_Why Premillennial Dispensationalism is a False Gospel
_
Introduction:
There can only be one correct teaching – the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, expressed this way by the apostle Paul:
There is one body and one Spirit —just as you were called to one hope when you were called — one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Eph 4:4-6
Academics can sometimes unwittingly make a mockery of the gospel of Christ through the liberal creation of varied systems of beliefs or “theologies” that vary so extensively, that one might be excused to think of them as new religions altogether.
Truth is found only in the precious Word of God. All true believers must learn to look to the Word for answers for themselves so that they may teach their children and to pass on the faith. Looking to the Word for answers is what we will do here. This is a essentially a compilation or list of verses from the NIV Bible, organized and sequenced to help tell the real message that is distorted by the false religious system called Premillennial Dispensationalism.
Christians are misled to believe that this system of belief is just another harmless academic theological framework of the Bible. This is far from the truth.
Implications and Consequences of this False Gospel:
The reader may wish to be acquainted with the basic teachings of Premillennial Dispensationalism, and its very source of contamination, the 1909 Scofield Reference Bible and the subsequent editions especially the 1967 edition published by the Oxford University Press long after Scofield’s death. There are numerous Internet resources on this subject.
This apostate teaching is based on a false Christ because it promotes ideas and principles that are simply either made up, or is a distortion of the Word of Christ. In many ways, it is anti-Christ in nature because it runs counter to Christ’s teachings. These ideas violate and distort the character of God by showing him as having favourites, implementing two separate plans of redemption, one for the Jews and another for the rest of humanity. It promotes the worship of the nation of Israel, anyone Jewish, and Jewry in general. It is Zionism friendly. It promotes the message of racial supremacy of the Jews, that they are intrinsically special, and who receives special protection from God. It emphasizes the land of Israel rather than Christ. Ultimately it brings its devotees to align themselves with the nation of Israel regardless of the political situation. In so doing they become blind to oppression and injustice. This false gospel promotes the idea that the “goats” of the “sheep and goat” parable of Matthew 25, deserve to be with the devil and his angels in the fiery furnace just because they did not serve the “brothers of Jesus” who these false teachers promote as Israel. Jesus of course referred to these “brothers of mine” as the weakest and most disadvantaged of humanity.
Finally, if the reader still remains unconvinced that it is a serious issue, or believe that these are simply “differing views” which does not affect one’s salvation, they should reflect on the following passages:
Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. 1 Tim 4:15-16
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! Gal 1:6-9
So let’s begin –
Definition of “bless/blessing” in Gen 12:2-3:
The deliberate misinterpretation of the terms “bless/blessing” and “curse” in Genesis 12:2-3 is the chief tool of the false teacher of these last days.
“I will make you into a great nation
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.” Gen 12:2-3
If there is a beginning point, this would be it.
Salvation through Christ ~ is ~ the Blessing:
and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed Gen 22:18
Note “offspring” or “seed” in other translations (not offsprings or seeds), referring to Christ – consistent with all the good Bible commentaries before the Scofield Bible came along.
God’s plan of redemption will not be thwarted or defeated by man (“bless” / ”curse”) because God is sovereign. The idea of special protection for Israel is simply unscriptural. It totally contradicts the attribute of a God who is impartial and who have no favorites.
The writer of Acts reminded his readers:
And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’ When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.” Acts 3:25-26
Hence Christ “his servant” will be sent to first to the Jews to bless them by turning them from sin (note consistency of the word “bless” referring to the blessing of salvation through Christ).
To be absolutely sure, let’s turn to Paul’s letter to the Galatians:
The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ. Gal 3:16
Therefore, scripture is resoundingly clear on the fact that the blessing refers to salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. It does not refer to material riches, exclusive divine protection, nor a special future plan set aside by God just for one race of people.
