Replacement Theology
1. Replacement Theology is a Satanic Scheme
"Salvation is from the Jews" (John 4:22)
The Lord Jesus (Yeshua) was Jewish, and the disciples and apostles of the early church were all Jewish. Salvation comes from the Jews, and the faith and salvation of the Gentiles originally came from the Jews. The Gentile church must remember its source. Without the Jews, there would be no gospel, no church. Unfortunately, the Christian world today must feel guilty about this. Not only does it owe the Jews a great debt of good news, but it has also abandoned God's chosen people because of their suffering.
In the second century AD, after the first generation of Jewish apostles were martyred, the leaders of the Gentile church were deceived by Satan and fell for his schemes, leading to the rise of replacement theology. It emphasizes: First, God did choose the Israelites, but now the chosen people have lost their importance. Second, most Jews have rejected Jesus (Yeshua), and the blessings promised to them have been rescinded and given to the "Gentile church." Third, the Gentile church has replaced the Israelites as the heirs of God's promises. Fourth, the tragedy of the Jews is the fulfillment of the Bible's words: eternal wandering, removed from grace.
2. The Jews are loved, and God has no regrets about their calling.
"For God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable." (Romans 11:29).
Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul wrote his letters in accordance with God's faithfulness and covenant-keeping. He said, "When the full number of the Gentiles has come in, then the Lord will remove the ungodliness of the Jews and forgive their sin of crucifying the Lord. Then the Jewish people and the nation of Israel will be saved." He added, "The Jews are loved, because God's gift and his call are irrevocable."
In the 18th century, some church fathers said, "It is impossible for the Jews to return to their homeland." Others said, "God no longer has a plan of redemption for the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." Yet, in 1948, Israel was restored! Many Christians changed their beliefs, acknowledging this as an act of God. Since their nation had been lost for nearly two thousand years, how could these scattered Jews return to establish their nation if it were not for God?
This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When I gather the people of Israel from the nations where they have been scattered, I will be proved holy through them in the sight of the nations. Then they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Jacob. 26 They will live there in safety and will build houses and plant vineyards; they will live in safety when I inflict punishment on all their neighbors who maligned them. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God. (NIV, Ezekiel 28:25-26)
3. The Parable of the Olive Tree
If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches. If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. (NIV, Romans 11:16-1
⑴ Olive Tree
The olive tree represents the blessings from God, including the adoption to sonship, the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises.
the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. (NIV, Romans 9:4).
⑵ The root refers to the Lord Jesus (Yeshua).
The Lord Jesus (Yeshua) is the root of David and the root of Abraham, and the descendant of both of them (Rev. 22:16).
"Jesus (Yeshua) said to them,“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”(NIV, John 8:5
.I am the Root and the Offspring of David (NIV, Rev. 22:16).
This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham (NIV, Matt. 1:1).
⑵ The original branches represent the Israelites.
The original branches can represent the Israelites, the descendants of Jacob. They are God's original chosen people, with whom God established a covenant beginning with Abraham. Their holiness or special status comes from God's promises and faithfulness to them. Therefore, in Paul's view, the Israelites' position in God's plan of salvation is very important.
4. The broken-off branches refer to the Israelites who do not believe in Jesus (Yeshua).
And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree! (NIV, Rom. 11:23-24)
The "broken-off branches" symbolize the unbelieving Israelites. Because they did not believe in Jesus (Yeshua) as the Savior, the Messiah they had longed for, they lost their place in God's grace. Their removal from the olive tree was only temporary, for God was able to graft them in again. Once the full number of the Gentiles has come in, all Israel will be saved. (Rom. 11:25-26).
5. Wild Olives
The Gentile church is grafted into the olive tree because it becomes Abraham's descendants through faith in Jesus (Yeshua).
Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. (NIV, Gal. 3:7).
If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (NIV, Gal. 3:29).
