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Replacement/Fulfillment Theology Supersessionism debunked

Replacement/Fulfillment Theology Supersessionism debunked. Replacement Theology. This course is designed to combat the belief of replacement or fulfillment theology. The aim is primarily to establish a proper view of Scripture, and not to attack or assail they who hold an improper view.

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Replacement/Fulfillment Theology Supersessionism debunked

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  1. Replacement/Fulfillment Theology Supersessionism debunked

  2. Replacement Theology • This course is designed to combat the belief of replacement or fulfillment theology. • The aim is primarily to establish a proper view of Scripture, and not to attack or assail they who hold an improper view. • My reason for combat is that there are more than improper views of Scripture, but dangerous mindsets that are more than unbecoming of a Christian.

  3. Defining Supersessionism • Supersessionism is the belief that either Jesus, or the Church, or both have superseded Israel, and therefore the Jewish people themselves mean nothing beyond what any other pagan nation signify. Israel is no longer the chosen people; God has moved away to focus upon the Church alone. • Also known as replacement theology • This also suggests the land has no importance.

  4. Jesus and the Jews • Because the Jewish people have forsaken the notion of Jesus being messiah, some going so far as even claiming Jesus never existed, they are considered by some replacement theologians as eternally cursed, and by others as simply a different kind of paganism.

  5. Jesus and the Jews • It is accepted by some that the Jews can come to God through Jesus, but in order to do so, they must cease from being Jewish and become part of the Church. In this, it isn't simply that they are seen as “pagan”, as they would claim, but that there is something detested about being Jewish. Anti-Semitism and arrogance are the heart of replacement theology. You don't ask a man to stop being Gentile when they come to Christ, so why would you then claim that you must stop being Jewish?

  6. Shem and Japheth • In Genesis 9:15-17, we read the blessings of Noah to his sons. Ham and Canaan receive curse, and are declared to be a servant unto his brethren forever. To Japheth, Noah declares that he shall be enlarged, which is certainly the case when you read the nations associated with Japheth. To Shem, it is said that his blessing is that his brother Japheth shall enter his tent, and that in entering that tent shall come under the authority of Shem.

  7. Shem and Japheth • The question of replacement theology is whether that prophecy of Genesis 9:25-27 finds fulfillment in Israel or in Jesus. • If in Israel, then it is not the Jew that must enter the Church to be saved, but the Gentile who must become part of “the commonwealth of Israel”, and live by whatever definition/character the Bible posits that phrase to have.

  8. Replacement Theology • From the definition of replacement theology, it doesn't seem at first glance to be too harsh of a position. I would like to claim something much more extreme than the mere definition merits. This is a salvation issue; you cannot truly be a Christian and yet hold to replacement theology. The two statements are as contradictory as saying, “This sentence is false.”

  9. Crackpot Conspiracies • Something else that replacement theology will sometimes employ are the anti-Semitic beliefs that the Jews are attempting to take over the world and promote a one-world government, in which their antichrist will be the ruler of the world, and this will commence the Tribulation of Revelation. This conspiracy theory has been handed down from the so-called church fathers, enforced brutally by the Catholic church, and is even to this day demanding Jewish lives through Muslim extremists, neo-Nazis, and on the horizon there is more bloodshed in the name of “Christ”.

  10. Crackpot Conspiracies • When we will believe a conspiracy theory is the reason that the Jews got the land in 1948, and this 'inheriting' of the land was in utter opposition to God, we begin to make theological statements that demand Scriptural attestation. • Just where do you find reason to believe that human beings can thwart the judgment of God by establishing themselves as a nation again, especially if God's intent was that they never be a nation? Either God is sovereign, and therefore He is Judge, or man is sovereign, and therefore God is nonexistent.

  11. Basis of Replacement Theology • The only basis by which replacement theology can stand is that we have something the Jewish people don't: salvation through Jesus Christ. • Even this argument is obviously flawed, for we were outside of Christ and without hope in the world for at least some length of time in our lives. Why is there opportunity for our salvation, but not theirs?

  12. Basis of Replacement Theology • The only basis by which replacement theology can stand is that we have something the Jewish people don't: salvation through Jesus Christ. • Another flaw is that it puts our theology as the foremost authority, instead of God. What is it to you if God desires that the Jewish people would go to heaven simply because they are children of Abraham? Are you going to argue with God's generosity? This question gets at the heart of the issue.

  13. Fulfillment in Christ • It is on the basis that God has fulfilled all of His prophecies and covenants in Christ that replacement theology stands. Only arrogant hatred of the Jew can produce anti-Semitism otherwise. Because I am attempting to address some of the actual theological issues, I will ignore the arrogant hatred until the end of this study. • Is there another way that we can interpret Romans 10:4?