The term 'curse' refers to the bondage or slavery under sin and this is can be found in Deuteronomy 28, 29, 30. In Galatians 3, Paul explained that Jesus became the sin offering and took on our curse onto the cross. If we have faith in Christ, we would inherit the blessing promised and receive the Holy Spirit:
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole. He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. Gal 3:13-14
The Blessing is Not Dependent on Jewish Descent:
Jews by descent do not automatically inherit the blessing of salvation -
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. John 1:12-13
To Accept this Blessing All Must be “Born Again”:
From the well-known story of Nicodemus, himself a learned Pharisee. Jesus said to him:
“I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” John 3:3
The Blessing is for all People and given in Advanced to Abraham:
Again, this same message is repeated in Galatians. All who believe are “children of Abraham”. Note in particular that the gospel (of salvation through Jesus Christ) was announced in advanced to Abraham (in Gen 3 and 22):
Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” Gal 3:7-8
All Christians are “sons of God” regardless of race, status, or gender. All Christians inherit the promise God made to Abraham:
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Gal 3:26-29
Yes, it Included Descendents of Ishmael:
To be explicitly clear, God’s blessing of salvation included the descendents of Ishmael, and he was also circumcised as was required in the previous covenant with God:
This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. Gen 17:10-11
And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. Gen 17:20
Abraham and his son Ishmael were both circumcised on that same day. Gen 17:26
God’s compassion for Ishmael is clearly seen here:
God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” Gen 21:17-18
What About the Promise of Land?
The following is self-explanatory:
So the LORD gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their forefathers, and they took possession of it and settled there. The LORD gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their forefathers. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the LORD handed all their enemies over to them. Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled. Joshua 21:43-45
It was the Zionist propagandist who successfully brainwashed millions of Christians to go along with the idea that God’s promise is still outstanding despite the actual Biblical accounts.
Were these Promises Conditional?
Yes of course they were conditional. The condition is obedience. An entire chapter (Deut 28) was used to spell this out. These conditions were also stated dozens of time throughout Genesis and Deuteronomy to the ancient Israelites (too many verses to list). The many prophets of Israel were sent by God to continually warn Israel of impending judgement for disobedience.
Victims of Israel’s Enemies or God’s Judgement?
It is clear from prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Amos, that God himself would punish ancient Israel for disobedience. Many Christians today seem to prefer the distorted view that Israel is frequently a victim of her evil neighbors. Old Testament scripture reveals to us that it was often God himself who used Israel's evil enemies to punish them for sin. It is unscriptural to believe otherwise. Here is a passage from Amos 4 to illustrate this:
“ …… yet you have not returned to me,”
declares the LORD.
“ …… yet you have not returned to me,”
declares the LORD.
“ …… yet you have not returned to me,”
declares the LORD.
“ ….. yet you have not returned to me,”
declares the LORD.
“ ….. yet you have not returned to me,”
declares the LORD.
“ Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel,
and because I will do this to you,
prepare to meet your God, O Israel. ” Amos 4:6-12
What happened subsequently is well known.
Origins of the name “Israel”
The name Israel means “one who struggled with God and with men and have overcome” and originates from this famous passage in Genesis 32:
So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.” Gen 32: 24-28
Therefore, "Israel" is the new name God gave Jacob. It means "one who struggled with God and with men and have overcome" - an amazing revelation of God to the blessing of faith in Him.
Who are “Jews” Today?
A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Romans 2:28-29
Christians are circumcised Jews in the spiritual sense! This is further explained by Paul:
It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. Romans 9:6-7
Paul's audience had misunderstood that God had promised the Jews that they (Abraham's children) would receive God's eternal blessing automatically and none would perish. This is why Paul corrected this misconception by saying "It is not as though God’s word had failed" - in other words, God's promise of blessing had always been conditional - He never made such an unconditional promise. His words never fail. God does not show favoritism. This is one of His holy attributes.
Therefore, the term “Israel” now refers to everyone who makes the personal decision to accept God's wonderful gift of salvation and follow Jesus (“one who struggled with God and with men and have overcome”). So not all natural descendents of Abraham are “Jews” or “Israel” in this spiritual sense, rather all true Christians are "spiritual Israel". Also, not all natural descendents of Abraham have the right to claim to be his children in this same sense. In fact, Jesus told the unbelieving Jews that their father is the devil:
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:42-44
Are, or Will all Jews Be Saved?
