Who Are God's Chosen People?

Who Are God's Chosen People?

By Scott Kessler
12/2006

Preterists are often accused of holding to "Replacement
Theology". The truth of the matter is that we do no such
thing. Replacement theology is a misnomer. No one has
been "replaced" in regard to the blessings of the Covenant.
The church is "Israel" (Galatians 6:16) and always has been,
even in the Old Testament.

"Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ?
This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.
No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses
the Son has the Father also." (1 John 2:22-23)

This past week, I was treated to a wonderful slide show
presentation by a man who recently visited Israel. The
pictures were beautiful. It must have been thrilling to
see the sights and walk the paths that Jesus himself may
have seen and walked. However, the speaker, obviously
a premillennial dispensationalist, was obsessed with the
Eastern gate in his presentation, telling how Christ will
once again pass through this gate to set up His "millennial"
kingdom. For "Jerusalem", he said, "is the city that God
loves. They are his chosen people". The last slide was an
encouragement for us as Christians to "Pray for the peace
of Jerusalem" (Psalms 122:6).

Actually, the complete verse of Psalms 122:6 says, "Pray for
the peace of Jerusalem! May they be secure who love you!"
This begs the question as to the identity of Jerusalem, as
well as "God's chosen people". The New Testament gives
us two Jerusalems, the earthly Jerusalem, the cursed fig tree
(Matthew 21:18-21) which "is in slavery with her children"
(Galatians 4:25), and the new, heavenly Jerusalem, which
is the free and the mother of all the saints (Galatians 4:26,
Hebrews 12:22-24, Revelation 3:12, Revelation 21:1-10).
Which Jerusalem can rightly be described as those who love
God? The answer to that question has huge ramifications,
both theologically and politically.

I think that everyone is aware of the political ramifications
of Christian Zionism, so I'll focus here on the theological
issues. Should Christians bother to send missionaries to
Israel? Believe it or not, many notable Christian leaders
have discouraged believers from trying to convert Judaists.
John Hagee, the poster boy of Christian Zionism, says that
trying to convert Jews is a "waste of time".

"Everyone else, whether Buddhist or Baha'i, needs to believe
in Jesus, he says. But not Jews. Jews already have a
covenant with God that has never been replaced with
Christianity... The Jewish people have a relationship to God
through the law of God as given through Moses... I believe
that every Gentile person can only come to God through the
cross of Christ. I believe that every Jewish person who lives
in the light of the Torah, which is the word of God, has
a relationship with God and will come to redemption."
(Julia Duin, "San Antonio Fundamentalist Battles
Anti-Semitism," The Houston Chronicle, 30 April 1988).

Showing who he believes to be Sovereign, John Hagee writes,
"We support Israel because all other nations were created
by an act of men, but Israel was created by an act of God."
(See Supporting Israel). Hagee goes on to say that "The
Royal Land Grant that was given to Abraham and his seed
through Isaac and Jacob with an everlasting and unconditional
covenant.". He seems to forget that the Scriptures plainly
teach that "...by works of the law no human being will be
justified in his sight..." (Romans 3:20). He seems to forget
Jesus' own words concerning the Real Estate in the
New Covenant.

"The woman said to him, "Sir, I perceive that you are
a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain,
but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people
ought to worship." Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe
me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain
nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship
what you do not know; we worship what we know, for
salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and
is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the
Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such
people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship
him must worship in spirit and truth."" (John 4:19-24).

Hagee also seems to forget that God's covenant with fleshly
Israel was not unconditional. It required their obedience
(Deuteronomy 28:15, 63). Hagee ignores that fact that
the Abrahamic Covenant was already fulfilled, both physically
(Joshua 23:14) and Spiritually (Galatians 3:8).

More importantly, however, is the issue dealing with the
identity of God and His New Covenant. David Klinghoffer
writes, "Both Jews and Christians worship the same God
and both have a place, for believers, in God's scheme of
things. Jews are the people of the Covenant while Christians
approach God through Jesus." What is this covenant that
Klinghoffer is speaking of? It certainly isn't the New
Covenant, to which Jesus is the sole mediator (1 Timothy 2:5;
Hebrews 9:15; Hebrews 12:24). It is foolishness to recognize
Judaism as a religion of the covenant. There is no covenant
without Christ, as even the Old Testament saints "all ate the
same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink.
For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them,
and the Rock was Christ." (1 Corinthians 10:3-4). So how
has God kept His promises to "His chosen people"?

The Identity of Israel

The common Dispensationalist cry is "the Jews are God's
Chosen people". That begs the question, "just what exactly
is a "Jew"?" Is it a nation, a race, or a religion? Are
American Jews in covenant with God? What about European
proselytes living is Israel? How about Hebrews who practice
Buddhism? Dispensational Zionists have a difficult time
answering that question consistently. Covenantalists,
however, can take their definition of Israel straight
from Scripture.

God promised Abraham that he would make of him a
"great nation" (Genesis 12:2), and that "in thy seed shall
all the nations of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 22:18).
This nation was to be a "holy nation" (Exodus 19:6).

What does it mean to be a Holy Nation? Is a nation holy
simply because the DNA of its citizens matches Abraham's
(which, by the way, would eliminate most of the people
living in modern day Israel)? Does the term "holy nation"
fit some godless country that exists in the Middle East
founded by the United Nations in 1948? Hardly. God
never saved anyone based in his or her genealogy, in either
the Old or New Testament. If that were the case, then Esau
(whom God hated - Malachi 1:3, Romans 9:13) and Ishmael
would have a claim on God's Covenant Blessings. So would
King Saul, Judas Iscariot, and the modern day Palestinians.
Likewise, Ruth (a Moabite), Rahab (a Canaanite), and Urriah
(the Hittite), (two of which were Christ's ancestors) would
never have experienced sanctification. Physical circumcision
made one a part of God's visible church, but in the light of
eternity, profits nothing (Galatians 5:6).

