By Roger Oakland
Over the past several years I have noticed a trend underway within Christianity that concerns me. Many who once saw the significance of Israel as a key sign we are in the last times, now have changed their minds. They now believe the church is Israel. How can this be?
If you are a Christian you will understand the significance of Israel as God’s chosen people. Well, perhaps I am being a bit presumptuous. In the past, I would have assumed this to be the case. However, today, based on a current trend, many Christians who once believed the promises and prophecies found in the Old Testament for Israel were for Isreal, now have changed their views.
This amazes me. How could this be? How is it possible to say when God inspired the prophets of the Old Testament to write down His Word, that God really didn’t mean Israel? Doesn’t this change the entire meaning of what God has said? How can sincere Christians who claim to believe in God and His Word, change His Word? What is the purpose of this?
The scenario I have described is called replacement theology. The idea has been around for some time. For example, the Roman Catholic Church, in its endeavor to establish the kingdom of God here on earth, has always promoted the idea that the “church” is Israel.
However, they’re not alone. A very high percentage of “evangelical Protestants” also agree. They see the kingdom of God being established by the church, as well. While many of them have not considered the Roman Catholic plan (well, at least not yet), I suspect they soon will.
Now, you may be wondering, why would such an interpretation of the Bible, relegating Israel to a place in history and elevating the church to a position of power, be so popular now? Especially when the prophecies found in the Old Testament make it clear that God has a special plan for Israel.
Well, I think I know. From what I read in the Bible, it seems apparent that Satan hates God’s chosen people. The devil can read God’s Word and he also knows what God has said about blessing those who support His people. Listen as I read from Genesis what God told Abraham:
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
In the next few programs, we are going to look at current events that show there are key political players in the world who hate Israel. In fact they would like to wipe Israel off the map.
Now, this I can understand. It’s in the Bible.
However, what I cannot understand is the fact that there are those who profess to be followers of Jesus who would like to do the same thing – they want to reinterpret what God has said and replace Israel with the church. I believe this is dangerous. It is also a sign we are in the last times. The world and the church are being inspired by the one who deceives the whole world.
Ephesians 2:14-15 tells us that Christ, by his death, created in himself one new man in place of the two. The “one new man” is the church. The “two” are Israel and unbelieving gentiles.
ReplyDeleteMustn’t there be at least some sense in which one can say that the church now stands in place of Israel? Or are all such thoughts inspired by Satan?
Well it is certainly unbiblical to say that God is done with physical Israel and that the modern State of Israel is not a fulfillment of Biblical prophecy. That flies in the face of Romans 11.
ReplyDeleteI realize that Reformed Theology and Catholicism have the same roots (Augustinianism), but you would be agreeing with the Catholic church on this topic. That's kind of scary company isn't it?
Em's fightin' words, brother!
ReplyDeleteI was quoting neither Calvin nor Augustine, but rather Paul, and I'm not going to disregard his authority just 'cause some papists agree with him.
In the same way, I'm not going to ignore Jesus' instruction to pray that God's kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven just because Catholics pray the same prayer.
How ya been?
LOL...I realize whence your quote came from - just didn't agree with your interp of it ;^)
ReplyDeleteMy point simply is, it's kind of scary to side with the Catholic church on an issue like this.
But seriously, Romans 11:26-30 says:
"And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: 'The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
For this is My covenant with them,
when I take away their sins'.
Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable."
We are the church - not Israel - Israel is standing in Israel's place. Ephesians 2 is alluding to the wall in the temple that partitioned off the Court of the Gentiles from the areas accessible only to the Jewish people.
In other words, as believers in Christ, we can be known as God's people as well, and have access to God. But, that doesn't mean we are now Israel or stand in their place.
I didn't give a interpretation of the passage; I was asking for yours, but now that you've offered it, I'll take issue therewith.
ReplyDeleteSomething in this passage (two things really) are said now to be replaced by a third thing.
To take it as saying that "Israel" is the one standing in place of Israel would be to say that Israel is the "new man" and that Israel replaced itself. I don't see how this could be.
I understand what you're saying about gentiles now also being part of God's people, but how does this explain the "in place of" language?
BTW, I and many other of my fellow "Augustinians" agree with what I assume to be your interpretation of Rom. 11.
the "new thing" created Brad is Christians, believers - Christianity is Judaism fulfilled. Jewish believers and Gentile believers have become one - we have become "Christians" if you will. But that still doesn't make us Israel - nor do we stand in the place of Israel. God still has plans for His people Israel.
