Christian Living, Church, Israel, Shane Becker, Theological
With God on Our Side
This movie looks interesting.
Link: http://www.withgodonourside.com/index.html
“We as Evangelicals have endorsed an Israeli domestic policy that has placed over 3 million people under military occupation and has created the largest refuge population in the entire world. And you have to ask yourself, “Why is this defended by the Christian church? How is it that we don’t see the suffering of so many people?” (From the Trailer.)
“This film demonstrates that there is a biblical alternative for Christians who want to love and support the people of Israel, a theology that doesn’t favor one people group over another but instead promotes peace and reconciliation for both Jews and Palestinians.” (From the web site.)
Although I have never been one to get caught up in the details of end times prophesies or Israeli/Palestinian politics, in light of the Ephesians studies I’ve been looking at recently I do find the implications of Christian Zionism disturbing. Especially the branches that are actively against their Palestinian brothers and sisters in Christ for simply living in their own homes.
The Christian Church aught to embrace the work of Jesus and the teaching of Paul in the New Testament:- we are to rejoice over the ‘one new man’ created in Christ, that Christ has destroyed the barrier of the law that once defined the nation of Israel as a special nation before God, there is no longer “Jew or Greeks” but are all one in Christ, and if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.
“11Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men)—12remember that at that time you 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. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
14For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace,16and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
19Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household,” Ephesians 2:11-19
“27for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:27-29
“12The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.” 1 Corinthians 12:12-13
“There have been several UN Resolutions dealing with the Israeli / Palestinian issue. The one we would like to highlight is UN Resolution 242, which was first adapted in 1967 after the 1967 war
• Full Israeli Withdraw from lands occupied in recent conlficts.
• Full recognition from Arab states of the right for Israel to exist.
• Resolution and/or compensation for Palestinians refugees affected by the displacement from war.
The resolution cites the 4th Geneva Convention, article 49. The responsibilities of an occupying power (Israel) have toward peoples living under occupation. The Geneva Convention prohibits the transfer of the occupying powers population into areas that it has occupied.” (From the web site.)
I guess it goes to show all bad teaching ultimately hurts people. In this case it hurts our brothers and sisters in Christ seeking to live peacefully, it actively promotes the violation of human rights under the UN resolutions and Geneva convention, and also divides the Church unnecessarily.
26 Jan 2010 Shane Becker
I love your comments and your heart for the Lord. I would check your facts just a bit. There is so much back and forth on this point. The number of “Palestinian Refugees” that resulted from the war is quite small compared to numbers today or quoted today for back then. Obviously both sides engage in some propaganda but I think that Israel is a far smaller offender in such. It is clear that Palestinians are a pawn in the hands of moslems to foster trouble for Israel. “Palentinians” have poured into Israel and surrounds as a means of pressuring Israel and as a result of their being driven out of their Arab nation host. The Arab nations could have given every Palestinian a home and funded a business for them at much less cost than what they have spent to eliminate Israel.
I am not a Christian Zionist - I am a strong ally of Israel. I think it is wise to support Israel and wise to oppose Arab expansion as a matter of international policy.
I agree with you if our motive is to give them back land God has promised them we are on shaky ground but I think we should all realize that foreign aid sent to Israel is some of the best spent in terms of our national security and relief of human suffering. Just like money we spend on Chinese made goods is going to bring us future trouble. We must know the implications of what we do.
As Christians we want to seek peace. As Christians we can wisely realize that peace cannot be brought to the holy-land by Israel abdicating land to any force dedicated to their destruction. They have demonstrated an ability to run a government where all their citizens are represented equally under law - including Palestinians. This is a notable accomplishment not seen in most of the world. Let us look at the whole picture carefully.
For my reading the Palestinians have the burden of fostering peace and not war. Not that Israel is innocent but peace has been available to the Palestinians on fairly good terms if they would pursue it.
I agree the issues are complex and I’m no political expert.
Although I do believe those statistics are correct and that today’s refuge camps are a direct result of Israeli victories and expansion in the region.
Some items worth considering are:
- The reality of the Forgotten Christians: http://www.amconmag.com/article/2004/may/24/00013/
Gaza strip refuge maps (old - 2003 data - situation worsened since.): http://www.withgodonourside.com/maps/Refugees.pdf
- The bad theology which fuels a mis-focus: http://www.withgodonourside.com/zionism.htm
by placing the Church’s focus on to the kingdoms of this world rather than the kingdom of heaven which is “not of this world” (i.e. not of this age). It is wrong for the church to have a focus which puts the church’s energy and money into the expansion Israel rather than the expansion of the gospel and support for our brothers and sisters in Christ and support of the poor and needy victims of this situation (on both sides).
- The History of the Region: http://www.withgodonourside.com/history.htm
There was a majority Arab population and minority Jewish communities living in the land of Palestine before 1948. “The UN Partition plan was formulated which was to give 55% of mandate Palestine to the Jews, and 45% to the Arabs.” - even through this was significantly unfair compared to the population balance. “After the 1948 war, Israel captured and retained over 77% of mandate Palestine while Jordan controlled the West Bank and East Jerusalem and Egypt took Gaza.” “At the end of the war on June 10, 1967, Israel had captured Gaza and the Sinai from Egypt, the West Bank including East Jerusalem from Jordan and the Golan from Syria. Israel annexed the Golan and East Jerusalem but kept the West Bank and Gaza Strip under military occupation. In 1979, in a peace treaty with the Egyptians, Israel retuned the Sinai back to Egypt.”
- The UN Resolutions and the Geneva Convention violations of Israel: http://www.withgodonourside.com/resolutions.htm
- The Separation Barrier: http://www.withgodonourside.com/barrier.htm
which in practice separates thousands of Palestinians from their livelihood.
- The reality of the Settlements: http://www.withgodonourside.com/settlements.htm
which represents the reality of human rights violations and rather than being condemned by the church is, in many cases, actually supported (and believed to be Biblical).
What concerns me in light of the work of Christ and the teaching of the new testament is the following:
- The Church focusing on solutions that favor one nation over another rather than recognition that the Church is to be about the gospel and proclaim it alone as the means of bringing true peace.
- The need for a scriptural theology which brings the perspective of the church towards seeing both Jews and Palestinians as equally in need of Christ.
- A scriptural theology which brings the focus of Christians on the Kingdom which is “not of this world” instead of focusing on the international policy of this world.
- A biblical understanding which recognises the primacy of the Church as God’s one people which supersedes any former national status Israel had.
- Christians standing up for truth and human rights equally and fairly. Christians seeking to do good to all - especially the household of faith. The bias of the Christian church towards turning a blind eye to Israeli human rights violations on Theological or Ideological grounds is shameful. Especially when their have been clear UN Resolutions and Geneva convention violations by Israel.
“. . . I think that Israel is a far smaller offender in such . . . I think it is wise to support Israel and wise to oppose Arab expansion as a matter of international policy. . .”
I disagree. We are to be in the world but not of it. Christians are to support the truth. Christians are to support their brothers and sisters in Christ and be a voice for them when they suffer under both the human rights violations of the Israelis and Palestinians. In that area it is Israel that has expanded their borders since they were established in 1948 not the other way around.
Yes, the issues are complex. But it is wiser for Christians to support the Church and Truth and not one side or the other. Only the gospel will bring any real or lasting peace to the area. This should be the message and focus of the church with respect for the region and not ‘Give Israel their land’.
Peace, for all,
Shane.