REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY?
Is the modern Israel, and the modern Jew, the promised land, and God’s chosen people?
You may know by now that I sometimes have a tendency to dive into deep, murky waters of doctrine. You may wonder why, and suspect that it is due to a thirst for controversy. I assure you that this is not my objective, rather I believe that God is a rational God, and He has made us rational beings, and He expects us to, “rightly divide,” His gospel, (good news,) that we might understand, rationally,) the truth of His Word. He uses “WORDS” to communicate truth to us, and has given us the resources to understand His words, if we want to.
Why might I jump into the deep end of the religious pool of salvation doctrine? It is because I was reading from my, “Founder’s Bible,” this morning, in Roman’s chapter ten, and the insertion added by David Barton deals with the importance of “support” for modern day, Israel. This insertion suggests that the Israel of today, made up of a citizenry of religious Jews, atheists, agnostics, Christians, and Muslims, is the “promised land” of Genesis. It further suggests that if a person, or a nation hopes to be blessed by God, they must bless this nation of Israel, and likewise, the modern Jew, (Jews who openly reject the Christ, the savior, the one and only Jesus, the Christ.)
I believe that the Bible requires us to love our fellow man, (mankind, including women.) we are to love our neighbor as we love ourselves, and we are to also love our enemies, (those who despitefully use us.) We are to let vengeance be God’s, and withhold our own judgement of others, but this does not mean that we are not to apply wisdom. We are not to blindly follow the leaders, who claim a special dispensation of wisdom, as well as religious authority over the meaning of scripture.
In Romans, chapter eleven we find these truths defined, and expounded clearly. If we allow the Word of God to speak to us, we may gain a clearer spiritual understanding of these matters.
As I understand it, replacement theology claims that Israel was “replaced” as God’s chosen people, by Christianity. Those that oppose replacement theology, both Jew, and Christian, suggest that Christianity has not replaced Israel, and the, “Jews,” rather Christians are to, “bless,” modern Israel, and the modern Jew, in order that God will bless us, as Christians, and as a nation.
I believe that if we read Romans chapter ten, and eleven, without prejudice, allowing scripture to speak for itself, remembering associated contexts throughout the Bible, we will gain a clearer, more applicable understanding of God’s doctrine.
Christians who cling to replacement theology often have an animus toward Jews, and the nation of Israel. They often believe that the property upon which the nation sits was stolen from the indigenous Arabs of the region. They might have sympathy for the plight of the “Palestinians” who they believe have been displaced by foreign nations, (through the, “League of Nations,” and perpetuated by the “United Nations.”) They sometimes forget the affection for violence that these, “displaced” peoples inspire, and carry out against innocent citizens in Israel, both Jew, and Gentile.
I’d suggest that if these displaced peoples believe that their nation has been taken away from them, they should summon a military, and fight against the military of Israel. They should draft a declaration of independence, where they could list their grievances, and offer alternatives to war, and issue an ultimatum, intended to bring about either a compromise, or an altercation for the purpose of establishing a free nation, “Palestine.”
Committing acts of terrorism against unarmed civilians is another matter.
On the other hand, upon what principal might we accept that a nation of people that reject the salvation through Christ could be the, “chosen people of God.” If I claim to be a Russian, does that make me a Russian? If I claim to be a little girl, does that make me a little girl? If I claim that God is dead, does that make God dead?
We need to apply some reason to this subject. What has God written in the Bible about those that reject Him? What has He said about those that reject His Christ? How many ways to God are there? Are we free to determine our way to God, or has He established THE ONE WAY TO GOD, through Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
Jews need the same thing as any gentile, they need salvation, through the blood of Jesus, by way of repentance, and confession that Jesus is the son of God, and risen from the dead. If a Jew is to make such a confession, what do they become? Is it not a Christian, like Peter, John, James, Paul, and thousands of others?
What happened to all of the Jews that refused to be born again during the time of the 1st century church? Were they still Jews, inheritors of Abraham’s claim to a great nation, and the chosen people of God? No, they were reprobates, destined for the lake of fire. It didn’t matter how long their pedigree was, or from which of the sons of Jacob they hailed, they have no relationship with the Father. They have renounced their claim, and have been judged accordingly.
So does this mean that Christianity has replaced Israel as the chosen people of God? This may appear to be the only other option. But while opposites, are these options the only alternatives?
I believe that they are not. I believe that through reason we can come to a much clearer understanding of the biblical truth.
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.” John 14:6,7.
How many ways are there to come unto the Father? I read that there is but one, so how might these Jews, who reject Jesus, (that one way, ) remain in the good graces of God Almighty?
Romans 10:9,10 outlines how anyone might come to the Father,
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
If this is the only way that one might become a son of the Most High, what is any other way but folly?
“I say then, Has God cast away his people? Far be the thought. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
God has not cast away his people whom he foreknew…” Romans 11:1-2 DARBY
“Lord, they have killed thy prophets, they have dug down thine altars; and I have been left alone, and they seek my life.
But what says the divine answer to him? I have left to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed knee to Baal.
Thus, then, in the present time also there has been a remnant according to election of grace.” Romans 11:3-5 DARBY
The Church has not been created by God as an alternative way to salvation, it has been grafted into the root of the remnant of Israel. The true Israel are those that have not rejected God, have not rejected the salvation of the Lord, and have not rejected the Christ. We know them as Christians. Christians have not replaced the remnant of Israel. Believing Gentiles have replaced unbelieving Jews, and together they are the remnant of Israel, beginning with the eleven, plus one, Apostles of the 1st century church.
This does not mean that we are to hate Jews, or the nation of Israel, we are to extend the gospel to them, that they too might be saved. Are we to hate the violent Arabs that want to eliminate the nation of Israel from the earth? No, we are to likewise extend the gospel to them, that they too might be saved.
May the judgement of God be upon those that reject so great a salvation, first to the Jew, and also to the Gentile.
As Jesus said thousands of years ago, not our will be done, but God’s.
Likewise, I hold no animosity toward any who hold to these two differing religious camps. They are responsible to the Lord for their opinions, and their beliefs. It is for them who have read the Word of God, and these words that I have written, to determine for themselves whether I have a point, or not. My aim is to inspire the reader to revisit their beliefs, and adjust their understanding, if applicable.
“And these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, receiving the word with all readiness of mind, daily searching the scriptures if these things were so.” The Acts 17:11 DARBY
God bless you, Dave