On Wednesday Night,  May 6th, we will discuss “Replacement Theology.”  We live in confusing times. For most of my adult life, the USA has been a strong supporter of Israel and on numerous occasions helped defend Israel against its many enemies. But now, it seems like our leaders are not friendly with Israel’s leaders and our leaders are negotiating peace treaties with nations who do not believe the nation of Israel has a right to exist.

When we shift from politics to religion, things are equally confusing. Most people “raised” in North Georgia read the “Scofield” Bible and believe that Israel is “God’s chosen people” and that Israel plays an important part in the “End Times.”  However, we discover that many Christian denominations believe in “Replacement Theology” – that the Church has replaced Israel in Bible prophecy.  When we say that God has made many promises to Israel that are still to be fulfilled in the future – they say that Israel forfeited those promises when they rejected their Messiah at the Cross of Christ – Mat 27:35 “His blood be on us and on our children.”  These Replacement Theologians quote Rom 9:6-8 … they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel… it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise – Rom 2:8-9… he is not a Jew who is one outwardly… but who is one inwardly.” In Gal 3:7… only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.”  These verses seem to say that God’s promises were not made to a literal ethnic people group called Jews, but to a spiritual faith group of people called Christians.

So, we have some of the church who believe that Israel is important in God’s future plans and others of the church who believe that Gods promises to Israel have been cancelled and transferred to the church.  This is NOT just a church issue. This also affects how the USA treats Israel.  This is why some Mainline Christian Denominations lobby the US Congress and the UN to make Israel return the land that they “stole” from the Palestinians. Maybe it explains why former President Jimmy Carter seems to favor the Palestinians in the Arab/Israeli conflict – because if there is no future for Israel in God’s “End Game” – then maybe Israel does not have a right to the land that was given to them by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948.

What do you think?

 Loading ...