Unconditional Christian Love For Israel, What Are The 7 Dispensations?

Unconditional Christian Love for Israel

In the United States, the two groups that most ardently support Israel are Jews and evangelical Christians. Jewish support is easy to explain, but why should certain Christians, most of them politically quite conservative, be so devoted to Israel? There is a second puzzle: despite their support for a Jewish state, evangelical and fundamentalist Christians are disliked by many American Jews

The evidence about evangelical attitudes is clear. In 2006, a Pew survey found that evangelical Christians were more favorable toward Israel than the average American was—and much more sympathetic than either mainline Protestants or secularists. In another survey, evangelical Christians proved much likelier than Catholics, Protestants, or secular types to back Israeli control of Jerusalem, endorse Israeli settlements on the West Bank, and take Israel’s side in a Middle Eastern dispute. Among every religious group, those who are most traditional are most supportive of Israel.

Evangelical Christians have a high opinion not just of the Jewish state but of Jews as people. That Jewish voters are overwhelmingly liberal doesn’t seem to bother evangelicals, despite their own conservative politics. Yet Jews don’t return the favor: in one Pew survey, 42 percent of Jewish respondents expressed hostility towards evangelicals and fundamentalists. In comparison, in a study of religious attitudes on a national scale, two scholars from Baruch College have shown, a much smaller fraction—about 16 percent—of the American public has similarly antagonistic feelings toward Christian fundamentalists.

So what is it about Christians and their support for Israel that makes some Jews at times uneasy?  I can even imagine what makes Jews - especially liberal Jews - nervous about this huge group of Israel lovers: their conservative values, an uncompromising stance on the Middle East peace process and support for Israel; the theological slant of their support for Israel.

Christians love to love Israel unconditionally, and express love for Jews unconditionally. There is something almost non-Jewish about it. Jews usually do not talk about unconditional love. It's not something that usually turns us on. We are more into debate, questioning, challenging and rattling the cage. Christians love to love. Jews love to kvetch.

When one considers the worldwide movement in recent years to de-legitimize the State of Israel, that is, the enemies of Israel are not looking for a debate. Their aim is not to engage or interact but to undermine and demonize. Their opposition is not open to reason or good will. In short, their hatred is unconditional. This being the current geo-strategic reality challenging Israel, than why should some Jews be uneasy by Christians’ unconditional love toward Israel?

Two weeks ago, on the final day of the yearly Christians United For Israel (CUFI) Washington Summit, thousands of CUFI activists took to The Hill to lobby their congressman to stand with Israel and to support the Taylor Force Act ending funding to the Palestinian Authority who have for years been making monthly stipends to convicted and imprisoned terrorists and their families. A kind of social security payment for Palestinian mass murderers of innocent children, Israeli’s, and tourists. These Christian supporters of Israel made their voices heard on Capitol Hill, showing that America stands with Israel.

We have much to learn from our Christian supporters and how they express unconditional love for Israel.  It is this unconditional love that can bind us together, Christians and Jews in our undivided support for the State of Israel and send a strong message of deterrence to Israel's enemies.

Evangelical leader calls Islamist-backing Christians heretics

A pro-Israel American evangelical activist has some harsh words for Christian leaders who sided with Islamists in the ongoing dispute over security concerns on the Temple Mount – claiming they “promote heresy.”

“These so-called ‘Heads of Churches in Jerusalem’ are false prophets,” Laurie Cardoza-Moore, a filmmaker and founder of Proclaiming Justice to the Nations. “Their words are in direct violation of the Torah, the prophets, the writings and the New Testament.”

She was reacting to a declaration a week ago by a group of churches under the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which criticized Israel for new security precautions around the Temple Mount following a shooting attack by terrorists that killed two Israel Druze policemen. Israel temporarily installed metal detectors to screen Muslim worshippers attending the Mosque of Omar. Non-Muslim visitors to the Temple Mount already faced such screening.

The statement by the Christian leaders referred to the Temple Mount by the Islamic names – “Haram Ash Sharif” and “Al Aqsa,” without any reference to the biblical connection to the site.

“This [statement] should serve as a warning to anyone – flee from these false prophets and their churches,” Cardoza-Moore declared. “Had they read their Bibles instead of promoting heresy, they would have discovered that the Temple Mount (not Al Aqsa) is the holiest place on earth according to God, Judaism and Christianity.”

Other critics of the position paper by the churches point out that Pope Francis referred to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who wrote the check for the Munich Olympics terrorist attack, as an “angel of peace.” The Vatican has also recognized the Palestinian claim to East Jerusalem by locating its embassy in Tel Aviv rather than Jerusalem.

“These church leaders are promoting heresy in direct violation of God’s commandments and the most vile form of anti-Semitic revisionist history and replacement theology,” Cardoza-Moore asserted.

Replacement theology is a doctrine that holds the church “replaced” Israel in God’s plan and in the covenant with the biblical patriarchs. Most evangelicals and some other Christian groups see Israel as the physical manifestation of God’s everlasting covenant with the Jewish people.

“Not only have they rejected God’s eternal covenant with our Jewish brethren, but they have replaced Christianity entirely with a radical Islamic ideology,” Cardoza-Moore told Breaking Israel News. “These leaders were either forced at gunpoint to make this heretical claim, or they have replaced their brand of Christianity with Islam.”

What are the 7 Dispensations?

What Is Dispensationalism?

Dispensationalism is a method for interpreting the Bible. The Greek word from which we get dispensation appears only 7 times in the New Testament and is only translated as such in four of those, all by Paul and all in the King James (1 Cor. 9:17, Ephes. 1:10, Ephes. 3:2, Colossians 1:25). Other meanings of this word are stewardship, administration, and economy.

A dispensationalist believes that God has dealt with humanity in different ways at different times—revealing to us His character and His plan for mankind. These different periods of time are called dispensations.

For example, while salvation has always been by faith, the way to salvation through much of the Old Testament was through Israel and required obedience to the Law as well. That is not the case during the Church Age. And while eternal security is promised to the Church, it was not promised to Israel. Neither was the Holy Spirit sealed within Old Testament believers as is the case with believers in the Church (Ephes. 1:13-14). Therefore, the way God dealt with Israel in the Old Testament took place during a different dispensation than His dealings with the Church in the New Testament. Get the idea?

For example, while salvation has always been by faith, the way to salvation through much of the Old Testament was through Israel and required obedience to the Law as well. That is not the case during the Church Age. And while eternal security is promised to the Church, it was not promised to Israel. Neither was the Holy Spirit sealed within Old Testament believers as is the case with believers in the Church (Ephes. 1:13-14). Therefore, the way God dealt with Israel in the Old Testament took place during a different dispensation than His dealings with the Church in the New Testament. Get the idea?