Chizuk Emunah Under the Microscope: Chapter 2

In chapter 2, Troki addresses a Christian argument, where members of the church say that the church has supplanted Israel. I agree with Troki on this point, but he also says that Christians are wrong to claim that Jesus died for the sins of the world.

Troki argues that Jesus was not seen as God until 100 years after his death. This is obviously false, as I have stated in my previous works:
http://messianicdrew.blogspot.com/2010/11/jesus-as-god-clearing-ground.html
http://messianicdrew.blogspot.com/2010/12/jesus-as-god-biblical-case.html
http://messianicdrew.blogspot.com/2011/01/jesus-as-god-closer-look.html

 Troki also claims that the church could not have inherited the promises of Israel. In Deuteronomy 28, God lists material prosperity as a reward for obedience, and material poverty as a punishment for disobedience. Deuteronomy promises that Israel can gauge its obedience based on how well it is doing materially. A wealthy and powerful Israel is a sign of obedience, and a persecuted and impoverished Israel is a sign of disobedience.

The early church faced extremely harsh persecution. Most of the apostles died violent and painful deaths, including Peter and Paul. Nero persecuted the church very harshly, lighting Christians on fire as torches for his parties. Decius roasted Christians alive. Constantine finally accepted Christianity and called together the Council of Nicaea shortly after the most hellish bouts of empire-wide persecution.

Even as Constantine made Christianity a preferred religion, his successor Constantine II adopted the heretical theology of Arianism, as did the emperor Julian. Missionaries to the Poles and Prussians, and to the Scandanavians faced very heavy persecution. Many missionaries gave their lives. Even today, much of the world is hostile to Christianity, and many Christians take great risk to their own lives and to the lives of their families by practicing their religion.

Christianity had also faced the threat of doctrinal pollution when many churches allowed the veneration of saints and icons, taught about purgatory, elevated Mary to nigh-goddess status, and taught their congregations to worship the bread and wine eaten at the Lord's Supper. These practices are contrary to what Jesus taught.

Christians also have practices that would be gross Torah desecration. They eat blood sausage, pork, and shellfish. They do not keep Saturday as the Sabbath. Christianity has been historically non-observant of the Laws of Moses, so how can it be Israel's replacement?

The answer is that the church is not Israel's replacement. It is a renewed covenant, that God can spread his word to the whole world. Most Christians are gentiles, who, even under ultra-Orthodox Jewish Law, are not required to follow the Mosaic Law. The blessings and curses in Deuteronomy 28 apply only to Israel, not to the church. This is something we need to keep in mind when prosperity preachers quote it out of context. Only ancient Israel is promised material rewards for good deeds. Instead, Paul writes in 2 Timothy that those who desire to live godly lives in Jesus will be persecuted. Jesus himself promises this in John 15 "Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours."

It is true that many Christians have treated Jews horribly. It is also true that many Christians have been prone to drunkenness, fornication, theft, idolatry, perversion of justice, fraud, and self-worship. Those who believe in Jesus, like everyone else, have the free will to follow the good inclination or the evil inclination. Many follow the good, but there are those who follow the bad.

Why do Christians not follow halacha? The answer is that halacha was given to ancient Israel, and not to the church. It was sort of the Constitution of this ancient nation, and applies only to it. There is no real Christian Sabbath. There is Sunday, which is not the Sabbath, but the Lord's Day. This is not to say that Jews can get away with rejecting Jesus. The Mosaic Covenant was not one of salvation, where the promise of obedience was everlasting life, and the promise of disobedience was everlasting torment. The test of obedience for ancient Jews was repentance and faith.

Ancient Israelites repented on the Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur. The sacrifice was made to make atonement for the whole nation. The sacrifice made atonement available, and the faith of the Israelites is how the individuals obtained it. Those who reject Jesus do not have faith, and therefore are not saved.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
- John 14:6 

Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.
- John 5:23

“The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”
- Luke 10:16 

No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.
- 1 John 2:23 

Whoever believes in Jesus is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
- John 3:18