Has the Church Replaced Israel in God's Plan?

Summary

Summary prepared by Acts 2:38 Life from the transcript below — the preacher’s words follow in full.

Reframing the Question: Fulfillment, Not Replacement

• The question posed: what role does the church play, in relation to Israel? Has the church replaced Israel in God's plan — this idea of replacement theology — or does God have a role for the Jews, in the current time, and in the future?
• Well, let me reframe the question, or at least put it in different terms. If we're asking: is the church the fulfillment of God's plan, today, for everyone? It's yes. But if we're asking: does Israel still have a role in God's plan? The answer is also yes. So let me describe it. When we talk about replacement, that seems to imply: well, maybe God changed his plan, or God changed his mind. I would argue that it was God's plan, from the very beginning, to include the Gentiles. If you read the book of Romans, chapters 9-11, you will see this. And so, God's plan: he called Abraham, and made of him a nation. And then, through that nation, he brought forth — or, through Abraham, he brought forth the nation of Israel; ultimately gave the law, the Old Testament; gave the Messiah. And so, from the very beginning, it was God's plan to use this nation, in a special way. Specifically, he's wanting to use that nation to be a light, to the whole world. Unfortunately, ancient Israel continued to fall into idolatry, and never really fulfilled God's plan, as intended. However, God still brought forth the scriptures, and the Messiah; and God did still fulfill his plan, to bring salvation, to the whole world. So it's not that the church is replacing Israel: the church is the logical fulfillment of the plan that God started, using the nation of Israel.

Scriptures: Romans 9-11

Promises Extended: The New Covenant in Christ

• Now, what that does mean, then, is: many promises that God originally gave to the nation of Israel have been extended to the church. So, to try to separate Israel and the church, 100%, is not possible, in a great sense. I think this is part of the thrust of your question. Yes, the church has stepped into many promises, in the Old Testament, that you might think were only for Israel. For example, Jeremiah 31 tells Israel: 'I'm going to establish a new covenant with you. When you repent, when you return back to me, I will establish a new covenant.' Well, the book of Hebrews, chapter 8, specifically says that that new covenant is in Christ. So it extends far beyond ancient Israel. So what was once given to Israel has been extended to the rest of the world. And so, both Jews and Gentiles come into the church. The Apostle Paul explained this, again, if you go back to the book of Romans: that God's plan, all along, was to use the Jews, as a means of reaching the Gentiles. It was not as if God failed with the Jews, so he turned to the Gentiles: this was the plan all along. And in the book of Ephesians, also, it talks about: it was a mystery, but now it's been revealed, how that God would bring Jews and Gentiles into one church. So today, God's plan is the church; but the church includes both Jews and Gentiles. I don't think they're two separate tracks of salvation: that if you're a Jew, you're saved by keeping the law; but if you're not a Jew, you're saved by believing in Jesus. No: everybody is saved by believing in Jesus. And whether Jew or Gentile, we must be born again; we must have faith in Jesus Christ; we must repent of our sins; we must be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ; we must receive God's Spirit, be filled with God's Spirit. And so, in that sense, the church is the fulfillment of the process, that originally started when God called Abraham, and through him established the nation of Israel, and through that nation brought the old covenant.

Scriptures: Jeremiah 31; Hebrews 8; Ephesians (book-only)

