“I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew.”
(Romans 11:1-2a)
Paul makes it abundantly clear that “by no means” has God rejected the physical descendants of Abraham, the Jewish people, doubling down with: “God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew.”
This Biblical truth was penned years after the Church was established, when there was a clear distinction between the Church and Israel.
Paul did not say that the Church is now Israel. Paul did not say that because the Jews rejected Jesus, then God rejected them. Paul did not say that land is no longer important to God, or that the “Holy Land” is now the entire world, as NT Wright and many other replacement theologians keep wrongly claiming.
Instead, Paul made it clear that the Jewish people were their own distinct group, separate from the nations and separate from the Church, who had not been rejected by God. Paul also made it clear that even though they were not part of the Church, the promises that God had made to them, particularly regarding the land and blessings, were still in place.
“As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.” (Romans 11:28-29)
Our beliefs are constantly being attacked, from both within and outside of the Church. Many times we feel “hard pressed on every side,” as Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:8. We really are being persecuted by man, but we take heart because we know we are speaking the truth of God’s Word. Even if the Enemy is using every move possible to try and undermine the Truth being proclaimed, we know that God will not allow it to be quenched.
Just as God has not forsaken the Jewish people, we know too that God has not forsaken the Church. We are under God’s divine protection and blessings, just as Israel is, because we have been grafted into that root. Man may persecute us, but God will never forsake His people!
Prayer Points:
Praise the Lord for His faithfulness: We give all the glory to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob! The Lord reigns over all, and we hold firm to the assurance of His promises to us. We pray that God will use each and every person connected with CUFI for His glory. That we will all use our unique voices to speak the Truth without fear and against the odds. It is not by our might, but by God’s Spirit that we accomplish our mission!
Pray for CUFI UK’s Event: Please continue to pray for CUFI’s gathering in London. It takes courage to stand for the things of God, and we are so grateful that hundreds of people will be joining us to honour Israel (and there is still time to book your place). Pray for travelling mercies for all of those who are attending, including the speakers and special guests. Pray for protection, for provision, and for God’s hand to move upon all those gathered. May this be a stepping stone for CUFI to do more to stand with the Jewish people against antisemitism and to galvanise Christians to defend Biblical truth.
Pray that Romans 11 will be understood and proclaimed: Romans 11 is fundamental to understanding God’s heart for the Jewish people. Pray that the lies that distort this truth will be silenced. Pray for Christian leaders who understand the truth about Israel to have no fear when they speak the truth!
