Common Questions

We understand your concerns. Here are thoughtful responses to the questions we receive most often.

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Isn't This Antisemitic?

Short Answer: No. Antisemitism is hatred of Jewish people. We reject all hatred. This site examines whether a particular biblical interpretation is accurate.

Critical Distinction:

We distinguish between:
• Jewish people (whom we love and pray for)
• The government of Israel (which we can critique like any government)
• Biblical interpretations (which we can examine and question)

Evaluating government policies by biblical standards is not hatred. It's consistency.

The Old Testament prophets spoke truth to ancient Israel out of love, not hatred. Jesus wept over Jerusalem while confronting its leaders. We follow their example: loving Jewish people while maintaining biblical standards for justice.

Is This Replacement Theology?

Short Answer: No. It's fulfillment theology, the way Jesus and the apostles read the Old Testament.

We understand why this distinction might seem like semantics. To many, "fulfillment theology" sounds like "replacement theology" with better branding. So let us be clear about what we're not saying:

  • We're NOT saying God broke His promises to Abraham
  • We're NOT saying God has abandoned the Jewish people
  • We're NOT saying Jewish ethnicity is meaningless to God
  • We're NOT saying the Church simply "took over" Israel's identity

What we ARE saying: God kept His promise to Abraham perfectly, through Christ. The promise was always that through Abraham's offspring, all nations would be blessed. Jesus, Abraham's descendant, accomplished exactly that.

"It is not as though God's word had failed."

Romans 9:6

Paul's argument in Romans 9-11 is not that God replaced Israel, but that Israel's identity was always defined by faith, not genetics alone. "Not all who are descended from Israel are Israel" (Romans 9:6). This isn't a modern innovation; Paul is explaining what was true from the beginning.

Does God still have purposes for ethnic Israel? Paul seems to suggest yes (Romans 11:25-29), and we hold that possibility with appropriate humility. But that's a separate question from whether Christians are required to support modern Israeli government policies. God's ongoing love for Jewish people doesn't translate into a blank check for any nation-state.

Think About It

When Jesus said "I am the true vine" (John 15:1), was He "replacing" Israel? Or was He showing that He is what Israel was always meant to point toward? Fulfillment isn't cancellation; it's completion.

What About Romans 9-11?

Short Answer: This passage is crucial and deserves careful attention. We believe it supports our position, but we hold our interpretation with humility.

Romans 9-11 is the most important New Testament passage on Israel's ongoing significance. Christian Zionists rightly point to it. Let's engage it honestly.

What Paul Clearly Says

"As far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable."

Romans 11:28-29

We don't dispute this. God's love for the Jewish people is real and enduring. His calling is irrevocable. We affirm this fully.

What Paul Also Says

"Not all who are descended from Israel are Israel."

Romans 9:6

"A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit."

Romans 2:28-29

Paul's argument throughout Romans 9-11 is that Israel's identity was always defined by faith, not genetics alone. The "remnant" chosen by grace (11:5) are those who believe, whether ethnically Jewish or Gentile.

The "Mystery" of Romans 11:25-27

"I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters... Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved."

Romans 11:25-26

Does this predict a future mass conversion of ethnic Jews? Many believe so, and we hold that possibility with respect. But note:

  • Even if a future restoration is in view, it's spiritual restoration (salvation through Christ) not political restoration
  • "All Israel" may refer to the full number of elect (Jew and Gentile together), not every ethnic Jew
  • Either way, this passage says nothing about supporting a modern government's policies

The Key Question

Even granting the strongest reading of Romans 11 (that God has future purposes for ethnic Israel and will bring many to faith) this doesn't establish what Christian Zionists need it to establish: that Christians are required to support the policies of the modern Israeli state.

God's ongoing love for Jewish people ≠ theological approval of government actions. These are separate categories.

A Word of Humility

Romans 9-11 is genuinely difficult. Faithful Christians have disagreed about its interpretation for centuries. We don't claim to have all the answers. But we are confident about this: whatever Paul means, he isn't providing a blank check for any nation-state. That's a category error.