Paul puts it this way:
Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved. Rom 9:27
He went on to explain the work of Jesus the Messiah quoting Isaiah 59:20:
I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
“The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” Rom 11:25-27
Hence, only those remnant Jews who “struggled with God and with men and have overcome” (i.e., true Israel) will be saved. Many people mistakenly believe that the entire nation of Israel will be saved because of the phrase “all Israel will be saved” in Rom 11:26.
The End of the Age
Many people today are curious to know when the end of the age will be, as with the disciples of Jesus:
As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Matt 24:3
-- No one knows when:
“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,but only the Father. Matt 24:36
-- It will be totally unexpected just like the time of Noah:
As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Matt 24:37-39
-- But we must be ready:
Jesus in Matthew 25 taught three parables concerning preparedness, viz, the parable of the ten virgins, parable of the talents, and parable of the goats and sheep.
So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Matt 24:44
The key message here is that there will be no second chance, just as with the days of Noah. Destruction will come suddenly as with the great flood, however at the end of the age, destruction will come in another form …
-- What will happen when Jesus returns?
The righteous taken to be with the Lord and destruction for the unjust:
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words. <Next Chapter> Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 1 Thess 4:16-18; 5:1-3
Again, this message is repeated in Paul’s second letter but with more details of the destruction to come::
God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you. 2 Thess 1:6-10
-- How will the earth be destroyed ?
The whole earth will be destroyed by fire and laid bare. The righteous will enter “the home of the righteous”:
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. 2 Peter 3:10
Scripture does not teach that there will be a thousand year rule of Christ on earth with his believers. This millennial concept or “chiliasm” (golden age) is a baggage of ancient Judaism. Jews today reject Jesus as the Son of God, and still await the arrival of their Jewish Messiah. Christians must remind themselves that they are not Jews. Judaism is a different religion.
-- What about the “rapture” and “tribulation” then?
False teachers of these last days teach that in a blink of an eye, Christians will disappear from the earth as the Lord takes them away just before the start of the “tribulation”. So what does 1 Cor 15:50-54 really say then? Let’s examine these verses for ourselves:
I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” 1 Cor 15:50-54
Firstly, this event will take place at the last trumpet sound not seven years before it, hence there is no tribulation period. Secondly, this loud noise marks Jesus’ return, the changing of the bodies of believers, and the destruction (end) of the whole world. It would be “the end of the age”.
This is also completely consistent with Jesus’ promise that “I will raise him up at the last day” John 6:40, 44, 54.
Note the consistency of the 1 Corinthian teaching when we compare it with the words of Christ himself:
“At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. Matt 24:30-31
-- In Summary:
But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 1 Cor 15:23-24
There is really no time-gap in-between.
The Kingdom of God (or Heaven)
The Kingdom of God is not something we can see or touch. It is within the body of believers:
nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you." Then he said to his disciples, "The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. Luke 17:21-22
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit Romans 14:17
We know it has come with the giving of the Holy Spirit to all believers:
But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Matthew 12:28
Christ will be with us to the end of the age:
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20
The synoptic gospels record the parables of Jesus. Each often begin with “The kingdom of God (or Heaven) is like …”. False teachers of these last days are teaching that the kingdom is yet to come because it comes with the thousand-year reign of Christ. They have deceived millions of Christians, and as a consequence, they fail to grasp these essential teachings of our Lord for their everyday living.
Jesus warned that his kingdom is not an earthly one that people associate kingdoms with. If it were, his followers would be fighting to prevent capture as earthly kings and kingdoms do:
“My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.” John 18:36
A Spiritual Temple and a Spiritual Jerusalem
In the narrative of the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus also taught that soon, with his work on the cross, the very place of worship would no longer be important:
Jesus declared, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. John 4:21
This is because Jesus would give his Holy Spirit to all believers and there will no more temple worship:
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:23-34
Again, false teachers of these last days continue to emphasize the importance of the “holy land” in Israel, and many even advocate the re-construction of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. This abominable and deplorable teaching is a reversal of the work Christ had done on the cross. Christians also unwittingly allow themselves to be made used of by the promoters of the Zionist political movement.