  14. Supersessionism as Theological Grid • God created perfection (Gen 1-2) • Adam sinned (Gen 3) • God provided a plan of redemption that finds fulfillment in Christ (New Testament) • This, at best, sees Israel as a long progression toward redemption, but nothing more than that. At worst, it sees Israel and the Old Testament as a footnote. This negates the Old Testament's worth and value, simply because it is believed that the New Testament is when you get into “the good stuff”.

  15. Supersessionism as Theological Grid • Perfection, fall, and redemption as pattern • Gen 1-3, Adam was clothed with skins as redemption • Gen 4-6 begins with Cain killing Abel, and ends with the flood • From Noah through to Abraham we have a covenant established • From Abraham to Moses we have a covenant established • From Moses to David (or Jesus) we have a covenant established

  16. Supersessionism as Theological Grid • The view just expressed is called 'dispensationalism'. It looks at these patterns as different “dispensations” in which God deals with humanity differently in each era. Traditionally, dispensationalism holds to the Jews still being God's people, but they still often hold to God working differently through the new covenant, and therefore God's true people are the Church, and Israel is only in “intermission” until they be saved at seeing Jesus in the clouds. • Replacement theologians would enforce dispensationalism in regard to saying each era supersedes the previous.

  17. Supersessionism as Theological Grid • Dispensationalism is only different from replacement theology in that they believe that one day all Israel will be saved – but in no other point. • Admittedly, most replacement theologians are not dispensational in nature, but the parallels are too obvious to not mention. To say that Israel is the people of God, but not like the Church, is to say that Israel is not the people of God, or that the Church is not the people of God. There cannot be two 'peoples' of God.

  18. Spiritual Israel • Romans 9:6 • The line is traced back to Romans 4-5, and sometimes to Romans 2:28-29, where Paul claims that those who have faith in Christ Jesus are the offspring of Abraham. God is more concerned with us, the spiritual seed of Abraham, than with the natural, because the natural has not faith. • Romans 9:6, and so Romans 11:26 can't mean natural Israel

  19. Stripped of the Kingdom • Matthew 21:43 • Therefore I tell you that the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. • Note that it is Jesus who says this. • Note that Matthew only uses the phrase “Kingdom of God” four times. Therefore, this statement is emphasized all the more.

  20. Titles and Roles • Various places in the New Testament give certain titles and roles, which God originally pronounced to Israel, to the Church. • 1 Peter 2:9 • Revelation 1:6 • 1 Corinthians 6:19 • John 8:31-41, Romans 4, Galatians 3

  21. Paul's Treatment of Israel • In 1 and 2 Corinthians, Paul uses Israel as an example that they did not have faith, did not inherit, but we have. • In 1 Corinthians 10:1-5, he even makes the point that their bodies were scattered through the wilderness • In 2 Corinthians 3:7-15 he makes the point that Moses' veil rests upon the hearts of all Jews • Depending on if you believe Hebrews was written by Paul, we see similar treatment in Hebrews 3-4.

  22. Talmud or Torah? • In Marching to Zion, Texe Marrs and Stephen Anderson examine the issue of replacement theology. Their opening argument is that the Jews don't follow the Bible, but the Talmud. • Within the Talmud are many blasphemous statements against Jesus

  23. Talmud or Torah? • The Jews say they follow the Torah, and yet don't believe in the creation, don't believe in the Garden of Eden, don't believe in Adam and Eve, don't believe in the tower of Babel, don't practice circumcision, don't believe in the Exodus story, don't believe God came down upon Sinai, and don't believe in heaven or hell. • What part of the Torah do they actually believe?

  24. The Jews Killed Jesus • 1 Thessalonians 2:14-15, Acts 3:13, 17 • The Jews are the children of the devil, and therefore hate Jesus. • John 8:31-41

  25. Church Fathers • The church fathers were all replacement theologians and anti-Semitic, and we should be too. • Invariably, every church father of protestantism was a replacement theologian until about 200 years ago. • The first mention of Israel being the people of God is with Scofield and Darby

  26. Blessing Israel • Genesis 12:2-3 is for Abraham, and Abraham alone. Nothing in the New Testament establishes this covenant as being eternal, and so most people get their teaching that we should bless Israel from Scofield notes instead of the Bible. • Galatians 3:7-9, 14-16, 18, 28-29, 4:22-26, 28-29

  27. Exile • Why have the Jews been exiled and kicked out of the countries they are in, suffering terrible persecution for the last 2000 years? • Because they have blasphemed Christianity.

  28. Zionist Conspiracy • The Zionist State was not established by God, but by men like the Rothschilds, who were originally bankers who funded both sides of many wars simply to gain their wealth. They are part of a much larger Lucifarian Illuminati conspiracy to establish a one-world government and an antichrist ruler of that government.

