Israel and the Church (Pt. 2)

By William Handschumacher

A Rock of Offence Special Commentary



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This is Part 2 of a three-part Bible study.
Click on the appropriatle link to access
the other parts.
Part 1 ------- Part 3

*****************************************************



God Does Not Treat the Sin
of Old Testament Israel and
the Sin of the New Testament
Church the Same Way



There are countless examples of the popular theology that illegally mixes Israel’s Old Testament Law-based program with the Church’s New Testament Grace-based program. Recently, we heard one pastor offer his opinion as to why America is not mentioned in end-time Bible prophecy. He said (we’re paraphrasing); that America’s absence could be the result of God’s judgment against their sin. The pastor then proceeded to say that God would often severely judge the nation of Israel in the Old Testament when His people sinned - and this same principle also applies to modern-day Christians living in America.



The problem with this statement
is that God treats the sin of
modern-day Christians in a vastly
different way - than how He
treated Israel's sin in the Old
Testament because ...

Jesus started a New covenant
in His blood that changed all
of the Old Testament rules.
This pastor is using a popular
analogy connected to the error
of Replacement theology ... where
the Church is now thought to
be "the new Israel". As a
result, his teaching is heavily
influenced by the dangerous
misconception that God treats
Old Testament Israel and the
New Testament Church ... the
same way - especially concerning
sin and salvaion.



If this is truly the case - and it isn’t - we arrive at the logical conclusion that the cross of Christ didn’t accomplish much. This is the error the devil has propagated in the Christian Church since the first century – and the reason we constantly warn that some fundamental Christian teachings based on this popular yet heretical theology might sound “Biblical” ... but they do not come from Jesus Christ or our Heavenly Father.






To understand this mystery, it’s important to know that the Bible refers to the Israelites as; “God’s people”. Yet, the Church consisting of Christian believers (also called "the body of Christ") are known as “God’s sons”. These are two vastly different groups of people who are governed by different sets of covenant laws.

Speaking to all Christians in
the Church, the Apostle John
said it this way;


"He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:11-13 - Emphasis Added)

"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear (speaking of the return of Christ), we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." (1 John 3:1-2 - Emphasis and Clarifications Added)


Paul reinforces this truth
by saying;


"But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.” (Galatians 4:4-5)

"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." (Hebrews 2:9-10)



Contrary to popular church teachings, God’s people who are “subjects of the King” are in an entirely different and separate category than God’s sons ... who are members of the Royal Family. A subject of the King must ask permission to enter the throne room – and the King can, for any reason, deny their request. But, the King's son can enter the throne room any time they wish and will never be denied access - because they are members of the King’s immediate family.



As a result, Saint Paul tells
all Christian believers ...


"Let us therefore come boldly to
the throne of grace, that we may
obtain mercy and find grace to
help in time of need."
(Hebrews 4:16)


"...to the intent that now the
manifold wisdom of God might be
made known by the church to the
principalities and powers in
the heavenly places, according
to the eternal purpose which He
accomplished in Christ Jesus
our Lord, in whom we have boldness
and access with confidence
through faith in Him."
(Ephesians 3:10-12)



In casual conversations about the Bible, many of us tend to speak in general terms. We refer to all those who believe in God, both in the Old and New Testaments as; God’s people. In a very general sense this is not necessarily wrong. Yet, it subtly contributes to the misconception and error - that God treats Israel as God’s chosen people under Old Covenant Law ... and the Church under the New Covenant of Christ - the same way. This is the problem Saint Paul addresses when he commands all believers in Christ to “rightly (or correctly) divide the Word” (2 Timothy 2:15). As we previously stated, the refusal to rightly divide Scripture – and teaching it “undivided” as a single mixed and uniform theology, exists at root of nearly all false Bible teaching in the institutional church. Treating Scripture in such a way is a serious ministry sin because it redefines the Gospel and produces a counterfeit faith in Christ that God does not honor, which is why Paul warned that this way of teaching the Bible carries a curse (See Galatians 1:6-8).


ON THE SUBJECT OF SIN:

God judges the sin of the
Israelites (known as God’s
people in the Old Testament)
according to the Law of
Moses ... but treats the
sin of the Christian (God’s
sons) according to the New
Covenant of Christ, where
Jesus is their substitute
and sin bearer.

This spiritual benefit was not
available under the Old
Testament program of the Law.



Concerning sin, the Law of Moses
(as spoken by God through the
prophet Ezekiel) declares;


"Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: The soul that sinneth, it shall die." (Ezekiel 18:4 - Also see verse 20)


In Romans 6:14 of the New Testament
Paul makes the following declaration
concerning what the sacrifice of Christ
accomplished for the Christian believer;

"For sin shall not have dominion over
you: for ye are not under the law,
but under grace."


Nine verses later in Romans 6:23 Paul
refers to the Law's way of dealing
with sin, which repeats the same warning
God spoke through the prophet Ezekiel
hundreds of years earlier;

"For the wages of sin is death"
(or, "the soul that sinneth it
shall die.")


