Oct 30, 2010

No Longer a Chosen People?

Jim HutchensBy Dr. James M. Hutchens
The Jerusalem Connection

At a recent Catholic Bishops Synod in the Vatican, the Melkite Greek Catholic Archbishop Cyril Bustros said: "The original promises made by God to the children of Israel were nullified by Christ. There is no longer a chosen people.'" …"The theme of the Promised Land cannot be used as a basis to justify the return of the Jews to Israel and the expatriation of the Palestinians." … "For Christians, one can no longer talk of the land promised to the Jewish people because the 'promise' was "abolished by the presence of Christ." (Read article)

God says: “I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God." … “I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul.” [Genesis 17:7-8; Jeremiah 32:40-41].

The Jerusalem Connection says: Once again the diabolical head of supercessionism is being raised. Augustine’s replacement theology lives on and apparently with renewed vigor in the Catholic Church. Unless renounced the curses of Genesis 12:3 await the perpetrators. We should not be surprised at this resurgent form of anti-Semitism – it has prevailed throughout Church history. It is only Christians who have taken the Scriptures at face value, devoid of any imposed theological bias, that have in the past and will in the future, stand in support and solidarity with the Jew. Having said that, we both need to prepare for a worst case scenario. We have been forewarned by Jesus, “You will be handed over to be persecuted and you will be hated by all nations because of me.” But then he quickly adds, “But he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” [Matthew 24:9, 13].


Related Links


Catholic Church: Christ Nullified God's Promises to the Jews - BPB (David Hocking)
With All Due Respect, the Vatican's Latest, Painful Pronouncement on Israel Is Wrong: Paul’s Letter to Rome Affirms that Jews Are the Chosen People - BPB (Joel Rosenberg)
Hal Lindsey - No "Chosen People"
What is replacement theology / supersessionism? - GotQuestions.org
Israel slams Catholic statement on Mideast, singling out archbishop - CNN
Keeping God's Covenant of Love with Israel - James Hutchens (Book)