The writer of Hebrews made the point that the focus of Christians should be on their future home in heaven. Instead, many fell prey to supporting the Zionist political agenda. Instead of being peacemakers, they lend themselves to supporting the politics of the unjust:
All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Heb 11:13-16
The Premillennial Dispensationalist often quote Revelation 21:2 “the new Jerusalem” promoting it as the physical place restored to full glory in Israel:
I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. Rev 21:2
They fail to grasp, deliberate or otherwise, that the book of Revelation, an ancient Jewish apocalyptic literature, was written in signs and symbols – anything but literal. “Holy city” is the “bride” of Christ, which most Christians know of as symbolic of the church of true believers. It is a picture of Christ with his church. These verses speak for themselves.
The following verses make reference to a future “temple” and make it clear that it is again metaphoric and symbolic:
I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. Rev 21:22-23
These verses are seldom mentioned by Premillennial Dispensationalist teachers because they contradict their theology that emphasize the importance of a future physical Israel, Jerusalem, and a physical temple of worship.
Unity of all Believers
Jesus emphasised the unity of believers in John 17 also known “high priestly prayer of Jesus” where our Lord himself prays for the unity of all future believers. Here is a portion of his prayer:
I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. John 17:20-21
There is only one gospel of Jesus Christ. One united body of Christ:
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Eph 4:3-6
God Really Have No Favourites
It is plainly clear that there is no special plan for Jews or for the country called Israel:
Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. Acts 10:34
There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism. Rom 2:9-11
For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Rom 10:12-13
All Christians are God’s Chosen People
The story of God’s redemptive plan for humanity began with God choosing Abraham to be his servant to carry the genealogy that leads to our saviour Jesus Christ. This choice of the Jews was God’s sovereign choice. It should be abundantly clear that God desires Abraham and his descendents to lead godly and righteous lives as his chosen people. They were a people belonging to God. There is a “mystery” revealed through the apostle Paul, that God from the very beginning, intended that his plan of redemption included all humanity, first for the Jews who would then be the light of Christ for the rest of the world.
Jew or Gentile, neither one is superior over the other – all are under sin:
What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. Rom 3:9
The following applies to all people who come to faith in Christ – all are “chosen” people of God:
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:9-10 (underscoring added)
The word “chosen” is contextually taken from the follow statement from Jesus himself:
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit – fruit that will last John 15:16a
In other words, when a person comes to faith in Christ, that person is “chosen” in the correct context of verse John 15:16a. “Chosen” therefore does NOT have the distorted meaning given by the dispensationalist, that the people of Israel (or Jews in general) are intrinsically special.
The mystery revealed through Paul:
Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. Eph 3:2-6 (underscoring added)
All believers are to be the “salt” and the “light” to the rest of the world:
“You are the light of the world. … In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Matt 5:14, 16
God has not forsaken the Jews today, nor anyone else for that matter. However, he has no favorites. No man is more “chosen” or more special than the other. God desires that no one be lost, and everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
To emphasize the point that Jews were not, and are not today, intrinsically special, lets look to the Old Testament narrative in Joshua 5. This is the story of Joshua ready for the battle to take Jericho:
Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?” The commander of the LORD’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so. Joshua 5: 13-15
In other words, God does not stand on the side of any man, Jew or otherwise. There was never any favoritism shown by God to the Jews throughout history. We must stand on God’s side.
Blessing of Christ to all non-Jews foretold in prophecy:
I will plant her for myself in the land;
I will show my love to the one I called ‘Not my loved one,’
I will say to those called ‘Not my people,’ ‘You are my people’;
and they will say, ‘You are my God.’” Hosea 2:23
The above was also quoted by Paul in Romans 9:24-25
Let no foreigner who has bound himself to the LORD say,
“The LORD will surely exclude me from his people.” Isa 56:3
The Sovereign LORD declares - he who gathers the exiles of Israel:
“I will gather still others to them besides those already gathered.” Isa 56:8
Non-Jews included in the work of Christ (from the very beginning):
I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. John 6:16
For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Eph 2:14-18
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. Eph 2:19-22
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. Rom 1:16
Blessings.