Then - in the same sentence Paul tells us
how the cross changed this Law-based
death sentence concerning sin;

...but, the gift of God is eternal life
in Christ Jesus our Lord.


This is why, when a Christian commits sin, the offense (and the judgment and punishment that goes with it) is no longer assigned (or imputed) to them, but to Christ who bore their sin at the cross - as their substitute and sin bearer. This transfer of guilt, punishment and judgment is the result of the believer’s position “in Christ” and applies to all sin – past, present and future. We repeatedly quote the following Scriptures in many of our studies, which strongly proclaims this often despised Biblical truth ... among those who embrace various brands of Replacement theology and its anti-grace teachings that dominate the church.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, Who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses (sin) to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation." (2 Corinthians 5:17-19 - Emphasis Added)

"There is therefore now no condemnation (judgment for sin) to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1-2)

"For He (God) made Him (Jesus Christ) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21 - Emphasis Added)



The Difference Between
Servants and Sons


Shortly before the cross, Jesus gave His disciples a glimpse of some monumental changes about to take place.

"No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you." (John 15:15)


As we previously noted, Old Testament Israel is called “God's chosen people”, who are loyal subjects of the King, our Heavenly Father. Another word used to describe a subject of the king is “servant”. Any student of history understands that those who live under a king’s rule are also considered to be his servants. In early forms of feudalism servants were often called “serfs”. Feudalism is an imperfect example to use, since many of the kings and lords operating in this system were not benevolent, but harsh when dealing with those under their rule. Yet, this example helps us to understand the basic relationship between God and His Old Testament chosen people.



Wikipedia describes this kind of servant hood or “serfdom” in the following way;

The serfs had a feudal contract, just like a baron or a knight. A serf's feudal contract was that he would live on and work a piece of land held by his Lord. The serf would get protection in return. A free man usually became a serf because he owed a large debt. He would make an agreement with the Lord of the land. The Lord would keep him safe, give money for his debt, and give him land to work on, and he would do work for the Lord. All his children would become serfs. The usual serf "paid" his fees and taxes by working for the lord 5 or 6 days a week. At different times in the year he would do different things. A serf could plough his lord's fields, harvest crops, dig ditches, or repair fences. The rest of his time he could take care of his own fields, crops and animals. The big problem for a serf was that he had to do the work for the Lord before he could do his own work. When his Lord’s crops needed to be harvested, his needed to be harvested, too. The Lord would give them very good food when they worked for him. The serfs also had to pay taxes and fees. The Lord decided how much taxes they would pay from how much land the serf had, usually 1/3 of their value. Money was not very common then, so usually they paid by giving food instead of money. (These are excerpts taken from various sections of the Wikipedia description)





There are many parallels in the Bible (noted in parenthesis) to this system of government such as:

Everything was owned by the ruling King or Lord

The serf had a contract (covenant) with the King or Lord

Servant hood often resulted from owing a large debt (human sin debt)

In return for their obedience, the serf would get protection (a covenant benefit)

When the king’s servants sinned against him (broke the covenant) – they were punished

Fees and taxes had to be paid to the King (Tithes)

Money was not common - so crops were used as payment (as in the Biblical Tithe)

The King’s crops were tended to “first” (Tithes are known as “first-fruits”)





Christ’s Parable of the
Unprofitable Servant


We can see this same relationship
between a servant and their Lord
in the following parable of Christ.
It’s important to remember that
these words were spoken before
the cross.



“For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey." (Matthew 25:14-15)

“So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’" (Matthew 25:20-23)

“Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’”

“But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’" (Matthew 25:24-29)



The Way the Lord Judged His
Servants in Matthew
Chapter 25 is Not Christian
Judgment


A vast majority of professing Christians are convinced that this parable illustrates the way they will be judged by God. If their spiritual works and efforts qualify as being “profitable” - Jesus will grant them entrance into heaven and say ... “well done good and faithful servant - enter into the joy of your Lord”. But, if their works and efforts are judged to be “unprofitable”, Jesus will deny them entrance to heaven and will order them to be … “cast into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

As a result of this popular belief, many professing Christians think that their failure to; live in holiness, read the Bible, attend church services, pray, evangelize, tithe, visit the sick and give to the poor – will result in Jesus judging them as “unprofitable servants”, where He casts them into outer darkness.


Some Bible Scholars condemn
this theology - calling it;
“the error of Protestant
Purgatory”, which is based
on the Old Testament model
of conditional salvation
found in the Law of Moses.

It is therefore not a judgment
found in the New Covenant of
Christ that started after the
cross.



It originally existed under Roman Catholicism and was transplanted into the Protestant Reformation by various ministers who disagreed with the teachings of Martin Luther; the movement’s leader. John Calvin and his ministry associates were part of this effort and the result is found in most expressions (but thankfully not all) of Christian fundamentalism. It continues to be one of the most serious (and common) misconceptions existing among professing Christians today. More information is available HERE


Jesus obviously used this parable
to describe how a certain group
of people will be judged.

However ...

He was not speaking to His
redeemed Church, also
known as "sons of God"
living after the cross.