"Wild olives" represent Gentiles (non-Jews). These Gentiles were originally outside of God's covenant. However, through faith in the gospel of Jesus (Yeshua) Christ and receiving the promised Holy Spirit to speak in tongues, they become Abraham's spiritual descendants. Gentiles are "grafted" into this spiritual olive tree and share in the "fat of the olive root" simply because of their faith in Jesus (Yeshua)' salvation. The Gentile church is grafted into the olive tree not because of its bloodline connection with Jacob's descendants, but because it is descended from Abraham through faith in Jesus (Yeshua). God promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations, and that all nations would be blessed through his offspring (Christ).
4. Grafted Wild Olive Branches Must Not Boast
“do not consider yourself (wild olive branch) to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.”(NIV, Romans 11:1
.The meaning of this statement is clear: the salvation and blessings of the Gentiles (wild olive branches) come not from being better or superior than the Jews, but from being connected to the source of blessing (the Lord Christ) by imitating Abraham's faith. Those branches of Israel that were broken off did so because they did not believe in Jesus (Yeshua); you stand firm because of your faith in Jesus (Yeshua). Do not be arrogant, but tremble. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. (NIV, Romans 11:20-21)
This passage strongly reminds believers (Christians) in the Gentile church to:
(1) Humility: Recognize that the salvation they receive is entirely due to God's grace and accept the salvation of Jesus (Yeshua) Christ, not any of their own superiority.
(2) Vigilance: Do not be complacent and always maintain your faith in the Lord Jesus (Yeshua), because God is just and shows no partiality. If you do not maintain your faith in the Lord, you will also lose your place in God's grace.
(3) Summary: This is not only a reminder to the Gentile church at that time, but also a warning to all Christians throughout the ages: Salvation is a grace obtained through faith and requires believers to uphold the truth, obey Jesus (Yeshua), and revere him.
5. Errors in Replacement Theology
⑴. True Israelites must be descendants of Jacob and believe in Jesus (Yeshua) and receive the blood, water, and Holy Spirit.
A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God. (NIV, Romans 2:28-29).
Replacement theology cites this passage, arguing that because Israel did not believe in Jesus (Yeshua), the Gentile church replaced the Israelites and became the true Israelites. This is completely untrue. Not all Israelites do not believe in Jesus (Yeshua); God has left a remnant for them. Those descendants of Jacob (Israelites) who accept the full gospel of the blood, water, and Holy Spirit and believe that Jesus (Yeshua) is their Messiah are the true Israelites.
(2) The Gentile church, through faith in Jesus (Yeshua), speaks in tongues and becomes the descendants of Abraham's promise.
In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring. (NIV, Romans 9:
.For not all who are descended from Israel are Israelites, nor are all who are descendants of Abraham his children simply because they are his descendants; only those who are descended from Isaac will be counted as descendants. This means that children born of the flesh are not the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as descendants.
The Gentiles, through faith in Jesus (Yeshua) and receiving the promised Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues, become the descendants of Abraham's promise. When John the Baptist saw the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, he said to them, " Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones (Gentiles) God can raise up children for Abraham." (NIV, Matthew 3:8-9).
⑶. We are descendants of Abraham through faith in Jesus (Yeshua).
Spiritual Father Church Hymns (Green Version), 425 Songs Preaching the Full Gospel (Blood, Water, and the Holy Spirit), First Verse Lyrics:
Dear Lord and Savior, Jesus (Yeshua) Christ, You loved us before the creation of the world. To save a sinner like me, You preached the gospel to Abraham. Because Abraham believed God's word, all nations would be blessed through him. Originally, we had no part in God and were dead in our trespasses and sins. Through faith in Jesus (Yeshua) Christ, we have become descendants of Abraham and have received Abraham's blessing and the promised Holy Spirit.
6. For over a century, many Gentile churches have not only failed to repay their debt but have also persecuted the Israelites.
The Lord Jesus (Yeshua) was Jewish, and the disciples and apostles of the early church were all Jewish. Salvation comes from the Jews, and the faith and salvation of the Gentiles originally came from the Jews. The Gentile church should remember its source. Without the Jews, there would be no gospel, no church. Unfortunately, the Christian world today must feel guilty about this. Not only does it owe the Jews a great debt to the gospel, but it also persecutes God's chosen people.
Throughout the history of Jewish persecution, many of the most brutal Gentile persecutors were unexpectedly Christians. Let us witness the following historical facts to illustrate how the Gentile church persecuted Israel!