ReplyDelete"Fellow Augustinians..." ;^)
What does "in place of" mean in this passage?
ReplyDeleteit means you shouldn't try to build a whole doctrine off of one verse, is what it means! ;^)
ReplyDeleteIn place of - A new covenant through Jesus Christ - which all who believe are now a part of - that still doesn't make us Israel.
Nor should one build doctrine by excluding verses one doesn't want to explain. :)
ReplyDeleteHave Christians (as you have interpreted "one new man") been created "in place of" something, or not?
who..huh...what? I did explain it bro. As long as your not saying that the church can claim the Abrahamic Covenant as it's own, I'm not sure we really have a disagreement.
ReplyDeleteI substantially agree with you, Eric, and I've always taught anti-semitism as one of the clearest evidences of the devil's activity. His age old scheme has been to undermine the promise to Abraham and his seed through Isaac, either by destroying the nation or keeping them from the promised land. The hatching of that scheme for the last time (see Rev 17:10-11) should be seen as the prophetic alarm that signs the end of time. We, as Christians, should realize all we bank on is founded on those same promises to Abraham, so to be anti-semitic is to be anti-Christ, to wipe out (or even replace) Israel is to wipe out the reliance of all we depend on.
ReplyDeleteActually, Pastor Eric, unless your last comment was a typo, it would that appear that we couldn’t disagree more.
ReplyDelete“For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith…in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all of his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, ‘I have made you the father of many nations.’” (Rom 4:13-17)
“Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham...So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. (Gal 3:7)
“Now the promises were made to Abraham and his offspring. It does not say ‘And to offsprings,’ referring to many, but referring to one, ‘And to your offspring,’ who is Christ… [and] as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ…And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.” (Gal 3:16-29).
Are you really saying that Christians are not entitled to the promises of the Abrahamic covenant? What could you possibly mean?
And I hate to be a pain (o.k. I enjoy it just a little bit) but I still can't find where you've answered my question: Have Christians replaced something, or not?
Brad - Of course not in the in the "salvific" sense, obviously we are God's people and inherit the promise of salvation in that sense - that's not what I'm talking about - but as you read God's words to Abraham:
ReplyDelete"And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed."
You mean to tell me that was for the church? Surely not?
Do you think the prophecies for Israel in the Old Testament are for the church today as well?
I'll copy and paste my answer from a previous comment as to 'what we replaced':
"the "new thing" created Brad is Christians, believers - Christianity is Judaism fulfilled. Jewish believers and Gentile believers have become one - we have become "Christians" if you will. But that still doesn't make us Israel - nor do we stand in the place of Israel. God still has plans for His people Israel."
Furthermore... ;^)
ReplyDeleteIt seems to be the prosperity preachers that preach we should claim all of the promises of Abraham, i.e., money, land, cars, houses, etc. In fact there are those who say we should replace Abraham's name with ours when we read the Old Testament - you don't believe that do you Brad?
Paul defined what that blessing of Abraham was in Gal. 3:14-15 (the verses you left out ;^)
"Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."
So the blessing we receive is the Holy Spirit actually.
The promises to Abraham referred to in (Gal 3:15-16)are not to all the believers (seeds), they are to Christ Himself (seed). It is obvious that Christ is the seed that blesses the whole world, and we as Gentile believers are recipients of that blessing.
To try to say that we are eligible for all of Abraham's blessings is merely a money grab.
I think I'm done with this topic ;^)
I'll accept that surrender. (Totally kidding).
ReplyDeleteThanks for the sharpening, bro. And thanks for not letting this go till 3 A.M.
I Think Dr. Michael L. Brown does an excellent job of explaining why The Church has not "replaced" Physical Israel in his book:
ReplyDelete"What Do Jewish People Think About Jesus"
An extract from that book was a bit too long to put in the comments section here so I have placed the excerpt here:
http://truetonguesoffire.wordpress.com/2008/01/27/are-gentile-christians-spiritual-jews/
Brad - sorry if there is a comment missing from your 'barrage' ;^) Repost again if you'd like...I just may not respond in deference to sleep!
ReplyDeleteAh, thought you were just dodging my crushing replies :)
ReplyDeleteWhat I said was...
I see no scriptural grounds for limiting gentiles’ share of Abrahamic inheritance to just the “salvation” promises (whatever those might be). Paul makes no such distinction when he speaks of the promises (plural) and he even specifically mentions inheritance of land as one of the promises to which gentiles are entitled right along with Abraham himself (Rom 4:13; Eph 6:9).
