(Critical Issues)
THE REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY MISNOMER
By
T.A. Osiowy
T.A. Osiowy
In recent days much has been published, warning people against “Replacement Theology.” The term is relatively new and many have been affected by what I say is a misnomer. Before we proceed further we need to give the Webster definition for “misnomer.” Basically a misnomer is a misnaming of something or someone. It can be something that creates misunderstanding rather than understanding.
The theory presented by some today is that there are those that promote that the Church has replaced Israel. Now some may believe that, but we emphatically state that we do not believe that. While some may take that stand, that does not necessarily make them anti-Semitic or Jew haters, like those that use that term “Replacement Theology” say is the case. Those throwing around the term go on to say that this is a dangerous, anti-Semitic teaching that must be repented for and rooted out of the Church.
They go on to teach that all anti-Semitic actions and even the holocausts were rooted in replacement theology. Further to that, there is the notion that comes from those who have coined the term “Replacement Theology,” that if you do not get onto the same theological page, concerning the Restoration of Israel as a nation and then promote it, and get onto the bandwagon of doing all you can for the nation of Israel in prayer, political and practical ways, you may come under a curse - or may even be under one for not joining the campaign to “Bless Israel.”
With them Israel is central to everything that is to happen in the future, so much in some cases, that Christ and His Church are no longer central to the purposes of God. With many Israel is now central to all that God will do in the future.
As we are writing this, it is our firm belief that our hearts should be right toward all people and every nation. The things that God desires to do in any nation at any time, we must align ourselves with whole-heartedly. So we are not against blessing any people; as a matter of fact we believe it to be our call to bless the nations, not excluding Israel. At the same time we do not want to be predicting something that God’s Word is not crystal clear on.- Hatred toward any people should not be tolerated, but when you don’t jump onto all the “Restoration of Israel doctrine,” like rebuilding the temple, etc. in preparation for the coming Messiah and renewed temple sacrifices, this should not pre-suppose one to be anti-Semitic. This is very unfair, shallow and can even be slanderous toward those who hold a different doctrinal position. The fact is that many in Christendom would agree that the term "Replacement Theology" is a misnomer.
In the charges of those who write against Replacement Theology, it may be in order to say, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are saying or doing.” Many are just parroting what they have seen written, or what other prominent leaders have said.
They have not searched the Scriptures or discussed these matters with others who hold a different viewpoint to see whether these things really are so. When they say that there are those who say that the Church has replaced Israel they are saying something that not all good theologians are saying or would agree to. I for one, do not agree to the fact that the Church has replaced Israel. The Church was always in the mind of God from eternity past (Ephesians 1). - God always had a people. It was not a second thought or stop gap measure. It was His plan from the beginning.The Church never replaced anyone.
It was His creation. The Church never replaced natural Israel; however, it is the true Israel of God according to the teaching of Paul. There always was a true Israel of God throughout history, even though there were some who claimed to be but were not. - According to Paul in his New Testament commentary on the time of Elijah in Romans 11:2-3, the nation were generally speaking outside of the blessings of faith, but a remnant of 7,000 were right with God at that time. In the same context he went on to make statements that leave no doubt in our minds about what he was teaching.
Romans 9:6-8 But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, - 7 nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.”
- 8 That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.”
- God has always had a people that were recognized as His true people. As a matter of fact, Israel is spoken of as a "church in the wilderness."
- Acts 7:38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:
The same word used for church (ecclesia) in Acts is used in Matthew: - Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. The people referred to are not people who come from a particular genealogical line, but rather people who are part of the faith line - yet from different ethnic lines. It has always been that way and always will be that way.
Abraham, an idol worshipper with a background in the Ur of the Chaldeas was changed and became a son of God by faith in Jesus Christ. Further to that, if you look at the genealogical line of Christ, you will find that it was a faith line because Rahab the Harlot and Ruth the Moabitess, as believing Gentiles, are included. Rebecca also was a Syrian and we include her in the faith line. They were part of the household of faith. You could say that according to the Bible they were true Jews. They were grafted into the true life-giving olive tree by faith and God’s sovereign choice.
