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

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,

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”.

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 IÂ’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 ChristianityÂ… The Jewish people have a
relationship to God through the law of God as given through MosesÂ… 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 JesusÂ’ 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 GodÂ’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 isnÂ’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

That begs the question, “just what exactly is a “Jew”?” Is it a

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”

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”

19:6).

What does it mean to be a Holy Nation? Is a nation holy simply because
the DNA of its citizens matches AbrahamÂ’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 GodÂ’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 ChristÂ’s ancestors) would never
have experienced sanctification. Physical circumcision made one a part
of GodÂ’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 personÂ’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 personÂ’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

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

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 GodÂ’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

the Covenant. The church is “Israel” (Galatians 6:16), and always has
been, even in the Old Testament.

No one can deny PaulÂ’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

“…for they are not all Israel who are of Israel” (Romans 9:6), “But

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

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 itÂ’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
arenÂ’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. IÂ’m
praying for the conversion of Jerusalem.

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Who Are God's Chosen People?