Who are God’s Chosen People? Many conservative TV preachers and their followers inadvertently diminish the pre-eminence and centrality of Christ by insisting that Christians, and specifically the United States, always support the current nation of Israel as “God’s Chosen People” with the threat that if we don’t bless them, God will not bless us (Genesis 12:3).
The Call of Abram
The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”
The City That Kills The Prophets
Even in Old Testament times, God did not always bless the Jewish nation as a whole when it was unfaithful to Him. And Jesus himself clearly and repeatedly taught that “the one who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.” (Luke 10:16) “Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets . . . Your house is left to you desolate until you say ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” (Matthew 23:37-39) Jesus compared Israel’s leaders to wicked tenants who rejected the owner’s (God’s) servants (prophets) and killed the son (Jesus), and Jewish leaders signed their own death warrant with their verdict, “the owner of the vineyard will put those wretches to a miserable death and let the vineyard out to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their season.” (Matthew 21:33-46)
Abraham’s Offspring
Jesus commissioned His disciples and apostles to “Go make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19) The New Testament says of all believers in Christ: “You are a chosen people, a holy nation . . . now you are the people of God.” (1 Peter 2:9-10) The New Testament says “there is neither Jew nor Gentile, if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring.” (Galatians 3:28-29) The New Testament calls those of “the new creation . . . the Israel of God.” (Galatians 6:16) “Not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel.” (Romans 9:6)
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Not Theological
About 3% of Israelis are Christians, and less with each passing year. Whether to support the current nation of Israel is a case by case political, moral and practical decision, not a perennial theological mandate.