⑴. The Crusades
As the medieval Crusaders journeyed across Europe to "liberate" the Holy Land, they massacred countless Jewish communities, including men, women, and children. Later, when they successfully captured Jerusalem, they shed even more blood, displaying brutality beyond any previous conqueror of Jerusalem. This level of brutality was perhaps only surpassed by the Romans during the reign of Titus. Everything they did was in the name of Christ, using the cross as their sacred symbol.
(2) In Europe and the Soviet Union, Christian pastors, armed with crosses, led mobs to murder Jewish communities.
In Jewish settlements (getto) in Europe and Russia, Christian pastors, armed with crosses, led mobs against Jewish communities, looting, burning, and killing. They destroyed Jewish homes and synagogues, raped Jewish women, and murdered those who attempted to defend themselves. Their justification for this was that "the Jews murdered Christ."
(3) Hitler's massacre of six million Jews.
Hitler, who had publicly claimed to be a devout Christian, enjoyed the support of Protestant churches and centrist Catholics in Germany. From 1941 to 1945, the Nazis launched a persecution of various ethnic and political groups in Europe, subjecting Jews to widespread and systematic genocide, the largest such massacre in history. At the time, there were 15 million Jews worldwide, including nearly 9 million in Europe, of whom 6 million—nearly two-thirds—were victims.
7. The Gentile Church Should Help the Jews, Comfort Them, and Recognize Jesus (Yeshua) as Their Messiah
Comfort, comfort my people,
| says your God (to the Gentile Church). |
| and proclaim to her |
| that her sin has been paid for, |
| double for all her sins. (NIV, Isaiah 40:1-2) |
7. Both Israel and the Gentile Church are beloved sons of the Heavenly Father.
"A man had two sons. The younger son said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the inheritance.' So his father divided it among them" (Luke 15:11-13).
The younger son represents the Gentile church. They took their father's inheritance, squandered their wealth, and fell into poverty. One day, the younger son finally came to his senses and returned home to confess his sins. The father slaughtered a fattened calf (the blood, water, and Holy Spirit of the slain lamb) and invited the younger son to join him in feasting and rejoicing. The younger son's acceptance was entirely a matter of grace. The Bible says,“Yet the Israelites will be like the sand on the seashore, which cannot be measured or counted. In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be called ‘children of the living God.’ (NIV, Hosea 1:10).
The older son represents the church of Israel. Jehovah says, "Israel is my son, my firstborn" (Exodus 4:22). When the older son learned of the younger son's return, his father slaughtered the fattened calf and, in anger, refused to enter the feast. The father comforted him, saying, "Your brother was lost and has been found. We should rejoice and be glad."
Replacement theology is a complete devilish scheme! The elder son cannot replace the younger son, and the younger son cannot replace the elder son. Both must love one another, beloved by the Father. The Father's will is for both sons to eat and drink at the feast prepared by the Father (the Marriage Supper of the Lamb).
The following is a testimony of the Gentile church being the younger son:
Three elderly sisters from the Holy Spirit Reconstruction Church in Jiangsu Province were preaching the gospel in the countryside when they encountered a demon-possessed man with ten large demons and over a thousand smaller demons. The sisters cast out the demons, but the demons refused to leave. Later, the sisters declared, "Jesus Christ! For the sake of the apostles' spiritual father, please have mercy on us and let the demons leave this man..." The demons cried out, "It's over! We have met the Lord Jesus' youngest son..." Instantly, the demons and evil spirits fled in all directions!
8. When Israel awakens to the knowledge of Jesus, a great revival will follow in the minds of other nations.
For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? (NIV, Romans 11:15)
The rejection of the Jews is temporary, to allow the Gentiles to be reconciled to God. One day, when the Gentiles are destined to be saved in sufficient numbers, God will again visit His chosen people. When Israel is accepted by God, accepts the gospel, and recognizes Jesus as their Messiah, souls throughout the world will be resurrected, and a blazing flame of the gospel will rapidly ignite throughout the earth!