As far as the specific promises you mentioned, I don’t see why gentiles should be excluded from those either. Are we not a nation (I Peter 2:9)? Is Abraham not our father (Rom 4:17)? Does God not curse those who curse us and bless those that bless us (Matt 25:31-46)?
And yes, I am fully persuaded that we do in fact share in the promises made to Israel in the Old Testament, because I these are the only promises I can understand Paul to mean when he says that we are no longer strangers from citizenship in Israel or aliens from the covenants of promise (Eph 2:11-19).
As to your answer (sorry I was missing it) Christians then have replaced Judaism? Is that “the two” to which Paul refers in Eph 2:15?
Sleep well, brother.
I would highly recommend the article linked by Dr. Mike Brown above on this topic - him being a Messianic Jew makes it even more interesting.
ReplyDeleteNow I am done (until the next thought provoking comment ;^)
In case the link to Dr. Brown's article is cut off - you can just click HERE.
ReplyDeleteBrad - one point of clarification - what I'm referring to as "salvation" promises is that Jesus was fulfillment of the promise to Abraham (Gal. 3:15-16)which us Gentiles believers have become the benefactors of as well.
ReplyDeleteDoes Christ fulfill all the promises to Abraham or only some of them?
ReplyDeleteAll except the ones concerning Israel that haven't been fulfilled yet.
ReplyDeleteWill those promises be fulfilled in Christ as well?
ReplyDeletethe issue is the promises are for national Israel - not the Church.
ReplyDeleteThat may be the issue, but that wasn't my question.
ReplyDeleteBrad - they will be fulfilled because: A. God cannot lie - Titus 1:2 and B. Because of Col. 1:16-19 - all things are through Christ.
ReplyDeleteSo what you're saying is that all God's promises are fulfilled in Christ, but to inherit all the promises in Christ you have to be Jewish?
ReplyDeleteIsn't that what the Pharisees taught?
That's kind of scary company isn't it?
LOL...if that was the case why didn't the Pharisees receive Jesus as Messiah then?? ;^)
ReplyDeleteSeriously though, you only have to be Jewish to receive the ones that are intended for national Israel - the ones intended for all believers belong to all believers.
Hey, anytime you want to leave this topic behind (no pun intended)just let me know.
ReplyDeleteNext question: What do you think happens to Jews who are currently in Christ? Do they get to inherit all the promises made in the Old Testament, or do they just get the same reduced cut as believing gentiles?
There is no 'reduced cut' for any believer - all believers, Jew or Gentile, will receive all the fullness of Christ. The Bible is specific, however, that national Israel will endure some things during the end times and eventually turn and embrace Christ as their Messiah. These are prophecies yet to be fulfilled - but will be at some point one day - perhaps sooner than we think.
ReplyDeleteSo all God's covenant promises are fulfilled in Christ; believing Jews inherit all of those covenant promises; and Gentiles inherit only some; but nobody gets a reduced cut? How can this be?
ReplyDeleteall believers inherit all promises intended for them. Again, national Israel has prophecies intended solely for them that will be fulfilled at some point in the future - those promises have to do with their coming to Christ. We will all be in Christ together.
ReplyDeleteIf by "lesser cut" you are saying that we can claim Abraham's promise of wealth from God - that it should be taken as a direct promise to us of houses, land and cash - have you met my good friend Bruce Wilkinson??
So, if the Pharisees taught what you are accusing me of saying - why didn't they accept Jesus as the Messiah then?
I think my response is a little long for the comment section. I've posted it over at my place.
ReplyDeleteEric,
ReplyDeleteI think that the Pharisees did not accept Christ as their Messiah due to the fact that they held on to the training that they had. They were taught that the Messiah would be a strong, conquering leader. To them, Christ's mercy and compassioin was what made Him weak. As to their belief that the Messiah would be strong, these traits were not good enough for them. To them Christ was nothing more than a good prophet, but too weak to be their Messiah.
Have you ever questioned some of the things and/or ways that you had been trained in? My point is that when you believe something for so long, it is very hard to see things from another point of view especially when it goes against everything that one was ever taught.
Sorry for adding my two cents in an interesting discussion that I was not originally a part of.
EC- FirePower 1991-2001
your two cents are more than welcome my friend! I like the "Firepower 1991-2001" - sort of looks like a 'memorial' ;^)
ReplyDelete