Introduction:
There can only be one correct teaching – the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, expressed this way by the apostle Paul:
There is one body and one Spirit —just as you were called to one hope when you were called — one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Eph 4:4-6
Academics can sometimes unwittingly make a mockery of the gospel of Christ through the liberal creation of varied systems of beliefs or “theologies” that vary so extensively, that one might be excused to think of them as new religions altogether.
Truth is found only in the precious Word of God. All true believers must learn to look to the Word for answers for themselves so that they may teach their children and to pass on the faith. Looking to the Word for answers is what we will do here. This is a essentially a compilation or list of verses from the NIV Bible, organized and sequenced to help tell the real message that is distorted by the false religious system called Premillennial Dispensationalism.
Christians are misled to believe that this system of belief is just another harmless academic theological framework of the Bible. This is far from the truth.
Implications and Consequences of this False Gospel:
The reader may wish to be acquainted with the basic teachings of Premillennial Dispensationalism, and its very source of contamination, the 1909 Scofield Reference Bible and the subsequent editions especially the 1967 edition published by the Oxford University Press long after Scofield’s death. There are numerous Internet resources on this subject.
This apostate teaching is based on a false Christ because it promotes ideas and principles that are simply either made up, or is a distortion of the Word of Christ. In many ways, it is anti-Christ in nature because it runs counter to Christ’s teachings. These ideas violate and distort the character of God by showing him as having favourites, implementing two separate plans of redemption, one for the Jews and another for the rest of humanity. It promotes the worship of the nation of Israel, anyone Jewish, and Jewry in general. It is Zionism friendly. It promotes the message of racial supremacy of the Jews, that they are intrinsically special, and who receives special protection from God. It emphasizes the land of Israel rather than Christ. Ultimately it brings its devotees to align themselves with the nation of Israel regardless of the political situation. In so doing they become blind to oppression and injustice. This false gospel promotes the idea that the “goats” of the “sheep and goat” parable of Matthew 25, deserve to be with the devil and his angels in the fiery furnace just because they did not serve the “brothers of Jesus” who these false teachers promote as Israel. Jesus of course referred to these “brothers of mine” as the weakest and most disadvantaged of humanity.
Finally, if the reader still remains unconvinced that it is a serious issue, or believe that these are simply “differing views” which does not affect one’s salvation, they should reflect on the following passages:
Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. 1 Tim 4:15-16
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! Gal 1:6-9
So let’s begin –
Definition of “bless/blessing” in Gen 12:2-3:
The deliberate misinterpretation of the terms “bless/blessing” and “curse” in Genesis 12:2-3 is the chief tool of the false teacher of these last days.
“I will make you into a great nation
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.” Gen 12:2-3
If there is a beginning point, this would be it.
Salvation through Christ ~ is ~ the Blessing:
and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed Gen 22:18
Note “offspring” or “seed” in other translations (not offsprings or seeds), referring to Christ – consistent with all the good Bible commentaries before the Scofield Bible came along.
God’s plan of redemption will not be thwarted or defeated by man (“bless” / ”curse”) because God is sovereign. The idea of special protection for Israel is simply unscriptural. It totally contradicts the attribute of a God who is impartial and who have no favorites.
The writer of Acts reminded his readers:
And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’ When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.” Acts 3:25-26
Hence Christ “his servant” will be sent to first to the Jews to bless them by turning them from sin (note consistency of the word “bless” referring to the blessing of salvation through Christ).
To be absolutely sure, let’s turn to Paul’s letter to the Galatians:
The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ. Gal 3:16
Therefore, scripture is resoundingly clear on the fact that the blessing refers to salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. It does not refer to material riches, exclusive divine protection, nor a special future plan set aside by God just for one race of people.