These were all made righteous, or made right with God by faith, even as David and Abraham were made righteous and included with those who are called His very own. - Galatians 3:6-9 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. 7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
- 8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. 9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
Romans 4:1-10 - 1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
Faith did not (or does not) begin with a genealogical line, or a particular ethnic group. Faith is a gift of God granted and is acted upon by those who believe, all the way from Abel to us today. Abraham, of course, was chosen as a prime example of the faith. Interestingly, Abram, who was a Gentile by birth, is called a Hebrew after he comes to faith.
Genesis 14:13 And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram. - Making all of the people who live in the land of Israel - and all the natural Jews everywhere the people of God, or God’s chosen people - presents some contradiction to the teaching and words of our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.
Take, for instance, the Pharisees and the religious leaders of Jesus’ time, and how He addresses them. If they were God’s chosen people, which they thought they could prove by genealogy, why, then, would He dare to say to them, “You are of your father the devil” (John 8:44).
Why would He so adamantly stand against what they stood for? Mostly likely because they carried a name that they did not live up to.
They were corrupt (sinful, like all of us without Christ) on the inside, but looked good on the outside. They had a name that seemed to be about life in God, but they were dead in trespasses and sin. Just take a look at all the teachings of Jesus with the Pharisees and you will have to conclude the same. Outside of Christ, all people are unclean and without hope (Romans 3).
Do we respect a nation and a land from which our Judaeo values come from?
Absolutely. Even as we would honour a particular church or family from which a great blessing comes, so we would honour them. We always give honour where honour is due. Even if the Church fell and lost its way, we would respect its past. Do we respect Israel as a nation as it has been placed by God? Of course.
We do that for any nation. Someone has said, “God has no grandchildren,” meaning that we do not gain merit with God on the basis of family line or the faith of our parents. Does God have a plan? No doubt, but it may not be all that some teach on this issue.
While we say all of this, we are also careful, as Paul spoke of in Romans, not to be caught in the pride that Israel was caught in. They are a living example of warnings that we should follow. - Further to that, we do not give them a false security in being outside of Christ. Many today in confusion, give Israel a false security saying that they are alright outside of Christ, when Paul himself said in Philippians, “I count all of those things but dung, that I might win Him and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness.”
Paul, who was a Jew and also a Pharisee of Pharisees, did not emphasize Israel as much as he emphasised the Church. In the book of Ephesians he speaks of how the eternal purposes of God are being fulfilled in and through the Church in Christ. - Ephesians 1:9-10 Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He has purposed in Himself: 10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him:
Ephesians 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; Beyond that, Paul says things in other ages were not made known as now.
Ephesians 3:5-6 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; 6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the Gospel:
There was some understanding in the past of this wonderful plan. Prophets predicted that the Gentiles or unbelievers would come in. - Abraham was one of the first Gentiles to come, but now clarification has come - since Christ has come, and since Paul received his revelation of the Gospel and his revelation of the Church. Paul’s revelation is crystal clear. God’s plan is to manifest His glory in and through the Church which includes all people who put faith in Christ.
Many, who accuse others of Replacement Theology, teach that once again the sacrificial systems of the Old Testament will be restored, and that the Gentiles will be servants of Israel. They speak in that instance of Gentile believers in the Church serving the Jews. Dwight Pentecost has probably influenced more minds than many in his book “Things to Come”, pg 519 - “the distinction of Israel from the Gentiles will again be resumed.” - Thomas Ice, a follower of Pentecost says, “At the Perousia (that is the return of Christ as some teach it), the times of the Gentiles will cease and the focus of history will once again turn to the Jews.”
He goes on to say, “In the tribulation there is no longer a body of believers knit into one living organism; there is rather a return to national distinctions and fulfillment of national promises in preparation for the millenium.”
