In his latest post Rick Frueh reminds us of how many evangelicals have fallen into idolatry concerning Israel.
This news story is a case in point:
Hundreds of Christians from a dozen nations joined together with 3,000 Israelis on Sunday evening in the small Samarian Jewish community of Revava to mark the end of the self-imposed Jewish building freeze in the so-called West Bank. The Christians were in Israel to participate in the annual International Christian Zionist Center (ICZC) Feast of Tabernacles celebration. The theme of this year’s feast was Genesis 22:17, where God promises Abraham that his “seed shall possess the gates of their enemies.” ICZC Director Jan Willem van der Hoeven thought it fitting that his group demonstrate their belief in that passage by physically standing with the people of Israel as they reversed that fateful decision to suspend Jewish building in Judea and Samaria .. (more)
I believe that God has a plan for the Jewish people in the future. All those who believe in Jesus at the end will be saved, and it appears as though Scripture gives us a hint at such a coming event. And that event just may be a fulfillment of a divine covenant. Until then, the secular nation called “Israel” should be left to God and not become a rallying point for Christians.
We live in a polarized world that views most things in a political and financial light. And here in America the evangelical church has constructed a theology that compromises the gospel of Jesus Christ and is a significant detour from what was taught and believed by the early church. But specifically I want to address the issue of Israel, the secular nation. If you have been a part of an evangelical church for any length of time you probably have heard how believers should support and defend Israel because that is what God desires from us. And because the Scriptures clearly teach that God has an eschatological plan for the Jews, the church has parlayed that into a present day doctrine. But just because the Scriptures give a future glimpse into God’s redemption for the living Jews in the end as they believe in Jesus, that does not mean we should get involved, much less take sides, concerning the support of Israeli causes. Their cause is not ours.
Examine and digest the words of the Apostle Paul and you will find he viewed “Israel” as a people and not as a nation to defend. It was always in the context of ethnicity and Paul’s heart was their redemption, not protecting their national borders. His words toward Israel were never geographic and he never stepped into the remedy for Roman occupation. Paul would never have formed any alliance with unbelieving Jews, and in fact, they hated him.
And since we are against interfaith dinners and alliances, why is this any different? Unsaved Jews in this age are no more lost than the Arabs that hate them. The final covenant eschatology concerning Israel is in God’s hands, but Paul would never have thought that his fellow countrymen had any wisdom since they have not the Spirit. When we rally with such people we inadvertently give them the idea that they are alright with God, or at least we dull the edge of evangelism (interfaith dinners).
An American Jew named Caroline Glick who writes for the Jerusalem Post and is the darling of many evangelical Christians in America wrote these words:
“I have more in common with conservative Christians than I do with Jews as long as they don’t force their religion down my throat.”
And when she says she has more in common with American conservative Christians she reveals how the cross in our lives and lips is no longer a stumbling block to anyone. Unbelieving Jews have no problem with our silent theology as long as we cooperate with them on issues of Israel’s national problems and make the cross a secondary issue. In Paul’s day unbelieving Jews sought to kill him; in our day they love us as long as the cross doesn’t come between us. The cross has become just a tenant of our theology which takes a back seat when nationalism, America’s or Israel’s, is at stake. We have become a saltless and dim bevy of activity that strives for earthly causes while claiming a commission from heaven. Or as R. G. Lee once said,
“A shallow steam of piety that runs a fresher course on Sundays.”
Our championing of the national interests of Israel has weakened, and in some ways, entombed the gospel under a grave of politics, nationalism, and the golden calf called “conservative”. The cross no longer divides anyone since it is not an issue on which discussion ever takes place. As long as someone believes in the morals, national interests, and foreign policy as do we the cross can take a back seat. Let us not be distracted from the divine and the eternal by being entangled with the noble issues that are temporal and passing. There is only one gospel, and there is only one calling. While we join hands with unbelievers of any stripe we do a disservice to them. Anyone who has read my thoughts knows I exhort us to love and show compassion to the vilest and most demonstrative sinners among us, but alliances with unbelievers is a detriment to the cause of Jesus Christ.