The term 'curse' refers to the bondage or slavery under sin and this is can be found in Deuteronomy 28, 29, 30. In Galatians 3, Paul explained that Jesus became the sin offering and took on our curse onto the cross. If we have faith in Christ, we would inherit the blessing promised and receive the Holy Spirit:
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole. He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. Gal 3:13-14
The Blessing is Not Dependent on Jewish Descent:
Jews by descent do not automatically inherit the blessing of salvation -
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. John 1:12-13
To Accept this Blessing All Must be “Born Again”:
From the well-known story of Nicodemus, himself a learned Pharisee. Jesus said to him:
“I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” John 3:3
The Blessing is for all People and given in Advanced to Abraham:
Again, this same message is repeated in Galatians. All who believe are “children of Abraham”. Note in particular that the gospel (of salvation through Jesus Christ) was announced in advanced to Abraham (in Gen 3 and 22):
Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” Gal 3:7-8
All Christians are “sons of God” regardless of race, status, or gender. All Christians inherit the promise God made to Abraham:
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Gal 3:26-29
Yes, it Included Descendents of Ishmael:
To be explicitly clear, God’s blessing of salvation included the descendents of Ishmael, and he was also circumcised as was required in the previous covenant with God:
This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. Gen 17:10-11
And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. Gen 17:20
Abraham and his son Ishmael were both circumcised on that same day. Gen 17:26
God’s compassion for Ishmael is clearly seen here:
God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” Gen 21:17-18
What About the Promise of Land?
The following is self-explanatory:
So the LORD gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their forefathers, and they took possession of it and settled there. The LORD gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their forefathers. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the LORD handed all their enemies over to them. Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled. Joshua 21:43-45
It was the Zionist propagandist who successfully brainwashed millions of Christians to go along with the idea that God’s promise is still outstanding despite the actual Biblical accounts.
Were these Promises Conditional?
Yes of course they were conditional. The condition is obedience. An entire chapter (Deut 28) was used to spell this out. These conditions were also stated dozens of time throughout Genesis and Deuteronomy to the ancient Israelites (too many verses to list). The many prophets of Israel were sent by God to continually warn Israel of impending judgement for disobedience.
Victims of Israel’s Enemies or God’s Judgement?
It is clear from prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Amos, that God himself would punish ancient Israel for disobedience. Many Christians today seem to prefer the distorted view that Israel is frequently a victim of her evil neighbors. Old Testament scripture reveals to us that it was often God himself who used Israel's evil enemies to punish them for sin. It is unscriptural to believe otherwise. Here is a passage from Amos 4 to illustrate this:
“ …… yet you have not returned to me,”
declares the LORD.
“ …… yet you have not returned to me,”
declares the LORD.
“ …… yet you have not returned to me,”
declares the LORD.
“ ….. yet you have not returned to me,”
declares the LORD.
“ ….. yet you have not returned to me,”
declares the LORD.
“ Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel,
and because I will do this to you,
prepare to meet your God, O Israel. ” Amos 4:6-12
What happened subsequently is well known.
Origins of the name “Israel”
The name Israel means “one who struggled with God and with men and have overcome” and originates from this famous passage in Genesis 32:
So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.” Gen 32: 24-28
Therefore, "Israel" is the new name God gave Jacob. It means "one who struggled with God and with men and have overcome" - an amazing revelation of God to the blessing of faith in Him.
Who are “Jews” Today?
A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Romans 2:28-29
Christians are circumcised Jews in the spiritual sense! This is further explained by Paul:
It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. Romans 9:6-7
Paul's audience had misunderstood that God had promised the Jews that they (Abraham's children) would receive God's eternal blessing automatically and none would perish. This is why Paul corrected this misconception by saying "It is not as though God’s word had failed" - in other words, God's promise of blessing had always been conditional - He never made such an unconditional promise. His words never fail. God does not show favoritism. This is one of His holy attributes.
Therefore, the term “Israel” now refers to everyone who makes the personal decision to accept God's wonderful gift of salvation and follow Jesus (“one who struggled with God and with men and have overcome”). So not all natural descendents of Abraham are “Jews” or “Israel” in this spiritual sense, rather all true Christians are "spiritual Israel". Also, not all natural descendents of Abraham have the right to claim to be his children in this same sense. In fact, Jesus told the unbelieving Jews that their father is the devil:
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:42-44
Are, or Will all Jews Be Saved?
