I've been reading a lot of church history lately.I had learned years ago about Martin Luthers anti-Semitic views.Down through the years both Catholic and Protestant alike have been guilty of persecuting the Jews.It still goes on today in some circles.
The teaching of the Replacement Theology did much to spur on antisemitism.
The idea that the church has replaced the Jews as Gods chosen people.
. . .Can we talk about it?
Yes, we can, from the NT word of God.
I'm not so sure the NT view of the matter has been presented to you.
But let's be kind to each other in reviewing the words spoken by the Son in these last days (Heb 1:1-2)
through the NT writers.
Peter states that believers in Jesus Christ are a
chosen people (1Pe 2:9, 1:1-2).
Do you believe that those who reject Jesus Christ can be children of God, God's chosen people?
Or, are they enemies of God? (Ro 11:28)
Keeping in mind that Jesus said to Nicodemus, a man of the Pharisees who was a member of the Jewish ruling council, that
"whoever does not believe stands condemned already (by the law)
because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." (Jn 3:18)
And keeping in mind that "
whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."
(Jn 3:36)
And keeping also in mind that only a
remnant of the Jews is chosen (Ro 9:27, 11:5); i.e., those who believe in Jesus Christ.
Both the Catholic and Protestant churches have since renounced this belief.
I dont want to offend anyone,I realize we all attend different churches. But
we have a history that we must face and repent of.
But "repent" is to change one's mind and one's way.
Does the NT ever require us to change our minds about what we don't think in the first place,
or to repent of actions we have not done?
In the NT we cannot repent for the sins of others.
Jews were persecuted long before Hitler began.The horror of that is it is the Christians {not all} that gave Hitler at least the idea of separating the Jews in society.The Catholic church gave the yellow star of David to Jews to wear long before Hitler did.Both Catholic and Protestants blamed the Jews for deicide.The persecution of the Jews began in earnest when the replacement theology began to be preached. Jews were blamed for poising wells,child sacrifice, blood libels.
The belief that the Jews killed Christ
Keeping in mind that this is not just a "belief," it is what the NT states in
Peter's speech to the Jewish crowd ad Pentecost - "
you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross." (Ac 2:23)
Stephen's speech to the Sanhedrin - ". . .
you have betrayed and murdered him (the Righteous One)," (Ac 7:52)
and lost their place in Gods favor with the church replacing them led to antisemitism that led straight to the door of the concentration camps. When an atheist would say to me "Hitler was a Christian,Christians were responsible for the Holocaust" I would vehemently deny it.Now it seems I must apologize at least in part.At the beginning of Hitlers rise and persecution of the Jews like during Kristallnacht polls said 95 % of Germans considered themselves Christians.That is appalling to me!! I know,I know many people stood against Hitler,but not enough.Not nearly enough.
Had the churches been teaching Gods chosen people were the Jews
But that is not what the NT teaches.
Only a
remnant, not all Jews--not those who reject Jesus Christ--are God's chosen people (Ro 9:27, 11:5).
would the church have stood more firmly against Hitler and his madness? I wonder.
I still hear the replacement theology from time to time
"Replacement theology" is a Jewish misnomer for the teaching of the NT in
1Pe 2:9, 1:1-2 - where believers in Christ are a chosen people;
Jn 3:18, 36 - where those who reject Christ are enemies of God upon whom his wrath
remains;
Ro 9:27,
11:5 - where only the remnant which believes in Jesus Christ (Jn 3:18, 36) are God's chosen people;
and it angers me so.A friend at my husbands work says "why are the Jews so important?" He proclaims to be a Christian.So why are we afraid to speak of our past? Its no wonder Jews dont trust Christians.But Christians certainly should be supporting the Jews and Israel.
They are and always have been Gods chosen people. So,can we talk about it?
Well actually, according to the NT, only those who believed in the Promise (Jesus Christ) were saved in the OT, and only those who believe in Jesus Christ (the Promise) are saved in the NT,
which in both cases is only a remnant of both the Jews and the Gentiles.
Jews and Gentiles are on the same footing in the NT, only faith in Jesus Christ makes one a chosen child of God.