The New Israel

 

So, its weird and very amazing how God works in the lives of people across the world every day. Sometimes a simple conversation can open the eyes of people to the truth without having to use complicated theological terms and expressions. That is exactly what happened in a recent conversation I had with my grandmother, a protestant. Let me explain.

            My grandmother is one of the most important people in my life, someone I look up to and respect with the highest regard.  However, me being a converted Orthodox Christian, and her a Southern Baptist protestant, we often disagree on matters and have some heated discussions. However, the discussion I had with her on this occasion led me to writing this blog and explain the Church’s teaching on Israel and what it means for us as Christians.

            You’ll remember in my previous blog that I discussed the posterity of Abraham, and that just because one was a member of the posterity of Abraham, they were not Sons of Abraham. Jesus Christ says as much in the gospels. John 8:39 is the moment that Jesus condemns those who do not believe in him as not being children of Abraham and having him as their father. Abraham, though by nationality, was a Jew, he believed in the incarnation of Christ, and was a Christian. Though Abraham lived well before Christ, he himself longed for and prayed for Christ to come and reveal the mystery of the incarnation to the world and bring all peoples to God. The Jewish people, though well intentioned, were themselves deceived that by being the offspring of Abraham that entitled them to salvation and having God to themselves. It is no different today when Americans talk about the United States of America being a Christian nation. If America is the Christian nation it proclaims to be, then it must follow Christ in everything. As we know from the example of the Jewish people now and in the bible, and Americans in modern society, this is not the case. Americans allow things that are abhorrent to God, like homosexuality, abortion, and other issues to name a few. By removing themselves from God they no longer were the “Chosen People” of God and God who will always maintain a remnant. So, what is this remnant? Let me answer that in a new paragraph.

            The new remnant are those who follow God. They are not chosen by being born of a certain people or belonging to a certain club or producing a certain sign (see my discussion on Baptism of the Holy Spirit).  These people are the Church.  The Church is Israel.  Gone are the days that the Jews are God’s chosen people. Those within the Church, who practice her doctrine, who adhere to her tenants are the Israel of the Bible. Let me explain it the way I did to my grandmother. If one wishes to become a naturalized citizen of the United States, they must be taught the fundamentals of being an American, take a test, and then swear an oath of allegiance to their new country. They become naturalized citizens of America, having not been born here but choosing America out of their own free will. So too, when we enter the Church and become members of the Body of Christ, we are becoming naturalized citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. We remain so if we act like members of Christ’s Body. So too, do members of a nation only remain citizens of that country so long as they do not commit treason. God allows us to be his sons and daughters and experience him in a way so mysterious that it would not be in the best interest to try and describe how it happens, rather that it does happen. I am of course talking about the Eucharist and by partaking of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ not only are we naturalized members by Baptism, but we are also blood relatives of Christ by taking his body within our own. Thus, we are united with Abraham who as father of the Jews, is now our father.  We have followed his example by believing in Christ. The Jewish people, especially those who reject and deny Christ, are no longer Israel. They have rejected the very foundation that God established with Abraham and have turned their back on God. That is why, The Church…is the New Israel.

 

Amen.