The most controversial 🔥 sermon note
Like my pastor in today's sermon, I hold to covenant theology, which teaches that the church is the true Israel—not the modern nation-state established in 1948. God's promises to Abraham are fulfilled in Christ and extended to all who believe in Him, whether Jew or Gentile.
Consider Paul’s words: “All Israel will be saved” (Rom. 11:26). That can’t mean political Israel—citizenship in a modern country doesn't guarantee salvation. Salvation has always been by grace through faith in Christ, not through national identity.
Some point to Genesis 12:3—“I will bless those who bless you...”—as if criticism of Israel automatically brings a curse. But in Galatians 3, Paul explains that the true offspring of Abraham is Christ, and those who belong to Him—the church—are heirs of the promise (Gal. 3:16, 29).
The true spiritual Israel is made up of both ethnic Jews who believe in Christ and Gentiles who believe in Christ. These are God's chosen people in the New Covenant.
Sadly, there’s been hostility toward the Gospel in modern Israel, including efforts to pass anti-conversion laws and public resistance to Christian evangelism. This should grieve us—but not surprise us. Jesus was rejected by many in His day, too.
While we are called to pray for all nations, we must recognize that God’s covenant people are no longer defined by ethnicity or geography, but by faith in Jesus. The church—not the modern state of Israel—is the people through whom God is now blessing the world.
Consider Paul’s words: “All Israel will be saved” (Rom. 11:26). That can’t mean political Israel—citizenship in a modern country doesn't guarantee salvation. Salvation has always been by grace through faith in Christ, not through national identity.
Some point to Genesis 12:3—“I will bless those who bless you...”—as if criticism of Israel automatically brings a curse. But in Galatians 3, Paul explains that the true offspring of Abraham is Christ, and those who belong to Him—the church—are heirs of the promise (Gal. 3:16, 29).
The true spiritual Israel is made up of both ethnic Jews who believe in Christ and Gentiles who believe in Christ. These are God's chosen people in the New Covenant.
Sadly, there’s been hostility toward the Gospel in modern Israel, including efforts to pass anti-conversion laws and public resistance to Christian evangelism. This should grieve us—but not surprise us. Jesus was rejected by many in His day, too.
While we are called to pray for all nations, we must recognize that God’s covenant people are no longer defined by ethnicity or geography, but by faith in Jesus. The church—not the modern state of Israel—is the people through whom God is now blessing the world.