Romans 11: The Rejection Is Partial

• And let me also add: that doesn't mean that God has no role for national Israel. In Romans chapter 11, Paul addresses this issue, specifically, because, as I just explained, he says both Jews and Gentiles are now part of the church; all are saved in Christ. So then, where does that leave Israel? Does that mean God has abandoned Israel? Has he forsaken Israel, is no longer keeping his covenant with Israel? And then Paul says: absolutely not. He says, first of all: Israel has been rejected, in large part, because they refused to believe in the Messiah; you know, they refused to follow God's plan. But going back to Romans 4, he says, in the beginning of this plan, when God called Abraham, he said: 'You will be the father of many nations.' Well, that was before Israel; that was before the law. And it was God's plan that it wouldn't just be the natural descendants, namely Israel, but also the spiritual descendants: those who would have the faith of Abraham. And then Paul goes on to say: who is the father of us all? And so everyone who has the faith of Abraham now steps into the covenant that God originally established with Abraham. And Galatians 3 goes on to explain that those who have the faith of Abraham now receive the promise of the Spirit, through faith. But getting back to Romans 11: so Paul is explaining: well, you know, why, in large part, has Israel not followed Jesus Christ? Well, because of unbelief. But he says: even so, in that sense, God has rejected Israel as a nation, because they're not accepting the Messiah. But he says: even so, that rejection is only partial, because he says there are many Jews who are believers. He says: 'I'm an example. I'm a Jew, and I'm a believer in Jesus. So God's promises have been fulfilled to us, to me. God's promises to Israel are not null and void: I'm receiving God's promises. But it's through the new covenant, through the church, through Jesus Christ.'

Scriptures: Romans 11; Romans 4; Galatians 3

The Rejection Is Not Permanent: Israel's End-Time Turning

• And then he says — which is very interesting, and significant for your question — he says: so, this rejection of Israel, or this exclusion of Israel from God's plan, because of unbelief, is only partial, because Jews can be part of God's plan, if they'll believe in Jesus Christ. But he also says this rejection is not permanent, because God still has a plan; and God's plan is to use the predominantly Gentile church, to be an example to Israel, so that Jews will realize the benefit of serving the Lord. And he says, in the end, then — and he's referring to end-time events — and we know, from the book of Daniel, the book of Revelation, and so on, that there's going to be this evil ruler, who rises up, and tries to make a covenant with Israel, and have everyone to worship him, and set himself up at the temple. And so he's going to try to deceive Israel. But at that last moment, Israel is going to realize that he's a false Messiah, and then they're going to turn to Jesus Christ, and recognize him as their true Messiah. So Paul alludes to that. He says: 'Well, one day, there's going to be an opportunity, when Messiah comes, that all Israel will be saved.' And when he says all, of course, it still has to depend on each individual's response. But he said: there's going to be a great harvest; there's going to be a great restoration, great revival, which we think will be at the end of the tribulation, when the nation of Israel, at that time, as a whole, will recognize Jesus Christ as their Messiah, and they will come to faith in Jesus Christ. So Paul explains: there still is a plan for Israel.

Scriptures: Daniel (book-only); Revelation (book-only)

One Gospel for Jew and Gentile — and Support for Israel's Right to Exist

• So, to summarize my answer, I would say: the church is the fulfillment of God's plan, from the beginning — both Jews and Gentiles entering into the church. So it's not that the church replaces Israel; it's that there's a natural progression, where both Jews and Gentiles are part of the new covenant of God. So yes, there are promises originally given to natural Israel, or originally given to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Israel, that have now included both Jews and Gentiles, because they're fulfilled in the church — namely, the new covenant. But God still has a plan for national Israel: he still is working, to bring the people of Israel, as a nation, to recognize Jesus Christ as the Messiah. And that's why — you didn't ask this specifically, but the one question is: should we support Israel, as a nation, their right to exist? Well, first of all, even aside from theology, I think we do support the idea of freedom, liberty, and the right of nations to exist: the rights of people to self-determination; a distinct ethnicity, language group, historic people group, wants to be cohesive as a nation, and have their national identity, and their national land. We support that. But more specifically, since we do believe God still has a plan to bring the nation of Israel back into relation with him, then certainly we don't want to try to thwart that plan — which we would fail — but we want to support that plan. So yes, we should support Israel's right to exist, because God has indicated that Israel has a right to exist. And therefore, in that sense, God has a plan for Israel. But that doesn't mean that the plan for Israel is two different tracks of salvation, in this current age. Nor does it mean that the church is subordinate, or secondary, or an afterthought, or an accident, or a makeup plan, for a failed plan. No: the church is God's plan. And the message that we should present is to both Jews and Gentiles alike: everyone needs to obey the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Scripture index: Romans 9-11; Jeremiah 31; Hebrews 8; Ephesians (book-only); Romans 11; Romans 4; Galatians 3; Daniel (book-only); Revelation (book-only).