  29. Synagogue of Satan • There are two churches mentioned in Revelation 2-3 that are being persecuted by the “synagogue of Satan”. They are noted as being people who claim to be Jews, but are not Jews. • It isn't hard to figure out who the synagogue of Satan is considering there is only one religion in the world who have synagogues, and that the Bible says the true Jew is one inwardly.

  30. Messiah • When you look at what the Jews expect the messiah to be, it looks just like the antichrist that we know to be arising: • World ruler who brings peace • Unites all nations and religions • Great warrior and vindicator of Israel • Etcetera

  31. Heavenly Zion • Zion and Jerusalem are not physical places, but are now heavenly places. We aren't concerned any longer with the physical place, because in the New Heaven and New Earth, the heavenly Jerusalem and Zion come down. It is the earthly Jerusalem that is in bondage and the slave woman, but the heavenly that is free, of whom we are.

  32. The Real Question • There are often quite elaborate cross-references made throughout the New Testament to establish this belief of replacement theology. The question is not one of “proof texts” and whether they are able to build a better argument than someone else. • The real question is this: Is it true? • Who cares how ingenious some of these theological filters are if it isn't true? Who cares if they can quote the whole Bible and make it all seem like it fits perfectly if it is not true? What determines truth, theological formula or God?

  33. The Whole of Scripture • Covenant Language • Eternal Covenant (Gen 9:16) • Abrahamic Covenant (Gen 12, 15, 17) • Sinai Covenant (Exo 19-20) • Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7:14) • “New” Covenant (New Testament)

  34. The Whole of Scripture • Spurgeon has said, “Covenant is the basis of all theology, and ought to be the chief point of study among believers.” • Genesis 3:15 • Cain and Abel/Seth • Ham/Canaan and Shem/Japheth • Babel and Abraham • Ishmael and Isaac • Esau and Jacob • Egypt/Moab/Philistine/Assyria/Babylon/Rome and Israel

  35. The Whole of Scripture • Through the seed of the woman, we find the Kingdom of God. Through the seed of the serpent, we find the kingdom of darkness. Notice the first obvious mention of the seed of the serpent (Cain) ends with the establishment of a city. This is traced straight to the plains of Shinar with Babel, which is the root of the name “Babylon”.

  36. The Whole of Scripture • Even the prophets declare that all of the pagan nations shall behold God and shall not be cut off at the coming of Messiah. • Isaiah 2:2-4, 66:18-24 • Micah 4 • Zechariah 8:20-23, 14:16-17 • Malachi 1:11 • Daniel 7:12

  37. The Whole of Scripture • If it is only the kingdom of darkness that is destroyed, then it is only the ultimate kingdom of darkness: the kingdom under the Antichrist. • The seed of the woman is the Kingdom of God upon this earth. Through that seed, which we know to be Christ, redemption comes. Through that seed, which we know to be Christ, the Gentiles enter the Kingdom. The question is whether the Jews are a part of this Kingdom forever, or if the descendants of Abraham are solely the spiritual descendants of Abraham.

  38. The Whole of Scripture • To trace the covenant from Genesis unto the end of the Bible, we find that the development is never in expectancy of Israel being outside of that covenant. • Even within the New Testament, we have statements from Jesus about “the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place”, and therefore persecution breaking out upon the people of God. Yet, if Christians are the sole people of God, then why would the abomination of desolation (as spoken by Daniel) have any significance? Doesn't that strictly imply a Jewish persecution? Jesus even says that they in Judea should flee to the mountains, which once again causes us to wonder about the whole earth bit that we see in Revelation. This “flight” mirrors what was spoken in Amos 9, specifically regarding “the wicked kingdom” (Israel) being sifted through all nations. Notice as well that even in Luke, the passages heralded by many replacement theologians as the destruction of Jerusalem alone (70 A.D.) that Jesus declares, “Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”

  39. The Whole of Scripture • The point here is quite simple that it is impossible not to understand. If Jerusalem matters to Jesus in such a way that it is the place He returns, which Zechariah even declares that He vindicates (Zech 14), then the replacement theologian has a lot of explaining to do. Replacement, covenant, divestment, and fulfillment theologians have done an awfully poor job explaining why Jesus would return to a place that means nothing to Him anymore. Why Jerusalem instead of Rome, NYC, or Hong Kong? If it means nothing, why not the middle of the desert somewhere? Why specifically to Jerusalem, specifically gathering the elect to Him there (which reflects passages like Isaiah 49:18, 22-26), rather than some other place? Does Jerusalem mean nothing, or does it mean something?

  40. The Whole of Scripture • We cannot simply conclude that Jesus is the seed of the woman, for Romans 16:20 tells us that we shall crush the head of the serpent. • Therefore the seed of the woman must be a people – Israel. • Who is Israel? Let us not forget Romans 9:6. Yet, let us not forget that Romans 9:6 comes immediately after Romans 9:1-3. What could it be that causes such anguish for Paul? Is this Jewish compassion toward his brethren, or an apostolic distinctive?

