What happens when the church doesn't understand Israel?
One of the most concerning things I see today in the church is a confusion or misunderstanding of Israel. It's gotten worse over time as the church starts sliding all over the place in belief. While it might not seem like a big deal, and nothing to argue over between two believers, I wanted to do a quick listing of what I see as the outcome of this confusion and the paths that lead from it. As you can see, some are concerning and, if someone goes far enough down the path, there is real destructive potential. Did the Church replace Israel? No. Absolutely not. According to theologian Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, if we look in the book of Acts, the term Israel is used 29 times, and the term church is used 19 times. The two groups are always noted as separate and distinct. This is seen in many other places, too. The book of Romans makes so clear the distinction between Israel and the church, and how there is grafting in instead of replacement. The church was a mystery, not seen in the Old ...