The Great Divide The first of the great divide is Replacement Theology. What is replacement theology? Replacement theology is the teaching that the Christian church has replaced national Israel regarding the plan, purpose, and promises of God. Replacement theology is also known as supersessionism which means that the Christian church has superceded Israel in Gods plan. When the New Testament Church began on the Day of Pentecost, those present were primarily Jews and proselytes—people who wished to become Jewish in their worship of God (Acts 2:5-10). In time, God dramatically demonstrated to Peter and the New Testament Church that He was also calling gentiles—people who were not of Israelite heritage—into His Church (Acts 10 and 11). God revealed to the Church that male circumcision, which was a sign of Israel’s Old Covenant relationship with God, was not required for gentile converts (Acts 15). Circumcision under the New Covenant was of the heart—meaning a repentant spirit. Explaining this change, Paul wrote: “For he is not a [spiritual] Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God” (Romans 2:28-29). The ethnic barriers that had separated Jews and gentiles were now torn down within the Church. Continuing this topic, Paul explained: “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” (Galatians 3:28). Because gentiles and Jews had now become one, Paul called this body of believers “the Israel of God” (Galatians 6:16). While God’s Church is now open to people of all nationalities, the physical blessings God promised Abraham’s descendants continue. The Bible does not teach Replacement Theology. Rather than supporting Replacement Theology and saying that the New Testament Church replaced Israel, the Bible speaks of gentiles being “grafted in” to Israel. Speaking to gentiles, Paul wrote: “And if some of the branches were broken off, 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, do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, ‘Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.’ Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear” (Romans 11:17-20). As we noted earlier, a gentile—a non-Jew—who becomes part of the Church is now considered a “Jew” (Romans 2:28-29). Speaking of both Jews and gentiles who comprised the New Testament Church, Paul said that Abraham was “the father of us all” (Romans 4:16) and “those who are of faith are sons of Abraham” (Galatians 3:7). Jesus spoke of this Himself in Matthew 21:42-44, where He told the Pharisees that “the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.” Jesus said that the Kingdom was to be open to gentiles as well as Jews—to all those who responded to the message of the Kingdom. In summary, God is calling peoples of all nationalities into His Church. When we become part of this Body of believers, the Bible describes us as being the “sons of Abraham.” Even so, the Bible does not teach Replacement Theology. God remains faithful and the promises He made to Abraham and this patriarch’s physical descendants continue. Why is this so important? Well for one thing many teachings from the bible are taught incorrectly because of Replacement theology teachings Examples: 1. Idea that the church is no longer mentioned in the bible after Revelation chapter three, yet who are the saints and the elect mentioned in the remaining chapters of revelation? 2. The church is raptured and the Jews are left behind, sound familiar? 3. The biggest reason this is such a terrible theology is because we have Believers who don’t think we are supposed to read, believe and obey the Torah any longer. Then on the other hand we have some folks who do not accept the New Covenant. So it creates this great divide between Elohim’s Called out One’s. This is one of the biggest reasons why Elohim’s people of today are split up into over 43,000 Denominations.
Posted on: Sun, 07 Dec 2014 04:03:11 +0000