Christians owe a debt of gratitude to the Jewish people

It seems like such an obvious thing to say, but too many in the Church are ignorant of the debt of gratitude we Christians owe to the Jewish people. The Jewish people were used by God in an amazing way to fulfil His promise of sending His Son into the world so that all people could obtain salvation.

As Bible believing Christians, we must chip away at the false teachings of Replacement Theology which is leading the Church astray and causing a growth of antisemitism from those who profess to be Christians. Some believe that the Church is Israel, or that God has finished with the Jews and the land. The truth is that Christians have been grafted into the root of our Judeo-Christian faith and there are unique differences between Israel and the Church today, and Christians should recognise this and honour the Jews as a result.

“Who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.” – Romans 9:4-5

This single verse highlights the unique characteristics of the Jewish people. They are the ones whom God adopted. They are the nation that God made covenants with and made eternal promises to. Most importantly, they are the people that God chose to reveal Himself in the flesh.

Jesus Himself made it clear that “salvation is of the Jews,” (John 4:22).

Jesus was born a Jew in Judah, lived as a Jew, was crucified as a Jew, and even after His resurrection still identifies Himself with the Jewish people (Lion of the Tribe of Judah). God chose the Jewish people, Israel, in order to fulfil His greatest promise.

Ephesians 2:12-13 states: “Remember that at that time you [Gentiles] were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”

However, if there had been no Jewish people there would have been no Bible, no Prophets, no Patriarchs, no Apostles, no Church, no Jesus Christ, no crucifixion, no forgiveness of sin, and no eternal life. How much salvation would there be without those things?

Obviously it’s Jesus who saves and it is through His shed blood and resurrection, not by anything else. There has also been some misunderstanding of the concept of a ‘debt of gratitude.’ This is simply an idiom to say ‘we are very grateful.’ But the Bible also makes clear that we should show appreciation to the Jews.

Romans 15:27: “For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.”

Christians should be eternally grateful to the Jewish people.

It is mind boggling then that some Christians think they are doing right in God’s eyes when they speak evil against the Jewish people or they hate Israel.

1 Peter 3:9 states: “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”

Think about this verse for a moment. It says Christians are supposed to walk in love and bless those who do evil towards us. The Jewish people have not wronged us. On the contrary, throughout the centuries the Church has often wronged the Jewish people, despite it being through them that the world received the gift salvation.

When ‘Christians’ hate Israel or the Jewish people they are not repaying evil with good, they are repaying good with evil. It is completely contrary to the Word of God. And there is a warning attached to this, when God made it clear that He would bless those who bless the Jewish people and curse those who curse the Jewish people.

At CUFI, we have a saying which is, “Because I am a Christian I stand with Israel.”

Antisemitism, or Jew hatred, is sin. It is ungodly, unholy, and un-Christian. We do not believe it is possible for someone to be a Christian and for them to have hatred towards the Jewish people. It is completely anti-God to hate the Jewish people when it is thanks to them that we have Jesus and our salvation.

Instead, we say God bless the Jewish people. God bless Israel. And thank God that He used them for His glory so that we Gentiles could obtain salvation.

We also know that the story of Israel is not yet complete. God still has a plan and purpose for the Jewish people and for the nation of Israel.

We Christians will stand on the walls as watchmen over Israel even as Satan turns the hearts of the nations, and sadly many within the Church, against Israel. Christians United for Israel (CUFI) will stand in the gap, defending Israel and the Jewish people against all who oppose them.