The Gentile bride draws the sap of life and nourishment from the olive tree of the Jewish nation. Now is the time for the Gentile church to repay its debt. It is their responsibility to accept and help Israel, comfort God's chosen people, and recognize Jesus as a Jew, their Messiah, in order to bring about a great spiritual revival. Out of God's mercy, He first preached the gospel to us Gentiles through the Israelites. In the last days, we should repay this debt and show mercy to the Israelites, allowing them to also receive God's mercy.
Before the Lord returns, it will be the darkest hour of the night, and a fierce spiritual battle will ensue. In this battle, the Church of Israel is the elder son (the firstborn), and the Gentile Church is the younger son (Luke 15:11-32). The two must unite, becoming one, to defeat the dragon in the air and bring down a great harvest of souls worldwide!
9. The Jews Returned to Their Homeland at the End of the 19th Century, Bringing the Latter Rain of Grace in the Early 20th Century
(1) The Jews Returned to Their Homeland at the End of the 19th Century
In 1897, at the end of the 19th century, Jews established the World Jewish Nationalist Organization and actively engaged in the establishment of the State of Israel. Subsequently, Jews began returning from all over the world to cultivate and rebuild their original lands, aiming to rebuild their homeland in the desolate land. Soon, the latter rain of grace arrived in the early 20th century, and the Holy Spirit revived His Church. As the latter rain poured down abundantly, miraculous work was accomplished everywhere. ⑵. The Latter Rain of Grace in the Early 20th Century
①. A Female Student at a Bible School in Kansas, USA
On New Year's Day 1900, the latter rain of the Holy Spirit began to fall. On the first day of the 20th century, a young female student at a Bible school in Topeka, Kansas, USA, approached her teacher and asked, "Please lay your hands on me and pray so that I can receive the Holy Spirit." The teachers were unconvinced, believing this would cause her to speak in tongues. However, the teacher laid hands on her and prayed, and she actually spoke in tongues. This incident brought home the truth that speaking in tongues is the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
②. The Testimony of Evangelist Charles Parham:
In December 1900, American evangelist Charles Parham founded a school dedicated to training preachers. The student body was small, but full of spiritual fervor. Parham gave his students an assignment: find evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit in the Bible. All the students agreed that it was speaking in tongues. On New Year's Day 1901, a Parham student named Agnes Ozman uttered irregular syllables, leading those who heard her to believe she was speaking Chinese (though no one understood Chinese). All day, she seemed unable to speak English. The students believed their prayers were answered and that they were witnessing the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the disciples speaking in other tongues as described in Acts 2:1-4. Soon, many students began speaking in tongues, receiving this God-given gift.
③. The Azusa Street Revival in the United States
In February 1906, William Seymour, a Black pastor and an early student of Charles Parham, was invited to Los Angeles to pastor. Upon arriving, he preached in a message that "tongues are the biblical confirmation of the baptism of the Holy Spirit." He was immediately expelled from the church and, with no alternative but to stay at the home of a believer, Edward Lee. On April 9, Seymour laid hands on Edward Lee's head, and Lee began speaking in tongues. As word spread, and people eagerly pursued him, six people were filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in tongues. The Holy Spirit's work went beyond speaking in tongues; some cried out, fell to the ground, and ran around the house. One neighbor, Jennie Moore, not only spoke in tongues but also played the piano, a skill she had never learned. The prayer meeting grew significantly, and the church moved to an old church on Azusa Street.
On April 18, at 5:13 a.m., a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck San Francisco, destroying much of the city, killing over 3,000 people, and causing $350 million in damage. Also that day, the Los Angeles Times reported on a new sect on Azusa Street. Their worship style was extremely fanatical, with prayers in loud, bizarre tongues. The majority of the members were people of color, with a small number of white people. On May 14, 2006, the Azusa Street Revival Centennial Celebration Conference announced figures showing that there are approximately 600 million believers worldwide who receive the gift of the Spirit and speak in tongues. It is estimated that by 2025, this number will reach one billion worldwide, baptized and speaking in tongues.
10. The Gentile Church Should Help the Jews, Comfort them, and Recognize Jesus as Their Messiah.
Comfort, comfort my people,
| says your God. |
| and proclaim to her |
| that her sin has been paid for, |
| double for all her sins. (NIV, Isaiah 40:1-2). |
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