Are Christians Chosen by Predestination Individually or Within Israel? - An Eye Opener for Those Who Believe in Replacement Theology

In a sense they are. YHWH reveals to those, whom He chooses the things, which He chooses. But is it His predestining us, individually, while we were only in His mind, the reason for our being Christians as many think? Is our freewill negated in choosing to follow Him because He has made His mind up?

Let's see what the definition of predestination is. In the Greek, the word for predestinated is proorizō, and it means to predetermine, decide beforehand, God decreeing from eternity, to foreordain or appoint beforehand.

We must remember that YHWH has one plan, and that is to reconcile humans back to Him through His Son. The Hebrew people weren't part of a plan, which was failed, and which YHWH chalked up and threw away, beginning a new plan with Gentiles, as replacement theologians teach. No; YHWH had His plan from the beginning of the time, which He created the world, as it is written, "But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you" - 1 Peter 1:19-20. Abraham believed in that plan, because it was said by Yeshua, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad" - John 8:56.

Many replacement theologians say that because Israel failed at recognizing the Messiah, YHWH finished with the Hebrew people and created a new people for Himself for the Gentiles. But what does the Holy Bible say about that?

Romans 11:16- - For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?"

So Israel has not been done away with. Israel is the original tree. Granted, the branches, which cannot see that Yeshua is the Messiah have been removed from the tree, but when the vail is removed (2 Corinthians 3:16 - Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away) unbelieving Israel shall be again placed within the covenant, as promised in Jeremiah 31:33 - But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Luke wrote in the book of Acts, chapter 13 and verse 17, "The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it." Then in verse 23 he goes on to say, "Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus." In verses 38 and 39 he declares, "Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." Then he says in verses 42 - 44, "And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. "

So Israel had a great many who believed. Just look at Acts 2:41 - Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. Those were Jews who were added to the church that day, and verse 47 says that more were added to the church daily.

Therefore, we can deduct that YHWH had one plan - to call all people to repentance through the blood of the Messiah, with the Jews being a light unto the Gentiles, as Isaiah 49:6 promises, "And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth."

We can also deduct, when Paul said, "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved" - Ephesians 1:4-7, he was talking about the whole of Israel. This is referenced to and confirmed in Isaiah 45:44 - For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me; verse 17 - But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.

Therefore, it is the entity, Israel, as a whole, which He has elected, and not every single person. We each all have our own freewill to choose the things, which we wish.

Interesting enough, the definition for Israel is YHWH prevails. To throw out Israel and to replace it with the church is the same as calling YHWH a failure. We are reminded that in Numbers 14:12 YHWH threatens to put an end to Israel (I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.) But Moses reminds Him in verses 13-16, "Then the Egyptians shall hear it, (for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;) And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou LORD art among this people, that thou LORD art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night. Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying, Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness. "

So to explain it, YHWH is fed up with the Hebrew people, because of their unbelief and wants to strike them all down, yet Moses pleads with Him and tells Him that if He does this thing, then those in Egypt, who were lead to believe He was with the Hebrews, would say that He was not able to do the thing which He had planned, and YHWH hears Moses and decides to remain with the people for His glory (verse 21 - But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.)

When we say that YHWH was not able to lead Israel into His rest, that He threw them out and began a new church, then we are opposing YHWH's ability, as well.

This is something for replacement theologians to think about.

© Kimberly Padilla, A.A. Religious Studies
17 August 2009