Replacement Theology

Down through the ages there has been a misconception in the churches. It is the idea that the Church of Christ has replaced Israel as the inheritor of the promises made to God’s people. It is the idea that Israel is no longer the bride of Christ and that He has replaced Israel with the Church as his future wife. There is nothing scriptural about these beliefs. The Bible does not contradict itself. If the prophecies in the Old Testament are about the future glory of Israel, then we cannot arbitrarily apply them to the Church. The Church may share in those promises, but the Church has no right to claim them exclusively for itself.

One example of the error of replacement theology is in the interpretation of the fifteenth chapter of the book of John. Jesus said: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” John 15:1-2. The churches have interpreted the vine as being the Church. However, to find out more about the vine, we must search the scriptures. “For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.” Isaiah 5:7. Also, in the Psalms it is written: “Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it. Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land. The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars. She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river.” Psalm 80:8-11. There are more scriptures that indicate that Israel is the vine. However, there is a dire warning in John chapter 15. Those in Israel who reject Jesus Christ will be cut off from the vine. “If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” John 15:6. This is a warning to those who reject the Gospel. The apostle Paul pronounced this judgment on the Jews in Antioch. “Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.” Acts 13:46. Now, the question for our generation is: Have our Anglo-Saxon people rejected the Gospel as those Jews did?

It is possible for a generation of Israelites to be lost and suffer the judgment of God because of their ignorance, but they are not necessarily cut off from the vine of Israel. This is indicated in the 32nd chapter of Exodus. God destroyed those who worshipped the golden calf; thousands were put to death, but He did not destroy all of Israel. “And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.” Exodus 32:33. I believe most of our Anglo-Saxon and kindred people have not rejected the Gospel because most of our people do not know what the Gospel is. Most of our people believe the way to eternal life is honest living and showing love and mercy to others. That is NOT the Gospel. The Gospel is that all of us are sinners unworthy of eternal life and the only way to have eternal life is by asking Jesus Christ to take our sins away because of His sacrifice on the cross. He died so that we could have eternal life, but we MUST confess our sins to God and ask Him to fill us with the Holy Spirit. There is no other way; there is no other religion. Jesus said: “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:” John 15:26. Our people need a chance to hear the true Gospel of Jesus Christ, not the gospel of good works and humanistic love. Some of our people have learned the true Gospel, but all of our people will learn it when Jesus Christ returns (Romans 11:26).