Mothra said:
sombear said:
Realitybites said:
sombear said:
Here are the things in the Bible that truly are important to me:
- Jesus is the son of God and died on the cross for our sins before coming back from the dead
- The Holy Spirit
- Power of prayer
- Sin and the devil are real
- Love your neighbor as yourself
- Set a good example and spread the Word
- Be part a church community
- Help those who need it
- Heaven (whatever and wherever it is) is a special place
- Hell (whatever and wherever it is) is not good and is separation from God
- Marriage is a sacred covenant
Beyond that, I really don't care too much.
Those are all very good things. But it doesn't seem to end there.
Quote:
But Jews being God's chosen people as the Bible describes is not synonymous with Christian salvation. I don't know exactly what it means. But Jews are a very important part of the Bible and God's plan, and they hold a special place in God's heart.
I would not want to oppose them. That's just me.
Nobody is talking about "opposing" or "hating" them. Lets just come to an accurate understanding of the state of play in 2025. Let's start by taking a look at the original Mosaic Covenant that God offered to the nation of Israel at the time He founded Judaism.
"'Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites." (Exodus 19:5-6)
This is the covenant as spoken by God himself. As you can see, the Mosaic covenant that practioners of Judaism are part of is a *conditional* covenant. There is no debate about that.
There is also no debate that almost immediately they began to drop the ball on their portion of that covenant. Judges 2:17, 2nd Kings 17:7-41, Daniel 9:11, and a theme repeated by the major and minor prophets.
This pattern culminated in the rejection of the Messiah, the destruction of the temple making the technical practice of Judaism impossible, and the cancellation of the Mosaic Covenant (Hebrews 8:13).
So can we get to a place of agreement that in 2025 AD, a practioner of Judaism (attempting to place themselves under the Mosaic Covenant) exclude themselves from being part of "God's Chosen People" as Paul states in Galatians 5:2?
I was not referring to you opposing Jews/Israel. I was referring to those countries and individuals directly attacking Israel. I would not want to be them now or ever. Things will not end well for them, just as things have not gone well for them. That said, I also would not want to be anyone who discriminates against Jews. I do not think that includes legitimate policy differences - and, again, that's not a direct or passive-aggressive shot at any posters. Just my true belief.
I don't think any of the citations support your argument in any way. To me, the OT and NT are crystal clear: God made an everlasting promise to Israel/Jews. Yes, like most everyone else, they defied God and continue to reject Jesus. That is all laid out in detail. God predicted as much. It is equally clear, however, that nothing Israel/the Jews have done terminates the original promises or covenant.
I see no other way to interpret Romans or the numerous OT and NT references to an everlasting covenant. Respectfully, I have no idea how you or anyone else interprets Galatians in that way. Galatians itself does not even hint at that in my view. And even if it could somehow morph into your view, it is outweighed by many more direct verses in the OT and NT.
Well said.
indeed. It is a fact that Western Civilization is in large part derivative of Judaism, certainly moreso than Greek culture. The stories of Adam & Eve, the Garden of Eden, the fall, the Passover, of Moses and the flight from Egpt, the parting of the Red Sea, the 10 Commandments., the Psalms.......take all of that tradition out of western Civ and things look different, do they not? Christ, fer crissakes, was a Jew!
Never have understood, though, the need to resolve the theological debates on that question. In plain geopolitical terms, Israel is an inexpensive and highly capable ally in an important part of the world. Few foreign aid programs have done more to further our interests. For that reason, the relationship is likely to outlast anyone posting on this board today. Only the sack cloth of anti-semitism could obscure that reality.
still waiting for one of our resident Israel haters to explain how our national security posture we would be better off if Israel did not exist.