ARE THE JEWS THE ONLY CHOSEN PEOPLE OR ARE CHRISTIANS MORE SO?
Israel, as God's chosen people, served the word of God and were separate from the gentile’s EVIL worldly doctrines. They alone knew the true God, not the pagans.
John 4:21-22, “Jesus said to her…22 "You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.” (NKJV)
When the New Testament church began at Pentecost, it was one hundred percent Jewish. The question was not, “Could a Jew be a true believer?” but, “Could a gentile be a Christian?” Some years later, as described in Acts chapter fifteen, the issue was decided: gentiles were exempted from circumcision and allowed full membership.
The world has changed, so we ask, “Who are the chosen?” The Jews, Christians and now even Muslims claim they are the chosen people and the light to the world. What is the truth?
Matthew 24:23-24, “If at that time any one should say to you, 'See, here is the Christ!' or 'There he is!' believe him not. 24 For false Christs' and false prophets will arise, and will work great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if it were possible, the very elect.” (MNT)
This verse reveals anelect and avery elect. Israel, despite a temporary divorce, are still God's people and spiritual Israel –– converted individuals from any nation, Israelite or not –– are the very elect. Both Jews and true Christians are the chosen people of God. Obviously, true Christians are at the highest –– level the very elect.
UNDERSTANDING ANTISEMITISM AND REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY
Antisemitism is pure hatred. It is emotional and irrational. It has persisted throughout history, which makes it unique. Satan hates Christ, who is Jewish, and the entire Jewish nation.
Romans 3:1-2, “What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? 2 Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God.” (NKJV)
Actually, God gave His truths to all thirteen tribes, but the northern ten were lost to apostasy by Jeroboam (note I Kings 12:25-33). Only the southern three tribes, known as the House of Judah, maintained the oracles of God and all Biblical books have Jewish authors.
Romans 9:4-5, “Who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; 5 of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.”
Replacement Theology is the doctrine that says the nation of Israel has been replaced by the New Covenant church and God has no further present or future dealings with Israel.
Paul supports no such misunderstanding of God's intentions. God, in Ezekiel 36 & 37, explains His plans to bring Israel back to their homeland. The process started in 1948 in a substantial manner. God has not forsaken His historic people! What does the New Testament say?
Romans 11:1-2, “I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew…”
Paul bluntly poses the question and answers it witha “Certainly not!” Does Israel's temporary divorce from God mean they are gone for good?
Romans 11:11-12, “I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. 12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!”
Thereby we know the doctrine is wrong but why is it so attractive to worldly clerics?
NEGATIVE REASONS FOR SUPPORTING THE REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY
A review of church history makes it reasonable to assume that hatred led to and preceded the replacement doctrine. Since then some church leaders in the second and third centuries turned violently antisemitic. Really, converted leaders did not engage in this behavior. But false clerics like Marcion even went so far in his hatred as to sponsor an anti-Hebrew Bible. Some have even tried to make the New Testament a party to this kind of misguided theology. While anti-Judaism usually refers to opposition to the religious ideas and customs of Judaism, antisemitism is a prejudice and unfair hatred against Jews. This is motivated by hatred and uses replacement theology, a vehicle to eliminate the Old Testament and God's Laws.
1 Timothy 4:1-3, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.”
The author of most of the New Testament predicted that this would happen. It will grow even stronger as we get closer to the second coming of the Messiah. All replacement clerics and scholars accentuate some form of discontinuity with Israel and the Old Testament. But Paul did the opposite –– he worked to unite Jews and Gentiles.
Ephesians 4:13, “…till we all come to the unity of the faith…”
1 Corinthians 12:13, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body –– whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free –– and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.”
Galatians 3:28-29, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
True Christianity and Paul taught love and unity, not hatred. Note that Paul brings in the Old Testament Patriarch Abraham as the spiritual father for all believers. A direct repudiation of the replacement doctrine. Misguided church leaders in the first few centuries spewed hatred which led them to replacement theology. However, many who now believe in it do not know of the hateful roots. The apostle promoted love and unity among all believers, Jew and gentile.
Romans 10:12-13, “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For ‘whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.’”
Though the Jewish leadership had rejected Jesus a large number of Jews believed. Many Messianic Jews exist today in Israel. Over time, the shift of converts focused on the gentile, pagan world but, it would not be a reason to hate Jews as Paul makes clear. Much of the New Testament cannot be fully understood if one had absolutely no knowledge of the Old Testament. Gentiles were grafted into Israel as the spiritual children of Abraham. Therefore “replacing” Israel has no basis as a biblical doctrine, for it is our root and foundation.
Romans 11:17-18, “…and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, 18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.”
GOD HAS NOT FORSAKEN ISRAEL AND NEVER WILL
A TEMPORARY divorce of Israel existed for many centuries but God would never renege on His promises to Abraham, Jacob and others.
Jeremiah 31:34-36, “No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me…says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity…”
Jeremiah 31:35-36, “Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night… 36 ‘If this fixed order departs from before me,’ says the LORD, ‘then shall the descendants of Israel cease from being a nation before me forever.’” (RSV)
That is very clear! As long as the sun shines, Israel is an important nation in the eyes of God.
