IS YOUR CHURCH DATING GOD'S EX?

"the star of your god Remphan" (Acts 7:43)

Many Christian churches have a heart for the nation of Israel. They may even place the political interests of Israel ahead of those of their own country. After all, isn't Israel "God's chosen people," the "apple of God's eye"? Hasn't God himself regathered the Jewish people back into their homeland in fulfillment of Ezekiel 36:24? Didn't he intervene for them in military conflicts with their enemies in order to accomplish this? Doesn't God have a special blessing for those who "pray for the peace of Jerusalem"? ("They that love thee shall prosper." Psalm 122).

Is this really the attitude God wants us to have today about this nation called Israel? What is God's own attitude toward the Jews today? The answer lies, of course, in God's word.

The bulk of the "Old Testament" is taken up with the story of God's love affair with his chosen people, Israel. He, in effect, gave birth to her by leading her through the waters of the Red Sea. He courted her in the wilderness, proving his love to her by vanquishing her enemies and by providing for her every physical need. All God asked from his betrothed in return was trusting faithfulness. In recalling her response to that love, we may wince as we remember Israel's stiff-necked pride in declaring that she could jolly well do everything for herself (Exodus 19:8), and on top of that, her continual "whoring" after other gods. Finally, God divorced her before the marriage ever actually took place. (Hosea 5:6: "They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the LORD; but they shall not find him; he hath withdrawn himself from them." This is paralleled in the amazing love story of the King and the Shulamite in Song of Solomon 5:6!)

But did God put Israel away forever? Not at all! Even in his hurt and anger, God left the door open for Israel to return to his bosom. He promises that in a future day, "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for mine anger is turned away from him." (Hosea 14:4).

The bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ, came personally to present himself to Israel in order to lovingly entice a bride to emerge from them. He laid down his very life in order to give her the righteousness necessary to become again a pure virgin -- the only solution that would allow a re-marriage. (Deut. 24:4). But, again, the bridegroom was rejected and this time murdered! (Acts 2:22-36). After he went into exile, even his groomsmen promising his return were brutally persecuted! (Acts 5:17-18; 7:58). God could have poured down wrath and destroyed his rebellious bride-to-be; but instead he gently set her aside temporarily in Acts 28:25-28 and offered his mercy to the whole unbelieving world (Ephesians 2:13-18) so that, by believing in his Son, Jesus Christ, and what he accomplished by dying for our sins on Calvary's cross and then rising from the dead for our justification, Gentile and Jew may be sealed by his Spirit into the very body of his Son. (Ephesians 1:12-14).

Right now, in the "dispensation of the grace of God," there is no "Israel."  He sees only those who are "in Christ," and those who need Christ. Paul tells us that this age is a "mystery," never before revealed to the sons of men. (Eph. 3:9; Col. 1:26). None of Israel's prophecy is presently being fulfilled. God is preserving the Jewish seed in order to deal with them in the age to come; but he is not directly intervening in Israel's affairs.

The current political state of Israel is just that: political - a humanistic effort to bring in their kingdom by themselves. Jews - or Gentiles - who have not placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour are not God's people. Those who have are the "church which is his body" not his "bride." Instead of Christian churches promoting Israel's ungodly, and often violent, efforts to rise to prominence in the Middle East and in the world, what we should be working toward is the conversion of individual Israelis - and all unbelievers - to a belief in the gospel of Christ. Salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only hope the world truly has.
Some time in the future, God will again call out a faithful remnant from the nation of Israel to believe on the name of her Messiah, Jesus, and lean on God to meet her every need. (Hosea 14:2). This bride will be lovingly courted and protected by her beloved and coaxed from her hiding place in the wilderness (Hosea 2:14) to be made righteous for the "marriage of the Lamb." (Rev. 19:7). And we, the raptured Body of Christ, will rejoice in heaven to see that day of Israel's glory!

NO SUCH THING AS A CATHOLIC CHRISTIAN

Allow me to preface my argument that there's no such thing as a "Catholic" Christian by stating that there most certainly are Christians sitting in the pews of Roman Catholic churches. But, according to the official doctrines declared by the Roman Catholic Church herself, these Christians are not Catholics!

The Roman Catholic Council of Trent, convened in 1544 and closed in 1563, pronounced "anathema" (cursed by God) on all who reject the major doctrines of the Catholic faith. See this or any of the numerous references to the council's pronouncements available on the web. These anathemas have never been rescinded by Rome, and those Catholics who, by rejecting one or more major Catholic doctrine, bring these anathemas upon themselves are automatically ex-communicated from the Roman Catholic Church.

A true Christian understands that he is now justified by placing faith alone in the person of Jesus Christ who paid the full penalty for the world's sins at Calvary. Paul's letter to the Romans amply declares this, as in Romans 4:4-5: "Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."

By contrast, the Council of Trent declared: CANON 9: "If any one saith, that by faith alone the impious is justified; in such wise as to mean, that nothing else is required to co-operate in order to the obtaining the grace of Justification, and that it is not in any way necessary, that he be prepared and disposed by the movement of his own will; let him be anathema."

A saved Christian believes that the Lord Jesus Christ paid the world's sin debt in its entirety and that no more sacrifice remains for sin. 2 Corinthians 5:19 states, "To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." Therefore, the very idea of someone who has trusted the shed blood of Christ in payment for their sin being required to pay a price themselves by suffering in "purgatory," is a grievous insult to our Saviour!

On the subject of purgatory, the Council of Trent declared: Canon 30: "If any one saith, that, after the grace of Justification has been received, to every penitent sinner the guilt is remitted, and the debt of eternal punishment is blotted out in such wise, that there remains not any debt of temporal punishment to be discharged either in this world, or in the next in Purgatory, before the entrance to the kingdom of heaven can be opened (to him); let him be anathema."
Therefore, we must conclude that there can be no such thing as a "Catholic Christian" because the Catholic Church herself has declared that no real Christian can be a Catholic!

I pray that Christians who still find themselves tied to the apron strings of "Holy Mother Church," will allow the Holy Spirit who dwells within them to gently guide them out of her abject darkness and into pure light.