Posted by Rick Frueh
So, what are we to make of this? I, personally, wouldn’t participate in a non-Christian religious ceremony, even the (trendy in evangelical circles) Passover.
who thinks the New Covenant isn’t for Christians. “First of all, please notice that this New Covenant was not promised to a new people called Christians, but to God�s own people, �the house of Israel,� and that God specifically states that this New Covenant (with Israel!) would supersede the Old Covenant He made with Israel”
Both these things, and others, make me wonder if dispensationalism has any coherent theology beyond “the Israel thing”.
The more I read by Rick Frueh the more I like him. This article defines the truth so precisely – nothing added, nothing taken away. His finger is ‘right on the pulse’.
This is all, of course, simply a sign of the times. And while evangelicals are whoring after apostate Israel, the Orthodox Church is whoring after apostate Rome, all in the interest of good feelings and unity of the “people of God”. For those who don’t follow these things, I can tell you that while the Orthodox church is contaminated with a few of Rome’s heresies, such as the veneration of saints and all that entails, they fortunately have throughout their history rejected most of them and in most ways have maintained sound doctrine. So I was absolutely shocked to read the following:
“Experts meeting in Vienna this week agreed the two could eventually become “sister churches” that recognize the Roman pope as their titular head but retain many church structures, liturgy and customs that developed over the past millennium.”
“Catholic, Orthodox report promising progress on unity”
I don’t care what sort of “diversity” Rome allows, if the whole of the Eastern Church rolls over and recognizes the Pope as head of the church (their current OFFICIAL stance is that ONLY Christ is the head of the church), that will spell the end of the ancient churches claim to any sort of authenticity. And while Rome is famous for allowing all sorts of diversity, it is also famous for allowing that diversity ONLY when it is convenient for Rome. And this involves not only the Orthodox Church, a large portion of the Anglican Church seems bent on becoming part of this movement back under papal authority as well.
I inject this off topic issue because I believe it is extremely relevant in that it is one more demonstration of how the heretics are coming together AND how the greater heretics are winning over those who still have some semblance of authentic Christian faith. I take it as a sign that the end might be closer than most of us think. In the case of the Orthodox/Roman Church union issue, the driving force at this point seems to be the Russian Church and the reasoning put forth by both churches is that union would make them a greater political force in the world in able to advance moral issues in the political realm in the new Europe. I see a very parallel underlying concern surrounding the attempt at some sort of unity between evangelicals and Jews. In both cases the Gospel of Christ no longer seems relevant although it probably will continue to receive lip service. It couldn’t be more clear as to where this world is headed.
I always wonder why these people even celebrate the Lord’s Supper…specifically identified with the New Covenant.
If we’re not in the New Covenant, then we certainly shouldn’t be doing it.
I remember years ago upon seeing a group of Hasidic Jews, a Dispensational friend of mine would go into fits.
“Look at them!” he would whisper while gripping your arm. “Watch them! Look what they’re doing. See? They’re God’s People….”
I remember at the time thinking….it’s like he venerates them. It’s weird.
Nevermind the fact, that 99% of the Jews today have little to no interest in following OT Judaism. The Hasidic Jews, as interesting as they are, are more interested in the Kabbalah than the Torah.
I think the evangelical dispensationalist think that going back and embracing Torah will somehow(i don’t know) help them understand better how to serve our Lord Jesus. People want a closer walk with Him, so they climb the highest mountains and fjord every stream to try to make it happen. I have often felt that there is so much that I don’t know, and would like to know and understand. I don’t think going on pilgramages or venerating anyone except the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost will help me understand things better. Reading the Bible helps a lot, but the more I learn, the more I realize I don’t know. To some, blessing Israel is a clear mandate because they go to the scripture that says to Jacob(Israel) that God will bless those who bless him. That literal interpretation is at the root of all of this veneration that goes on. Of course, it is a form of idolatry, apostasy, or whatever you may call it. Thanks for letting me share.