Should Gentile Christians Even Speak Up?

Short Answer: Yes. In Christ, the wall between Jew and Gentile has been torn down. We speak as family, not outsiders.

Some argue: "We're Gentiles. They're God's chosen people. It's not our place."

This sounds humble, but Scripture teaches otherwise:

"There is neither Jew nor Gentile... for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

Galatians 3:28

For believers in Christ, ethnicity no longer determines who may speak truth. We're part of one family with one Lord and one moral standard.

A Question Worth Considering: If Gentiles have no standing to critique Israel, do Gentiles have standing to defend Israel? Most Christians making the "not our place" argument are themselves Gentiles who speak confidently on Israel's behalf. If we can speak in support, why not in concern? This seems worth thinking through.

Scripture also warns against passive silence:

"On the day you stood aloof... you were like one of them."

Obadiah 1:11

Edom was judged not for attacking Israel, but for standing by while injustice happened. God treats willful passivity as participation. True humility means speaking truth without arrogance, not remaining silent while wrongs occur.

What About Prophecy and End Times?

Short Answer: Even if you believe God has future purposes for Israel, prophecy is not a permission slip to bypass moral obedience now.

Many Christians have been taught that modern Israel's establishment in 1948 was a fulfillment of biblical prophecy. But consider:

  • Jesus, Peter, Paul, and the author of Hebrews all explain how Israel's story culminates in Christ
  • The "restoration" promised in the prophets is described in the New Testament as happening through the gospel
  • The "new Jerusalem" isn't a Middle Eastern city but the Church made up of believers from every nation

We're not ignoring prophecy. We're reading it the way the apostles did.

Prophecy Doesn't Cancel Moral Evaluation:

Jesus explicitly told the disciples not to concern themselves with prophetic timelines:

"It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority." Acts 1:7

Christians aren't called to "engineer" prophecy through political action. God doesn't need our foreign policy to fulfill His plans. Our job is to obey God's moral commands now (truth, justice, love) and trust Him with the timeline.

Historical Note

The idea that modern Israel's founding was prophetic fulfillment only became widespread in the mid-20th century. For most of church history, Christians understood Israel's promises as fulfilled in Christ.

What About Israel's Security Concerns?

Short Answer: Security concerns are real and serious, but they don't override biblical standards for justice, and acknowledging this complexity is different from dismissing it.

Let's be honest: Israel faces genuine existential threats. Rocket attacks, terrorism, hostile neighbors who have historically sought its destruction. These are not imaginary concerns. Any fair assessment must acknowledge this reality.

We also acknowledge the genuine moral difficulty of asymmetric warfare. When militants operate from civilian areas, when tunnels run under schools, when combatants don't wear uniforms, the ethics become genuinely complicated. We don't pretend otherwise.

However:

  1. Complexity doesn't equal moral blank check. Difficult circumstances require more careful moral reasoning, not less. The fact that decisions are hard doesn't mean all decisions are equally justified.
  2. Every nation claims security. If "security" justifies any action, then no action can ever be questioned. Biblical standards must apply even, especially, in hard cases.
  3. Scripture addresses this directly. "The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever" (Isaiah 32:17). Genuine, lasting security comes through justice, not despite it.
  4. We must consider all victims. Israeli children deserve to live without fear of rockets. Palestinian children deserve to live without fear of airstrikes. Both statements are true. Both populations include image-bearers of God.

The Question We're Actually Asking:

We're not asking whether Israel has a right to security (it does) or whether terrorism against civilians is evil (it is). We're asking whether Christian theology requires us to support specific government policies without applying biblical standards of justice. That's a different question, and we believe the answer is no.

Ready to Explore Further?

If these brief answers have addressed your initial concerns, we invite you to read the full biblical case. Start with Question 1: Does Genesis 12:3 require unconditional support for modern Israel?