Question from a reader:
Randy has mentioned that he came from a dispensationalist background. Is this the same as replacement theology which teaches that the church replaces Israel, and does he believe this? I have always been taught to study in order to line up with God’s Word, through prayer and supplication, while seeking God’s wisdom and guidance.
Answer from Eternal Perspective Ministries:
See this article from Desiring God. Similar to what the Desiring God article says about John Piper, Randy shares common beliefs with both covenantal and dispensational theology, but does not classify himself fully within either of those camps.
Certainly, he believes in the inspiration of Scripture and believes it should be taken literally, where it is clear that is what Scripture is communicating. (No one interprets the Bible absolutely literally or absolutely figuratively!) He writes:
“Obviously there are many figures of speech in the Bible, such as when Peter is called a rock and Christ is called a door, a lamb with seven eyes, and is said to have a sword coming out of his mouth. Scripture is also full of accounts that should be taken literally, such as Noah’s flood and ark, the plagues, crossing the Red Sea, and Christ being born in Bethlehem, calming the storm, healing people. … When faced with a decision about whether to interpret a passage of Scripture literally or figuratively, how do we know which is right? One way is to interpret based on what the Bible says elsewhere about the same subject.” (For more, see Literal and Figurative Interpretation.)
As far as the Millennium, which dispensationalists interpret to be a literal 1,000 year reign: the Millennium has been understood either literally or figuratively by orthodox Christians throughout history. Randy leans towards thinking it is a literal reign on the earth. (However, those who disagree about the Millennium can nonetheless agree about the New Earth.)
About Israel and the church: Randy believes Israel holds a special place in God’s heart and plan (yet acknowledging that Jewish people, like all others, need to come to faith in Christ to be saved). He also firmly believes that God’s ultimate plan is showcased in Revelation: for people of every language, nation, and tongue to be united in praise to King Jesus (Revelation 5:9, Revelation 7:9-10). Together, they compose the bride of Christ, and God’s promises about the land of Israel and Jerusalem will find their ultimate fulfillment on the New Earth, which the New Jerusalem will come down to.
Randy writes, “We can believe in the future for the nation of Israel while not dividing Israel and the church (and especially while avoiding the dual covenant heresy that suggests Jews don't need to come to faith in Christ to be saved). The church from the beginning was primarily redeemed Israelites, and then in time, more and more Gentiles. So separating the church and Israel, with the apostles being Jewish, is nonsensical.”
Here’s another helpful article from Desiring God. The author writes:
Scripture teaches that God has one people and that the Israel-church relation should be viewed Christologically. The church is not directly the new Israel or her replacement. Rather, in Christ, the church is God’s new-covenant people because Jesus is the antitypical fulfillment of Adam and Israel, the true seed of Abraham who inherits the promises by his work (Galatians 3:16). As God’s new creation/humanity, the church remains forever, comprised of believing Jews and Gentiles, who equally and fully receive all of God’s promises in Christ, realized fully in the new creation (Romans 4:13; Hebrews 11:10, 16). As Ephesians 2:11–22 teaches, the church is not the extension of Israel, or an amalgam of Jews and Gentiles, or merely one phase in God’s plan that ends when Christ returns to restore national Israel and the nations. Instead, the church is God’s new-creation people, Christ’s bride who lasts forever (Revelation 21:1–4). Dispensationalism and its covenantal construction does not sufficiently account for these truths.
Here are some further resources, with three good articles supporting the two main questions:
The covenant position on the church and Israel:
Does Anyone Actually Believe in Replacement Theology?
Covenant Theology Is Not Replacement Theology
The Church, Israel, and "Replacement" Theology - Part 1 (This article by Sam Storms has two more parts to it)
The dispensational position on the church and Israel:
What is replacement theology / supersessionism / fulfillment theology?
The Challenge of Replacement Theology
These topics can be quite confusing, even for very seasoned students of the Bible! We hope these links and thoughts will prove helpful. We appreciate what you wrote about studying to “line up with His Word all with prayer and supplication, while seeking God's wisdom and guidance.”
That same article quoted above includes this admonition:
“As we continue to discuss these important matters, we would do well to not only seek to conform our views to Scripture’s own presentation, but even more significantly, to glory in Christ Jesus, who is central to all of God’s plans and purposes.”
