This is a second podcast dealing with supersessionism and replacement theology, which are foundational to the problem of anti-Semitism within the Church. We have already seen through the Holocaust what anti-Semitism can lead to, and we agree with the cry, “Never again!” It is imperative therefore that we remove these doctrines of anti-Semitism from the Church so that the Church can be a force to remove anti-Semitism from the world.

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Show Notes:

Replacement theology and supersessionism twist the writings of Paul to suggest that Christians have replaced the Jews as God’s people. Yet Paul wrote in Romans 11:1, “God has not rejected His people, has He?” Then he made that as emphatic as possible by stating, “May it never be!” That means it will never happen. God will never reject the Jewish people. Yet Christians continue to misinterpret verses from Paul’s Epistles to support their supersessionist doctrines.

A belief in these doctrines requires picking a few verses and twisting them in such a way that makes them appear as meaning something they do not. But a comprehensive reading of Paul’s Epistles clearly shows that the new covenant enables Gentiles to be included; it does not exclude the Jews. Through Christ who is the natural seed of Abraham through Israel, Gentiles who are not the natural seed can participate with the descendants of Israel in God’s promises to Abraham.

As Gentile Christians we are wild branches grafted into the same tree in which the Jews are natural branches. And Paul warns us not to be arrogant toward the natural branches because if God can cut them off, He can do the same to us. Yet replacement theology and supersessionism express arrogance toward the Jews. This is deception that we need to be delivered from because it works against the truth that God’s unilateral covenant with Abraham, expressed through Christ and ratified by Him on the cross, brings Christians and Jews to a point of oneness in our faith in God and in His Word.

Key Verses:

• Jeremiah 31:31–33. “I will put My law within them and on their heart.”
• Jeremiah 31:34. “I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”
• Jeremiah 31:35–37. “If this fixed order departs, … then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel.”
• Galatians 3:16. “The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed.”
• Galatians 3:17–21. “If a law … was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law.”
• Galatians 3:22–23. “The Scripture has shut up everyone under sin.”
• Galatians 3:26–29. “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants [seed].”
• Romans 4:1–7. “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
• Romans 4:9–12. “He received the sign of circumcision … so that he might be the father of all who believe.”
• Romans 11:1. “God has not rejected His people.”
• Romans 11:13–16. “If the root is holy, the branches are too.”
• Romans 11:17–22. “Do not be arrogant; … it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.”
• Romans 11:25–27. “THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.”
• Romans 11:30–33. “God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.”

Quotes:

• “The Jewish people down through the generations have been a blessing to every nation, being those who agreed to the teaching, to the Law and what it stands for—what it means—bringing a moral code into existence to humanity and culture.”
• “The new covenant was not canceling out the covenant with Abraham. In fact, it was being fulfilled by Christ who was promised to Abraham in that unilateral covenant.”
• “I pray that people take this and study it; study these Scriptures carefully until they are delivered from every root of anti-Semitism, every root of supersessionism, every root of replacement theology.”

Takeaways:

1. The Gentile world has full access to share in the new covenant by having the faith of Abraham. There is no need and no possibility, in truth, to eliminate the Jewish people from this covenant.
2. Yeshua (Jesus) was not the single seed of Abraham who replaced all the Jews by enacting the new covenant. But rather, Yeshua coming forth from the seed of Abraham—the lineage of the Jewish people—instituted the new covenant as the fulfillment of the promises that were given to Abraham that through him all the nations of the world would be blessed.
3. The Scriptures have shut up everyone, Jews and Gentiles, under sin so that the righteousness that is imparted by faith in accordance with grace might be guaranteed to all the descendants—that is the seed of Abraham—both Jews and Gentiles.
4. Supersessionism and replacement theology are an expression of arrogance toward God’s people that Paul warned against in Romans 11.