This is one reason Jesus told his disciples shortly before the cross; “No longer do I call you servants, but I have called you friends.” Yet, the sacrificial death of Christ made these men (and all those who believe in Christ after them) far more than just His friends. According to both John and Paul - it transformed them into sons of God and members of “the royal family of heaven” (John 1:11-13, 1 John 3:1-2, Galatians 4:4-5, Hebrews 2:9-10). Contrary to popular church teachings, the judgment Jesus described in Matthew 25:14-29 is specifically directed at God’s servants - understood as Old Testament law-abiding Israel. It does not apply to His sons (the New Testament Church consisting of both Jews and Gentiles), who are now treated and judged according to a different set of rules called “the New Covenant”.

After the cross, God considers believers (now His sons) to be “crucified with Christ and dead” (Galatians 2:20-21 and Colossians 3:3). A dead person has no works or merit to offer, which is why God uses His only begotten Son, Jesus, as their “substitute”. Since Jesus is perfectly sinless, righteous and holy - God reckons (imputes) this same spiritual condition to all believers in Christ - through a faith apart from works (See Romans 4:4-8 and Romans 5:15-21). The New Testament calls it “justified freely by His Grace” (Romans 3:24-26). Some Bible scholars correctly refer to it as, “the substitutionary death of Christ”. This reckoned (or imputed) perfect righteousness and holiness is what qualifies a believer to be “a son of God”. It is this same reckoned (or imputed) perfect righteousness and holiness that qualifies a believer to participate in the rapture of the Church. But, those who strive to qualify through their own imperfect works, spiritual performance and merit (as many professing Christians attempt to do) are now declared to be unworthy - and rejected. God only receives sons who possess His Son’s imputed perfection.



The Apostle John speaks about
God's use of Jesus as the
believer’s substitute and the
confidence it provides;



"Love has been perfected among
us in this:

That we may have boldness in
the day of judgment; because
as He (Jesus Christ) is, so
are we in this world."
(1 John 4:17)


More information about "New Testament
Imputation" is available HERE



Maintaining good works and godly behavior is important for the believer as Christ’s representatives on earth. These attributes should always be sought after and practiced for the right reasons. They certainly contribute toward any rewards received after arriving in heaven. But, as "sons of God" who possess Christ’s imputed righteousness, any deficiency in this area of good works and behavior is no longer used to condemn them as “unprofitable servants”, with the result of being “cast into outer darkness”.

Paul was emphasizing this
same truth when he said ...


"There is therefore now no condemnation (punishment or judgment for sin) to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1-2)

Note: The phrase "according to the flesh" refers to a person's attempt to obtain God's favor and acceptance through their own efforts of good works and religious performance (or the flesh). The phrase "according to the Spirit" refers to possessing God's favor and acceptance as a result of the "imputed righteousness of Christ"; also called "God's free gift" in Romans 5:17-19.


This spiritual state of "no condemnation" is not something that only continues until the believer sins again - and then comes to an end. It's a benefit permanently imputed to them "by faith only" (assigned with no merit or work requirements) - as a result of the cross (Romans 4:4-8). How can this possibly be true? Jesus as "The Lamb of God" permanently took away their sin. Believing this truth is what separates authentic Christians - from counterfeit Christians.

Under the feudal-type of Old Testament government that Jesus previously described, THE LORD OR KING OWNED EVERYTHING and the servants of the king (God’s chosen people) were only permitted to “use” or exercise stewardship over his resources and possessions. This is why the prophet Malachi warned Old Testament Law-abiding Israel (and not the Church) that withholding the tithe was considered “stealing from God” because it broke the original agreement (the Mosaic Covenant) the servants had made with their Lord at Mount Sinai.


But, after the cross on Mount Calvary,
a New Covenant is established which
makes the previous covenant obsolete.
Under the New Covenant believers are
“sons of God” and shares ownership
with their Lord of all His possessions,
making them “joint-heirs with Christ”.
(Hebrews 7:11-22 and 8:6-13)



"For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear (as under the previous old covenant of the Law), but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God." (Romans 8:15-19 – Emphasis and Clarifications Added)

“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of the New Covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.”

“See that you do not refuse Him Who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him (Jesus Christ) Who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him (the resurrected Christ) Who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, ‘Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.’” (Hebrews 12:22-26 - Emphasis Added)



Important Note: Paul often began his epistles by identifying himself as “a bond-servant of Jesus Christ”. He used this specific term to describe the unique nature of his ministry, which was vastly different from the rest of the leading apostles. He is not saying that all believers in the Church are now “bond-servants of Christ”. God called Paul to a special level of suffering “for the sake of the Gospel” (Acts 9:13-15) that often required him to live outside many of the blessings of the New Covenant - which the rest of the church continued to enjoy. Paul called some of these sufferings his “thorn in the flesh”. Contrary to popular church teachings, this “thorn” was something God only assigned to Paul - and nobody else. More information is available HERE





*****************************************************

This is Part 2 of a three-part Bible study.
Click on the appropriatle link to access
the other parts.
Part 1 ------- Part 3

*****************************************************




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