In that statement he has the audacity to say the Church will no longer exist and the Jews will (in essence) take over. Where is that clearly taught in Scripture?? We cannot be strong enough in our disagreement with this distortion of Paul’s Gospel and teaching. Paul is absolutely clear that there is one body and that a wall of partition has been broken down in Christ, and there is only one Church, (called out people) who are neither Jew nor Greek, bond or free, and it is the Church that will take full authority in Christ. - He gives no clear time-line or event for that changing. That is a man made doctrine built on vague assumptions.
Galatians 3:28 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.
The talk these days among some is a Jewish Church and a Gentile Church. The New Testament writers would be upset with that language if they would hear of the division. This division is driven by nothing new, that being an old, falsifying faith and Phariseeism - which Christ Himself opposed. Because of what was happening, Paul clarified this by his teaching in Romans, Galatians, and also the book of Hebrews.
Faith in Christ was always the issue that broke down ethnic walls bringing people into the Church of Jesus Christ. There are not ethnic churches in God’s mind, because there is one body – the body of Christ, the Church of the Living God. How can we be speaking unity and yet promoting two bodies?? As we conclude this matter, which we trust will dispel confusion and help to bring down walls of division, we come to believe that those who use the term "Replacement Theology" are not fair to Scripture, nor to their brothers and sisters (who are, in many cases, being wrongly labelled as being heretical and anti-Semitic by this misnomer). - The truth is that those who accuse genuine Bible-believers of "Replacement Theology" may themselves be practitioners of Replacement Theology! Any of us can fall into a trap such as this by not being clear on the whole counsel of God. Allow me to explain:
1. Most of them believe and teach that Israel will (at some time) replace the Church or, at the very least, replace a section of it in that they will be the Jewish Church and they will govern and lead the Church. Jimmy Swaggart, who was a strong proponent to this, said “I am going to treat the Jews kindly now, because in the future I will be under their leadership when they are again ruling and reigning over the Church” ( an approximate quote I recall).
2. They are saying that the better will be replaced by the inferior. Referring to going back to the old sacrificial systems, which we know has no merit whatsoever.
Now that is Replacement Theology. I mean by this that some of these are replacing truth with error. I do realize that not all who promote this believe in two churches so to speak.
The book of Hebrews and the book of Galatians were written to bring this error into the light. Building Israel outside of Christ, cannot and will not replace the Church. Jesus said He would build His Church - not Israel. - They would come from every tribe, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. Isaiah speaks boldly about the Gentiles coming in, which is really what happened with all who came into faith - even in the Old Testament. They would come from every tribe, every tongue, people and nation into what He calls the Church. There will be no distinction. There will be no separation; it will be one body, so let’s not divide that body.
Unto Him be glory in the Church, both now and evermore. Consider reading the following Scriptures and explain them in the context and in the light of what we are saying. May this clear up a lot of things that foster confusion and bring division.
Ephesians 2:11-22 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— - 12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
- 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For He Himself is our peace, Who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,
15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,
16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.
17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.
18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,
21 in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,
22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
Ephesians 3:3-12 How that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),
5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:
6 that the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the Gospel,
7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.
8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God Who created all things through Jesus Christ;
10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the Church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, - 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,
- 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.
Philippians 3:3-16 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,
4 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: - 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee;
- 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the Church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.
Galatians 2:11-15: - Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed;
12 for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision.
13 And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.
14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the Gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?
15 “We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
Galatians 3:6-9 Just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.
8 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.”
9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.
Galatians 3:26-29 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 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.
29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 4:22-29 For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman.
23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise,
24 which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar—
25 for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children—
26 but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.
27 For it is written: “Rejoice, O barren, You who do not bear! Break forth and shout, You who are not in labour! For the desolate has many more children than she who has a husband.”
28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.
29 But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now.
Galatians 4:31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.