Paul puts it this way:
Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved. Rom 9:27
He went on to explain the work of Jesus the Messiah quoting Isaiah 59:20:
I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
“The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” Rom 11:25-27
Hence, only those remnant Jews who “struggled with God and with men and have overcome” (i.e., true Israel) will be saved. Many people mistakenly believe that the entire nation of Israel will be saved because of the phrase “all Israel will be saved” in Rom 11:26.
The End of the Age
Many people today are curious to know when the end of the age will be, as with the disciples of Jesus:
As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Matt 24:3
-- No one knows when:
“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,but only the Father. Matt 24:36
-- It will be totally unexpected just like the time of Noah:
As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Matt 24:37-39
-- But we must be ready:
Jesus in Matthew 25 taught three parables concerning preparedness, viz, the parable of the ten virgins, parable of the talents, and parable of the goats and sheep.
So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Matt 24:44
The key message here is that there will be no second chance, just as with the days of Noah. Destruction will come suddenly as with the great flood, however at the end of the age, destruction will come in another form …
-- What will happen when Jesus returns?
The righteous taken to be with the Lord and destruction for the unjust:
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words. <Next Chapter> Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 1 Thess 4:16-18; 5:1-3
Again, this message is repeated in Paul’s second letter but with more details of the destruction to come::
God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you. 2 Thess 1:6-10
-- How will the earth be destroyed ?
The whole earth will be destroyed by fire and laid bare. The righteous will enter “the home of the righteous”:
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. 2 Peter 3:10
Scripture does not teach that there will be a thousand year rule of Christ on earth with his believers. This millennial concept or “chiliasm” (golden age) is a baggage of ancient Judaism. Jews today reject Jesus as the Son of God, and still await the arrival of their Jewish Messiah. Christians must remind themselves that they are not Jews. Judaism is a different religion.
-- What about the “rapture” and “tribulation” then?
False teachers of these last days teach that in a blink of an eye, Christians will disappear from the earth as the Lord takes them away just before the start of the “tribulation”. So what does 1 Cor 15:50-54 really say then? Let’s examine these verses for ourselves:
I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” 1 Cor 15:50-54
Firstly, this event will take place at the last trumpet sound not seven years before it, hence there is no tribulation period. Secondly, this loud noise marks Jesus’ return, the changing of the bodies of believers, and the destruction (end) of the whole world. It would be “the end of the age”.
This is also completely consistent with Jesus’ promise that “I will raise him up at the last day” John 6:40, 44, 54.
Note the consistency of the 1 Corinthian teaching when we compare it with the words of Christ himself:
“At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. Matt 24:30-31
-- In Summary:
But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 1 Cor 15:23-24
There is really no time-gap in-between.
The Kingdom of God (or Heaven)
The Kingdom of God is not something we can see or touch. It is within the body of believers:
nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you." Then he said to his disciples, "The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. Luke 17:21-22
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit Romans 14:17
We know it has come with the giving of the Holy Spirit to all believers:
But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Matthew 12:28
Christ will be with us to the end of the age:
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20
The synoptic gospels record the parables of Jesus. Each often begin with “The kingdom of God (or Heaven) is like …”. False teachers of these last days are teaching that the kingdom is yet to come because it comes with the thousand-year reign of Christ. They have deceived millions of Christians, and as a consequence, they fail to grasp these essential teachings of our Lord for their everyday living.
Jesus warned that his kingdom is not an earthly one that people associate kingdoms with. If it were, his followers would be fighting to prevent capture as earthly kings and kingdoms do:
“My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.” John 18:36
A Spiritual Temple and a Spiritual Jerusalem
In the narrative of the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus also taught that soon, with his work on the cross, the very place of worship would no longer be important:
Jesus declared, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. John 4:21
This is because Jesus would give his Holy Spirit to all believers and there will no more temple worship:
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:23-34
Again, false teachers of these last days continue to emphasize the importance of the “holy land” in Israel, and many even advocate the re-construction of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. This abominable and deplorable teaching is a reversal of the work Christ had done on the cross. Christians also unwittingly allow themselves to be made used of by the promoters of the Zionist political movement.
