Topic #20

Concerning the Israel & the Church
by Eugene Clingman
Executive Administrator

Copyright 2006, International Church Council Project

www.ChurchCouncil.org

(This article may be freely distributed so long as it is not altered
and this comment and the above information remain intact.)

            Topic Twenty of the International Church Council Project (ICCP) is “Concerning Israel and the Church.” As I prepared to share this topic with you, I reread this topic paper and was impressed with its clarity and biblical integrity. Although ICCP does not officially espouse a particular eschatology (i.e. end-time view), the truths contained in this topic will, if understood and embraced, root out what I personally (unofficially) am certain is a false view of end-times – that view which sets the nation of Israel into a third category of people, as if there were: 1) believers (saved), 2) unbelievers (lost), and 3) Israel (another special category). This document clearly and biblically states that there are fundamentally two types of people: 1) the saved, 2) the lost. Israel is a nation (a people group) to whom God made special promises, some yet to be fulfilled. All God’s promises have their answer in Jesus Christ the Messiah, including those given to Israel as a nation.

A significant theological tenant is this, that no Jew is saved from their sins or inherits eternal life apart from being grafted back into the “Olive Tree” from which they were broken off because of their rejection of Christ in the first century (see the Affirm & Deny statements below for explanation). In other words any of Israel that has been, is, or will be saved must be grafted into the “Olive Tree,” the Church of Jesus Christ which previously was known as “The Church in the Wilderness” (Acts 7:38 Greek & KJV), and Zion (Isaiah 51:16; Hebrews 12:22), and Jacob (Isaiah 41:8; Galatians 3:29), etc. The important point to note is that God has one people, he always has had one people, he always will have but one people. That one people are those redeemed by the blood of, and through faith in Christ who is the Lamb of God both for those saved before Christ and those saved after the Cross of Christ. Contrary to popular Dispensational teaching upon which are built the famous “Left Behind” books and films and much of today’s speculation of Christ’s coming, Israel is not a third category of people any more than Filipinos, the Irish, or, Shawnee Indians are a third category of people. This document and the verses referenced in it bring clarity to this important fact, and bring to our attention the biblical expectation of a large conversion from among the Jews before the coming of Christ which in turn will add to the blessing of the Gentile nations through Christ. May God soon grant it!
 

Topic 20 - Israel and the Church

I. We affirm that by virtue of divine election,1 the preservation and ultimate engrafting of Jewish people demonstrate God’s mercy and faithfulness to His Word and serves the purpose of the conversion of the Gentiles just as the engrafting of the Gentiles serves the purpose of the conversion of the Jews. We deny that this “divine election” implies the salvation of individual Jews without their repentance and conversion through the Gospel. (1. Rom. 11:1-2, 25-26)

II. We affirm that Christians of all nations are called to show love and mercy to Jewish people and to call them to repentance as with other peoples as part of their witness.1 We deny that seeking to bring Jews to the knowledge of Jesus the Messiah is demeaning, disrespectful, or unloving.2 (1. Rom. 11:30-31; 2. Rom. 11:14; 9:3)

III. We affirm that Christians of all nations are indebted to the Jewish people for preserving the Scriptures and especially to the saved remnant of ancient Israel who were faithful to the covenants and brought the gospel to the world.1 We deny that this gives ground for Christians to idolize the Jewish people who will also be indebted to Christians of other nations at the end of the age for their salvation.2 (1. Rom. 9:4-5; 11:18; 2. Rom. 11:14, 30-32)

IV. We affirm the legitimacy of Jewish followers of Jesus remaining part of their people whether individually or in Messianic Jewish congregations, or in Messianic Jewish cell groups in the structure of the larger Church.  We deny the validity of forming congregations with exclusive physical descent membership policies, or sectarian attitudes of separation from the larger Body of Christ1 or that maintaining Jewish cultural expressions should be required. (1. Gal. 3:28; Eph. 2:14-18)

V. We affirm the unity in the Messiah of Jew and Gentile as one new man and the spiritual seed of Abraham.1 We deny that this precludes uniquely Jewish or other cultural/ethnic expressions of New Covenant faith or differences of calling among people in the Body of Christ.2 (1. Gal. 3:28-29; Eph. 1:6-7; 2. Rom. 11:29; 1 Cor. 1:2; 7:17-24)

VI. We affirm that the return of the Jewish people to the land of Israel may or may not be part of God’s prophetic fulfillment in working to bring all elect “Israel” to Himself. We further affirm that Jews who believe in Christ will be grafted back into the “Olive Tree” in which all followers of Jesus find their sustenance.1 We deny that this gives Israel the right to treat Gentiles in the Promised Land with injustice or give an unqualified right and mandate to take by military force at the present time the land promised to Abraham.  (1. Rom. 11:23-26)

VII. We affirm that all forms of anti-Semitism are contrary to Christian faith. We further affirm that the Jewish people as a people are rich in cultural contributions to the world, a culture with significant praiseworthy elements.1 We deny that Rabbinical Judaism is an adequate faith for the salvation of the Jewish people.2 (1. Gen. 12:1-3; Rom. 9:15; 2. Rom. 10:1-3)

VIII. We affirm that, with regard to salvation, God has always had only two categories of people those who are His people and are saved and those who are not His people and are lost.  We deny that the Jewish people comprise a third category of humanity as if there are the saved, the lost, and the Jews.

IX. We affirm that the “middle wall of partition”1 has been broken down and there is now “one new man” in Christ, which comprise God’s people.  We deny that God seeks to have all people groups dissolve into a homogeneity or that God may not have purposes for varieties of people. (1. Eph. 2:14)

You may go directly to our website to read, download, or print all of the ICCP theological statements – www.ChurchCouncil.org.

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