The role that the church plays in relation to Israel has been a subject of controversy for many generations. Many wonder, has the church supplanted Israel? Is the church a substitution for Israel? Or could the church just be an extension of Israel, a new and improved Israel? Here are some explanations.

     In history the Israelites have enjoyed the favor of the Lord. God gave them the law to live under. One has to ask, “Is the law the way to heaven?” If so then what happened to the faithful who passed away before this, like Abraham, or Job who was declared righteous by God. Then the question rises, “What about the New Testament with Jesus Christ being the sacrifice, once for all?” He Himself declared that He was the fulfilment of the law. If He was not declaring a new law or a new age without the law, how could he be the fulfilment of the law?

     1 Peter states that the Old Testament prophets searched carefully “what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you.” (1 Peter 1:11-12a) This would suggest that the Old Testament was preparing the way for the New Testament. Peter is not the only one who speaks of the New as being a continuation of the Old, Christ said, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” (Matthew 5:17) Jesus Christ came, kept the law, and then fulfilled the law. He states that “Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven;” (Matthew 5:19a) indicating that the law is still in effect. He fulfilled the law but it did not end, we are subject to the law but under grace we have the option to accept the substitution of Christ’s sacrifice for our debt.

     In his book Gundry states “Because the church has for the time being displaced Israel,” meaning that the church now takes the place of Israel before God. He also states that because of this, “Jewish designations can apply to the predominantly Gentile church.” Through this type of thinking there is no Jewish nation during this time period which will end when Christ returns. Then Israel will again be before God and the church will be set aside for what awaits it.

     This way of understanding the relationship God has for humans here on earth is called Dispensationalism. The Greek word is “oikonomia” which means “house law” or “the law of the house.” The way that we would say it is, “a dispensation in Scripture as a divine plan or administration of the affairs of God’s house,” when given to humans to prosecute “becomes a stewardship which they are required to discharge faithfully.”^[1] Rules of God that He has given to us to live by and enact throughout an age (Schofield, Chafer)^[2] or distinguishable economy (Ryrie).^[3] Most dispensationalists claim that there are seven of these dispensations and others claim more and some less. Two dispensations are spoken of in the Bible, the dispensations of grace and the millennial kingdom, and the dispensation of the law is implied.^[4]

     Ryrie in his defense of dispensationalism against comments from John MacArthur, J. I. Packer and others who questioned his discussion “Must Christ Be Lord to Be Saviour” said correctly that salvation comes from grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.^[5] One way that dispensationalists err is in believing that each dispensation is a test from God, ending in judgement. If we passed the test, we would have another way to get to heaven, through works.^[6] How can a man stand for salvation being grace alone, through Christ alone, and have two ways to “stand in favour with God.”^[7]

     One only needs to believe that Christ is the son of God and accept Him into your heart to be saved (justified) (Romans 10:9-10). The purity of the Gospel is what Ryrie was fighting for (justification), and not the sanctification that comes with it. He was separating justification from the rest of the Gospel so that he claims that you can be justified without being sanctified. Jesus as Savior without Jesus as Lord. Ryrie is arguing that it is the entire gospel of God just to be saved by grace through faith, it includes nothing else.^[8] This cannot stand in the face of John 14:15, “If you love me, keep my commandments,” and 1 Peter 4:17, “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?”

     One other way of looking at the separations in the Bible is to think in terms of God as a covenant making God.^[9] When we look into the Bible there are seven covenants between God and men. The covenants that we are looking at here are the two overriding and primary covenants, the Adamic covenant and the New Covenant or the Covenant of Grace. Covenant Theology is also known as “Federal Theology.”^[10] The Covenant of Works was the original covenant that God made with Adam. Adam had to be in complete obedience to this covenant or he would suffer death. God made a new covenant with Jesus Christ as the second Adam, The Covenant of Mercy. It was from the beginning of time and was put into operation at the fall of man. This covenant can be further divided into the Covenant of Redemption, between God and His Son, and the Covenant of Grace which is based on the Covenant of Redemption and is made between God and His elect.^[11] While the idea of covenant is as old as mankind, Covenant Theology was developed and formed out of the Protestant Reformation.^[12]

     While the church appears to have displaced Israel, Israel is back in the land, blooming, prospering and multiplying just as Isaiah wrote. God has a plan for Israel and has not turned away from them or left them up to their own devices. Which means that the church is separate from and has not displaced or replaced the nation of Israel in God’s eyes. They both have their own place in His plan for salvation and what is going to happen in the end times.

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^[1] Alan Cairns, Dictionary of Theological Terms (Belfast; Greenville, SC: Ambassador Emerald International, 2002), 135.

^[2] Craig A. Blaising, “Lewis Sperry Chafer,” ed. Walter A. Elwell, Handbook of Evangelical Theologians (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1998), 88.

^[3] Paul P. Enns, “Charles C. Ryrie,” ed. Walter A. Elwell, Handbook of Evangelical Theologians (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1998), 372.

^[4] Enns, Handbook of Evangelical Theologians, 372.

^[5] Enns, Handbook of Evangelical Theologians, 374.

^[6] Donald G. Bloesch, The Last Things: Resurrection, Judgment, Glory (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2004), 97.

^[7] Cairns, Dictionary of Theological Terms, 136.

^[8] Enns, Handbook of Evangelical Theologians, 374.

^[9] Douglas Mangum, The Lexham Glossary of Theology (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014).

^[10] Mangum, The Lexham Glossary of Theology.

^[11] Cairns, Dictionary of Theological Terms, 112.

^[12] Daniel G. Reid et al., Dictionary of Christianity in America (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1990).

 Bibliography

Blaising, Craig A. “Lewis Sperry Chafer.” Edited by Walter A. Elwell. Handbook of Evangelical Theologians. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1998.

Bloesch, Donald G. The Last Things: Resurrection, Judgment, Glory. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2004.

Cairns, Alan. Dictionary of Theological Terms. Belfast; Greenville, SC: Ambassador Emerald International, 2002.

Enns, Paul P. “Charles C. Ryrie.” Edited by Walter A. Elwell. Handbook of Evangelical Theologians. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1998.

Mangum, Douglas. The Lexham Glossary of Theology. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014.

Reid, Daniel G., Robert Dean Linder, Bruce L. Shelley, and Harry S. Stout. Dictionary of Christianity in America. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1990.