  41. The Whole of Scripture • The problem of Romans 9:6 is that for the next 10 times that Paul mentions “Israel” it is not “spiritual Israel”. For the next 10 times, we read of natural Israel, which takes us all the way to Romans 11:26, where the question can be asked of whether it is natural or spiritual Israel. Well, what was the context of the statement? For the past 10 times, it has been natural Israel. Even at the beginning of Romans 11, Paul is speaking of natural Israel, and all through Romans 11 he is addressing the fact that the “natural” branches have been cast off “temporarily”. If you have a qualm with that, then take it up with God, but stop saying that Romans 11:26 needs to be read in light of Romans 9:6. It needs to be read in light of Romans 1-11:25. Through that whole sweep, you find over and over again that Paul makes statements that cannot mean anything other than the natural branches are still important, and are still the people of God.

  42. The Whole of Scripture • Romans 1 begins with the Gospel being distinguished as promised beforehand by the prophets, who was according to the flesh the son of David. It is entirely a Jewish – more accurately, a Hebrew – Gospel. • This is why Romans 1:16 would say that it is “to the Jew first”.

  43. The Whole of Scripture • Romans 2 ends with a Jew being one inwardly, and circumcision and issue of the heart. • Let us not forget Romans 3:1-5, though. Were the people who followed Absolom not Israelite because they didn’t follow David? Were the Israelites that followed Baal and Jezebel no longer Israelite because they weren’t a part of the 7000 who did not bow the knee to Baal? No. Just because a Jewish person does not have the heart circumcision does not make them anything other than Jewish. It does not nullify their inheritance. Rather, the issue boils down to the purposes of God in the eschatological scheme. Paul is making a distinction, yes, but that distinction is no more than distinguishing between the Levites and the other tribes.

  44. The Whole of Scripture • Romans 2 ends with a Jew being one inwardly, and circumcision and issue of the heart. • There are still the apostate, those who have rejected truth and cleaved unto the lie. Yet, they are still elect. Personal salvation is a side issue, because we’re not dealing with individual salvation. We’re dealing with the question of whether natural Israel is still significant or not.

  45. Pattern of Sodom, Israel, and Judah • Ezekiel 16 discusses the sins of Sodom and northern Israel, comparing Judah’s sin with both. • Ezekiel maintains that Judah beheld the things that came upon Sodom and Israel, and yet performed more sins, and worse sins, than both of them combined. • God’s question is this: How can you watch me judge them, and then perform the same kind of wickedness and not think I’m going to judge you?

  46. Pattern of Sodom, Israel, and Judah • Ezra • In Ezra 4:1-5 we read of “adversaries” that come to the people and say they have worshipped the Lord since they were taken away into Assyria. Who could this possibly be? The only people they could be are the northern Israelites that were taken into captivity. Yet, Ezra says, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God.”

  47. Pattern of Sodom, Israel, and Judah • Ezra • The difficulty is that I find nowhere in the previous commands of God that this should have been the attitude. First, there is no mention that Ezra prayed to seek the Lord’s counsel. Second, they did not say, “If you do these things, then you can join us in repairing the wall. But the repairing of the Temple must be done by us.” Third, God has always accepted the foreigner and sojourner. I understand they are called “enemies”, but that doesn’t mean that the proper reaction was taken.

  48. Pattern of Sodom, Israel, and Judah • Ezra • How many people do you know with that kind of mentality in the Body of Christ? Because they aren’t Baptist, or KJV only, or Charismatic, or Catholic, or Protestant, etc they are separated and outside, and therefore have no part with us. That mentality does not stem from a jealousy for the glory of God, nor from a love of the truth. It is elitism.

  49. Pattern of Sodom, Israel, and Judah • Ezra 9-10 • This man is weeping over the sin of intermarriage and then coercing people to divorce their spouses. Revile and denounce the Gentile women in the very lineage of King David, and therefore Jesus as well, Rahab and Ruth! May the Lord rebuke Boaz rebuke Bathsheba, the woman born of a Hittite! And may the Lord rebuke Boaz and David for marrying them! Does this sound like the heart of God? Does this sound like the way God views the Gentiles who come to Him?

  50. Pattern of Sodom, Israel, and Judah • Replacement Theology • This is the root of replacement theology. The people so desperately want to be Israel that they repeat the very sins and arrogance of Israel. Judah saw the Samaritans, from Northern Israel, as less than, under, and rejected. And yet Christians repeat that same disposition by calling Israel rejected, less than, and accursed. Even after the atrocities of church history, we still don’t relent.

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