body of Christ

906. False Assumptions: Gentiles Grafted Into Israel?

April 9, 2023 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

In some church circles, there is a popular supposition that (non-Jewish) Gentiles were engrafted into Israel. The phrase often heard is, "We are now engrafted Jews." This idea can leave people with the wrongful impression that Gentiles would be brought under Jewish laws and customs that were from the Old Covenant, exclusively meant for Israel before Jesus fulfilled the law.

This is usually taken from a passage in Romans 11, but the theory is a misleading one that doesn't consider the bigger context of what else Paul said in his Romans letter regarding Jew and Gentile. And another explanation he gives is in Ephesians chapter 2 ... where both Jew and Gentile were reconciled together into one body—the body of Christ—giving both groups access to the Father by one Spirit. In other words, we Gentiles weren't merged into Israel. Both which had been separated were brought together and joined in Christ himself.

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Whose Responsibility are the Poor?

April 30, 2017 by Dudley Hall

Poverty, Homelessness, Helping the Poor, Impoverished

Solomon was one of the great kings in Israel's history, and he was known worldwide for his wisdom. In a Psalm ascribed to him we find his advice for those who rule.

Give your love of justice to the king O God, And righteousness to the king's son. Help him judge your people in the right way; Let the poor always be treated fairly. May the mountains yield prosperity for all, And may the hills be fruitful. Help him to defend the poor, To rescue the children of the needy, And to crush their oppressors. (Psalm 72:1-4)

It is the responsibility and privilege of all who rule to care for those who are struggling. Jesus has affirmed that "the poor you have with you always." (Mark 14:7) There will always be the opportunity to display the heart of God in sharing what we have with those who need it. It is what we do as image-bearers. The presence of the poor reminds us that our abundance is not just for our own consumption. We are blessed to bless.

Everyone has Something to Offer

A terrible thing has happened to the poor. Corrupt leaders have used their plight for political leverage. They promise to be for them what only God can be, and the poor are disappointed and disrespected. Even well-intentioned charities have aided in diminishing the dignity of struggling people.

The poorest people are those who feel worthless. That kind of poverty starts inside when a person begins to believe that, because of his or her economic status, he or she is of less value than others. Handouts can confirm that lie. When nothing is asked in return for the handout, it shouts aloud that the person has nothing of value to trade. The truth is that everyone has something to give. It might be as simple as a song, a poem, a joke, advice, a story, a task or their time.

The true church of Jesus Christ will not be pushed to the side when it comes to caring for the poor.

Of course, many could find meaningful labor if we took their plight seriously. There is the rub. We are very busy and helping the poor is time-consuming. It is much easier to peel off a few bills and hand them over without ever looking into the eyes of the needy. Somehow, we know that if we ever look into their soul, we will be connected.

That’s Where the Church Steps In

But those in the body of Christ, indwelt by the Spirit, have it in their spiritual DNA. The God who cares shares his life with them. They care. It bothers them that civil government has pushed the church to the periphery and taken the job of managing the poor. Handouts from an impersonal entity enables poverty.

The true church of Jesus Christ will not be pushed to the side in this important assignment. We cannot be content with laws that allow us to worship in our churches but forbid us to engage in the issues of societal life.

It is revealing to hear political leaders strategizing to remove the tax advantages of ministries and charities. They are saying that the church's people are not valued nor wanted in the realm of taking care of the needy. They see the government as the solution and want the church to get off the turf. But we can take the field again by each member of Christ's body getting involved with a person of need. It doesn't have to be a sponsored program. It is our daily privilege.

Working Together to Find a Solution

It’s time for there to be mutual respect and collaboration between the church and the government in addressing the weak and poor.

As church people repent of neglecting our task, we will refuse to be supplanted by those offering a bribe to the poor in exchange for a vote. We accept our role as representatives of the kingdom of God. We admit that our abundance is our opportunity to find and meet the needs of others who struggle. We will also stand against policies that reflect injustice toward the weak. We will hold leaders in the government and the church to account. We know that we are more than a social service, but we also know that the good news we proclaim transforms people; and people make culture.

The government has the power of the sword. It can be intimidating. The body of Christ has the power of the cross -- where love defeated all the principalities and powers that rule by manipulation. We may not be intimidating to those who only observe the circumstantial, but the powers of darkness know us. The light of the world has come and we are reflections of that light. Because we are ruled by the love of God, we proclaim the good news that a new creation has been launched -- and that anyone can participate by trusting Jesus the Lord.

We also promote justice in all arenas and stand against every expression of injustice. Our Lord came to set the world right again. We work with him. His love compels us to equip people to live in the knowledge and wisdom of God -- as citizens of his kingdom and as citizens of this world. It is time for there to be mutual respect and collaboration between the church and the government in addressing the weak and poor. They have suffered enough. It is our opportunity.

Confident to Engage

March 13, 2017 by Dudley Hall

Man holding Bible in crowded square - 900

The bitter partisanship and the virulent bickering among our leaders is both reflecting the angst of the population and contributing to it. It is time for the body of Christ to accept our role and engage our world with the hope that is central to our existence.

“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” -- Hebrews 12:28-29 ESV

While the nations rage in despair, our privilege and "acceptable worship" is to proclaim and demonstrate the good news of what God has done through his Son on the cross and resurrection. We are not deluded by the cultural religion that often goes under the name of Christianity, but is more akin to nationalism or moralism.

We are commissioned to engage. The body of Christ (Church) has a mission to bless the whole world.

We have been radically transformed by the greatest event in history. We do not look to the enlightenment as our defining moment. It was not the exaltation of mankind that sparked the rise of civilization, but the exaltation of the Son whose death and resurrection restored us be fully human again. We live with the consciousness of being forgiven and cleansed. We know that the message of Jesus carries the power of heaven and can transform even the vilest villain. In fact, we are certain that many of the leaders of tomorrow's restoration are probably drunk today.

We faint not at the present darkness. It cannot permanently sustain under the rising dawn of the gospel's light. The Word of God will not return to him without accomplishing what he intended. (Isaiah's perspective: 55:11). We joyfully trust the promise of our Lord who promised that his church would destroy the gates of hell. (Matthew 16:18). It is often camouflaged among the cultures of the world, but it will emerge and succeed.

It Takes More Than Morality

We are commissioned to engage. Our God loves the whole world. He saved Noah for the sake of the world. He exalted Joseph for the world's sake. He chose Israel for the sake of all other nations. Jesus came for the world. Now, the body of Christ (Church) has a mission to bless the whole world. But we know that American civil religion is not the mustard seed that will grow to harbor the birds of the nations. It is not the leaven that is now working through the lump of dough.

We know that even morality based on natural law will not transform people or cultures. It is the powerful proclamation that God has acted in his Son to restore us to full humanity, ready to enjoy him and work with him in blessing the world.

We are not intimidated by the misinterpretation of the deceived, nor the accusations of the defeated deceiver. We are not making plans to abandon planet earth or to escape the expected conflict with darkness. We feel no need to compromise with evil to survive, nor adapt the culture in order to appear relevant. We represent the latest thing in government. In fact, the launched kingdom of God is the freshest and best form of government ever seen on earth.

We speak the universally relevant language of love, while dressed in the finest fashion of humility, which makes even the most homely, beautiful. We are steadily marching from Calvary's victory to Zion's glory.

There is no need to rage along with those who have no grounds for hope. It does no good to curse the present darkness of divisiveness. It is time to rise and shine. It is our day. We are confident because our Lord has conquered.