Has the church replaced Israel? It would be fair to say that Replacement Theology was the majority view held by the church over the centuries, and also today. As we’ve noted in previous discussions this view denies any future fulfillment of prophecy for national Israel. Proponents of RT (sometimes called Fulfillment Theology) generally hold to Covenant Theology. It reinterprets Old Testament promises referring to future national Israel on the assumption that the church now fulfills them spiritually.
On the other hand dispensationalism (See Dr. Paul Henebury’s Biblical Covenantalism) interprets these covenant promises made by God to Israel, literally. It takes God at His word. God means what He says. We think this is important to understanding God’s plans as outlined in the Bible.
Here’s an excerpt from Dr. Michael Vlach’s website:
The church is distinct from Israel The church does not replace or continue Israel, and is never referred to as Israel. According to dispensationalists, the church did not exist in the Old Testament and did not begin until the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2). Old Testament promises to Israel, then, cannot be entirely fulfilled with the church. Evidences often used by dispensationalists to show that the church is distinct from Israel include: (a) Jesus viewed the church as future in Matthew 16:18; (b) an essential element of the church—Spirit baptism—did not begin until the Day of Pentecost (compare 1 Cor. 12:13 with Acts 2); (c) Christ became Head of the church as a result of His resurrection (compare Eph. 4:15; Col. 1:18 with Eph. 1:19-23); (d) the spiritual gifts associated with the church (cf. Eph. 4:7-12; 1 Cor. 12:11-13) were not given until the ascension of Christ; (e) the “new man” nature of the church (cf. Eph. 2:15) shows that the church is a NT organism and not something incorporated into Israel; (f) the foundation of the church is Jesus Christ and the New Testament apostles and prophets (cf. Eph. 2:20); (g) the author, Luke, keeps Israel and the church distinct. On this last point, Fruchtenbaum states, “In the book of Acts, both Israel and the church exist simultaneously. The term Israel is used twenty times and ekklesia (church) nineteen times, yet the two groups are always kept distinct…keep reading
Dr. Vlach has done us all a favor in his work on Israel and Premillennialism. Recently he delivered five lectures on the subject of Israel and the Church at a Founders Baptist Church Conference. In turn, FBC has graciously made them available on their YouTube Channel. This is a great opportunity to learn about these issues from a leading scholar on the subject.
Sharing is caring!
