(1) Dispensationalist View: The Church replaces Israel. Dispensationalist George Eldon Ladd explains:
"The Greek word, ekklesia, is the word most commonly used in the Greek Old Testament to refer to Israel as the people of God. The very use of this word [in the Apostolic Writings] suggests that our Lord purposed to bring into existence a new people who would take the place of the old Israel....In the Old Testament era, the olive tree--the people of God--consisted of the children of Israel....[in the New Testament era] a new community has been formed...The Church is the community of the Kingdom of God...," (pgs. 112-121 of The Gospel of the Kingdom: Scriptural Studies in the Kingdom of God by George Eldon Ladd).
(2) Exclusionist View: The Church is composed of Gentiles ("the Gentile wing of the Ekklesia") and Israel (the Jewish wing of the Ekklesia). Gentiles are excluded from Israel. Dan Juster (UMJC) explains via diagram:
(3) Inclusionist View: The Ekklesia (Church) is the Messianic Kingdom of Israel, composed of Jews and Gentiles, who are equal partners in the covenants (see Eph. 2).
How about none of the above? Jews are less than 1% of the world's population. One cannot be equal and swallowed up demographically at the same time. Are you saying gentiles have a right to the land? Where are you going to find room? Look at how bad women have fared, who make up a majority of religious communities?
ReplyDeleteDispensashionalism is a form of reverse replacement theology.
ReplyDeleteTake me for an example. Dispensashionalism hold to two people of God, Israel and the Church, the cannot be mixed. I am an Israelites, but I am also a believer. According to their doctrine as soon as iI become a believer I can no longer belong to Israel since these two groups don't mix. So when all Israel believes they all become part of the Church and there is no more Israel. Nice way to bring RT through the back door, don't you think?