The writer of Hebrews made the point that the focus of Christians should be on their future home in heaven. Instead, many fell prey to supporting the Zionist political agenda. Instead of being peacemakers, they lend themselves to supporting the politics of the unjust:
All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Heb 11:13-16
The Premillennial Dispensationalist often quote Revelation 21:2 “the new Jerusalem” promoting it as the physical place restored to full glory in Israel:
I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. Rev 21:2
They fail to grasp, deliberate or otherwise, that the book of Revelation, an ancient Jewish apocalyptic literature, was written in signs and symbols – anything but literal. “Holy city” is the “bride” of Christ, which most Christians know of as symbolic of the church of true believers. It is a picture of Christ with his church. These verses speak for themselves.
The following verses make reference to a future “temple” and make it clear that it is again metaphoric and symbolic:
I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. Rev 21:22-23
These verses are seldom mentioned by Premillennial Dispensationalist teachers because they contradict their theology that emphasize the importance of a future physical Israel, Jerusalem, and a physical temple of worship.
Unity of all Believers
Jesus emphasised the unity of believers in John 17 also known “high priestly prayer of Jesus” where our Lord himself prays for the unity of all future believers. Here is a portion of his prayer:
I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. John 17:20-21
There is only one gospel of Jesus Christ. One united body of Christ:
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Eph 4:3-6
God Really Have No Favourites
It is plainly clear that there is no special plan for Jews or for the country called Israel:
Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. Acts 10:34
There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism. Rom 2:9-11
For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Rom 10:12-13
All Christians are God’s Chosen People
The story of God’s redemptive plan for humanity began with God choosing Abraham to be his servant to carry the genealogy that leads to our saviour Jesus Christ. This choice of the Jews was God’s sovereign choice. It should be abundantly clear that God desires Abraham and his descendents to lead godly and righteous lives as his chosen people. They were a people belonging to God. There is a “mystery” revealed through the apostle Paul, that God from the very beginning, intended that his plan of redemption included all humanity, first for the Jews who would then be the light of Christ for the rest of the world.
Jew or Gentile, neither one is superior over the other – all are under sin:
What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. Rom 3:9
The following applies to all people who come to faith in Christ – all are “chosen” people of God:
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:9-10 (underscoring added)
The word “chosen” is contextually taken from the follow statement from Jesus himself:
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit – fruit that will last John 15:16a
In other words, when a person comes to faith in Christ, that person is “chosen” in the correct context of verse John 15:16a. “Chosen” therefore does NOT have the distorted meaning given by the dispensationalist, that the people of Israel (or Jews in general) are intrinsically special.
The mystery revealed through Paul:
Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. Eph 3:2-6 (underscoring added)
All believers are to be the “salt” and the “light” to the rest of the world:
“You are the light of the world. … In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Matt 5:14, 16
God has not forsaken the Jews today, nor anyone else for that matter. However, he has no favorites. No man is more “chosen” or more special than the other. God desires that no one be lost, and everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
To emphasize the point that Jews were not, and are not today, intrinsically special, lets look to the Old Testament narrative in Joshua 5. This is the story of Joshua ready for the battle to take Jericho:
Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?” The commander of the LORD’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so. Joshua 5: 13-15
In other words, God does not stand on the side of any man, Jew or otherwise. There was never any favoritism shown by God to the Jews throughout history. We must stand on God’s side.
Blessing of Christ to all non-Jews foretold in prophecy:
I will plant her for myself in the land;
I will show my love to the one I called ‘Not my loved one,’
I will say to those called ‘Not my people,’ ‘You are my people’;
and they will say, ‘You are my God.’” Hosea 2:23
The above was also quoted by Paul in Romans 9:24-25
Let no foreigner who has bound himself to the LORD say,
“The LORD will surely exclude me from his people.” Isa 56:3
The Sovereign LORD declares - he who gathers the exiles of Israel:
“I will gather still others to them besides those already gathered.” Isa 56:8
Non-Jews included in the work of Christ (from the very beginning):
I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. John 6:16
For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Eph 2:14-18
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. Eph 2:19-22
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. Rom 1:16
Blessings.