1 Peter 2:9-10: - But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
- 10 who once were not a people, but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
1 Peter 2:5-8 You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”
7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,”
8 and “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
Hebrews 2:10 For it was fitting for Him, for Whom are all things and by Whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
Hebrews 11:6: - But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Hebrews 12:22-23: - But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels,
23 to the general assembly and Church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Hebrews 12:28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
1 Corinthians 12:13: - For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
Ephesians 1:23: - Which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Colossians 1:18 And He is the head of the body, the Church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
Colossians 3:15: - And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Someone said it well when they said, "It’s not about race---it’s all about grace." Some Concluding Remarks:
1. There is a danger in the pro-Israel/anti-Arab approach in that both are presently living in unbelief and outside of Christ. Our goal is to reconcile both to Christ, thus bringing down the walls of division - not to politically engage ourselves indiscriminately.
2. There needs to be honest, theological discussions on these matters in a non-emotional, reasonable way, not putting name tags like "heretical" without hearing the other party out.
3. All teaching must be centred in Christ, His finished work and the purposes that are clearly established in Paul’s Gospel.
4. The good news is wrapped up in Christ first, not in any particular nation. Anything other than this can smack of humanism or national predjudice.
5. We must realize that many peoples have suffered persecution and we must have a heart to restore all nations, reconciling them all to Christ. Sin is abusive and will always be.
6. We need to recognize the errors of Judaism as Paul clearly pointed out in his teachings in Galatians and not align ourselves in any way with that error.
7. We must leave the national restoration of Israel (if that is to happen) in God’s hands. God does not need man’s jaded ideas on this. God is in charge of the nations and their future. We will all praise God if thousands come to Christ in that little nation. Again, there are a lot of questions around this by many good theologians, so let’s not waste our lives around things that are really still in question.
8. All kinds of zealous people have been predicting Israel’s restoration - and the temple being rebuilt to restore Judaism - for years and little has happened. God is not for that, so it is better that we focus on the last words of Jesus to His disciples in Acts 1:7-8.
The kingdom being restored to Israel was authoritatively declared by Jesus as not being the priority.
Why would we be so foolish as to follow the track that Jesus told His disciples to get away from?? Being filled with the Holy Spirit to be a witness to Christ in all places around the globe is the priority.
No prophetic word has a right to overturn the words of our master. The plan that Jesus set forth is what we stand for. It is clearly stated and is the will of God for the Church until Jesus returns. Any other plan is a sideline that can consume our time and keep us away from the great commission.
9. Another look at Romans 9-11 in the total context of the book of Romans is worthwhile. Paul is not all of a sudden changing his stand on salvation by grace through faith. Paul is issuing a warning to the Gentiles not to be proud - as were the Jews in the past which resulted in them being cut off from the blessings that come through the obedience of faith. Paul is saying very clearly, with no contradiction to his overall message in the book of Romans, that all need to walk in humility and faith in order to be right with God.
There are no exceptions to that. As Israel or anyone puts faith in Jesus Christ they come into blessing and are not excluded. Those chapters are a warning to not be high minded regardless of who we are - whether we be Jew or Gentile -because we stand by faith. For Paul to say that all of the nation of Israel will be saved is a contradiction to his own words in Romans chapter ten: Whoever calls upon the name of Jesus will be saved, not the ones who do not call upon Him. To pray for them to come to Christ as Paul did is right. We pray for all people to come to Christ with no prejudice in our hearts.
10. Romans, Galatians and the teachings of Christ Himself are the New Testament commentary on these matters. To go outside of that presents danger to any of us.
In conclusion, our hope is that through this communication we open our hearts to those things that are congruent with the Gospel and above tradition. There are many unanswered questions, but keeping our hearts open to dialogue is ever so important.
While some statements made here may seem strong we are only seeking to align ourselves with the strength whereby Paul taught these things. I well remember when I reacted to thought outside of popular opinion on this subject, but then I was challenged to open up to Paul’s Gospel (which made me take a second look at these matters).
I want to be understanding and gracious, but find it against my conscience to go against the New Testament commentaries on this matter.
Our hope is that you will try to understand another member of the Body of Christ who is desiring truth, but seeking to hold that in love.
Further to that it may be worth noting that both my wife and I have our family roots in the nation of Israel. While that is true, what we hold most dear is our faith in Christ and being members of His Church, which He has purchased with great price.
