely, having faith in God.

- **Romans 9:6-8**: "For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, 'It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.' In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring."
- Paul explicitly states that **God’s children are not determined by physical descent**, but by being part of the promise through faith.