A holy nation is set apart by God based on obedience to
His Covenant. In the Old Testament, a Hebrew who was
disobedient was to be "cut off from the congregation of
Israel" (Exodus 12:19). Does this mean that God changed
the person's genetic code so that he was no longer a Hebrew?
Of course not. It means that he was no longer part of the
"holy nation", God's visible church here on earth. The same
is true in the New Testament (ex. 1 Corinthians 5:1-12).
Sadly, the judicial powers of the modern church are almost
non-existent.

In the same Exodus passage, God tells Moses "And when a
stranger dwells with you and wants to keep the Passover to
the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him
come near and keep it; and he shall be as a native of the
land. For no uncircumcised person shall eat it. One law
shall be for the native-born and for the stranger who dwells
among you." (Exodus 12:48-49). Again, God does not make
this person's DNA match that of Abraham, but instead sets
him apart "as a native of the land" in His holy nation. Thus,
even in the Old Testament, God never considered anyone
a "Jew" based on race alone. Both Jew and Gentiles were
to have "one law".

This is even more obvious the New Testament. The Pharisees
took pride in their linage, but were not members of God's
"holy nation". John the Baptist gave them this warning.

"But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming
to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned
you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits
worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves,
"We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God
is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees.
Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is
cut down and thrown into the fire." (Matthew 3:7-10).

The Judaists even bragged to Jesus about their heritage,
proclaiming "Abraham is our father" (John 8:39). But
Jesus was very clear with His response. Contrary to popular
dispensational belief, Judaism is not "Old Testament
religion", but a demon-inspired, Talmudic cult. When the
Pharisees rejected Christ, they rejected Moses (John 5:46).
Furthermore, contrary to the above claims of David
Klinghoffer, Judaists and Christians do NOT worship the
same God. The god of Judaism is the Devil (John 8:44).
The Christian God is the only true God, and the Christ of
the Covenant is the only mediator (1 Timothy 2:5 - See
August's blog "Only One Mediator"). Those who reject Christ
are neither Abraham's children nor God's (John 8:39-42).
As Christ rejecters, they are no longer "God's Chosen People".
Jesus told them, "... the kingdom of God will be taken from
you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it." (Matthew
21:43). This nation is His "holy nation", the Church of Jesus
Christ, the new "Israel of God", and the Galatian church was
so called (Galatians 6:16). Paul, a Hebrew of Hebrews
(Philippians 3:5), was clear "that it is those of faith who
are the sons of Abraham." (Galatians 3:7).

The Church is God's "Israel"

Preterists are often accused of hold to "Replacement
Theology". The truth of the matter is that we do no such
thing. Replacement theology is a misnomer. No one has
been "replaced" in regard to the blessings of the Covenant.
The church is "Israel" (Galatians 6:16), and always has been,
even in the Old Testament.

No one can deny Paul's tender feelings toward his own
countrymen. He is clearly dismayed over their stubbornness,
and even wishes that he could sacrifice his own soul for their
conversion (Romans 9:3). But then Paul clearly contrasts
God's Israel from "Israel after the flesh". He writes
"...for they are not all Israel who are of Israel" (Romans 9:6),
"But he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and whose circumcision
is that of the heart..." (Romans 2:29). "And if you are
Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according
to the promise." (Galatians 3:29). In Christ, all ethnic,
cultural, economic and generational walls have been removed.
"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). If Jesus Christ removed these
barriers, who are we to try and build them back up?

While the modern dispensational church keeps it's eyes
glued to the Middle East, awaiting some sort of Theological
Extravaganza, Paul clarified that the Abrahamic Covenant
(Genesis 22:18) is being fulfilled through the church,
(and the Galatian Gentile church at that). "And the
Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by
faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying,
"In you all the nations shall be blessed." (Galatians 3:8).
God's everlasting Covenant is not concerned about a 10-mile
strip of real estate in the Middle East. As Christians, we
are members of the New, Heavenly Jerusalem which is
the one and only bride of Christ, and the mother of us
all (Galatians 4:26, Hebrews 12:22).

So what should be the mindset of Christians toward Israel?
Politically speaking Israel is a strong ally of the United
States and of western society in general, therefore, they have
my support, as long as they aren't the aggressors of conflict.
However, we must make it clear that, theologically speaking,
Judaism and Christianity have nothing in common. We need
not attempt any ecumenical alliances with Judaists,
"...For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness?
Or what fellowship has light with darkness?" (2 Corinthians
6:14). We are commanded by our Lord to make disciples
of ALL nations (Matthew 28:18-20), and that includes
Judaizers, who cannot be saved apart from Christ, no matter
what John Hagee says. Therefore, while my dispensationalists
friends are praying for the peace of Jerusalem, my prayer is
different. I'm praying for the conversion of Jerusalem.

http://www.preteristarchive.com/PartialPreterism/kessler-scott_07_01....

--

Hope for a physical kingdom is to deny Christ's words.
He dispelled that idea in Luke 17:20-21 and He never
said, "But later it will be", nor can Jesus be quoted
anywhere in Scripture saying that it will be physical.
Reading other passages that you think say it will be,
is not to refute this statement, but rather, it is to
pit the Bible against itself and an Apostle against
his Lord, since it would be a contradiction!

I would not want to be in that position!

The Bible is the inerrant word of the living God!
If you don't believe the Bible, don't tell me that
you are a Christian. I won't believe you. To make
that claim, is to be a heretic who does not know God.