Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohio
If you still believe that the Old Testament is the Word of God, as most serious Christians do, then you realize that God still has covenant promises with Israel. The OT tells us that those who curse Israel will be cursed, and those who bless Israel will be blessed. Most Christians I know still embrace that, but not to the extremes you mention.
Regarding dispensational theology promoted by JN Darby, the Exclusive Brethren, Scofield Bible, et.al., there is some value with those teachings to understand scripture, but like anything, they can be taken to the extreme.
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Not everyone call themselves Christians are save if they don't have saving faith. The same applies to the modern day state of Israel, if they don't have good works then they are not the true Israel or the people of God. This is common sense and common theme in the Bible. The state of Israel today truely failed to follow this:
Mark 12:31: The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
Dispensationalism emphasizes a literal interpretation of the Bible, particularly prophetic texts. This approach leads to the belief that promises made to Israel in the Old Testament will be fulfilled literally to the nation of Israel and not allegorically or spiritually through the Church. Dispensationalism is kind of a religious extremism and an exterme way to interpret bible. Dispensationalism has resulted in so many Christian Extremism and Christian extremists, especially Jewish supremacy around the world. Look at what Jesus said in the following verse.
Matthew 7:18: "A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit."
It looks like to me that Dispensationalism is a bad tree.
If you believe in the new Testament, as most serious orthodox Christians do for over thousands years, Israel and the Church are united under Jesus Chirst. The Church is the true Israel, and the ture Jerusalem, and the true Christians are the third temple.
Galatians 3:28-29: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise." This passage suggests a unity in Christ that transcends ethnic distinctions.
Ephesians 2:14-16: "For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility...that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace." This passage emphasizes the unity of Jews and Gentiles in the body of Christ.