Questions And Answers
The following questions are all actual questions asked at recent CMJ events. Clearly, the answers given are only first steps in addressing many big issues.
Has God finished with Israel? Surely God is doing a new thing now with the Church?
God is a promise keeping God. The promises to Israel can not be revoked or transferred to the Church (or any other entity) without distorting or undermining God's faithfulness. CMJ understands that God remains faithful to Israel and this can be seen partly in the restoring of Israel as a nation and partly in terms of significant numbers of Jewish people discovering and responding to the truth about Jesus. While proclaiming God's everlasting love for Israel, there is also the sense that through the person and work of Jesus and the mission of the Church, God is indeed doing a 'new thing', yet this 'new thing' does not sever Israel from God's promises or purposes but rather this 'new thing' should be understood as both a fulfilling and a continuation of God's covenantal promises to Israel and God's intention to bless all of His creation.
In supporting Israel, are you not taking sides and denying the legitimate rights of Palestinians?
CMJ believes that the establishing of a safe homeland for Jewish people is in part a fulfilment of God's purposes. After nearly 2000 years of Jewish exile and anti-Semitism culmination in the horrors of the Holocaust, we stand and rejoice with Israel in her right to exist within secure and peaceful boundaries. We reject all forms of terrorism and would strive to seek a peaceful and just solution to the human and political rights of all peoples. In supporting Israel however we do not believe that Israel is above criticism and would call upon Israel to live out her biblical ethical demands in terms of just treatment for Palestinians. Equally, we would call upon all to recognise Israel's right to exist within secure and peaceful boundaries. On a local level CMJ continues to work tirelessly in attempting to model reconciliation between Jews and Arabs. The ultimate peace and justice we all long for can only be fully established when all have responded to the liberating and reconciling power of the Gospel.
In seeing the modern restoration of Israel as a direct fulfilment of prophecy, are you not taking a very literal and biased view of the Bible?
CMJ believes that the way we interpret and apply the key biblical texts follow the very best practice of evangelical Christian hermeneutics. CMJ, while recognising the use of symbolism, poetry, typology and the multi-faceted nature of much prophecy, believes that texts should be interpreted by their plain meaning rather than pursuing a more deductive or over spiritualised hermeneutic. CMJ upholds that God's character is verifiable through the outworking of history which includes the modern restoration of Israel.
In seeing the importance of Jewish evangelism, are you undermining good Jewish-Christian relations?
Sharing the Gospel sensitively and appropriately with Jewish people is at the very heart of CMJ. We realise that some within the field of Jewish Christian relations argue against Jewish evangelism and see such attempts by Christians as theologically inappropriate. CMJ does not endorse this view but rather sees the theological priority of Jewish evangelism (Romans 1:16). In sharing the Gospel with Jewish people, we are challenging Jewish myths and fears about Jesus, especially a) Jesus is not really Jewish, and to study His life and claims in not acceptable Jewish research, b) Jewish people will somehow come to harm if they encounter the Christian Gospel and c) Believing in Jesus (Yeshua) results in a cessation of true Jewish identity. In challenging these views, we believe we are not undermining Jewish-Christian relations but rather we are contributing to deeper and more meaningful dialogue in a robust and respectful way.
Does your concern for and focus upon Jewish people undermine the Church's work within Islamic settings?
No, CMJ believes that cultural and theological insights gained over the past 200 years from sharing the gospel with Jewish people actually contributes to and compliments evangelistic work within an Islamic setting.
In supporting the emerging Messianic Jewish movement are you not adding to the divisions within the Church?
No, CMJ believes that the emergence of the Messianic Jewish movement is part of God's wider redemptive purposes. In supporting the development of Messianic Jews as a recognised people group within the wider Body of the Church, CMJ believes that the Messianic Jewish movement will be a great blessing to the whole Church and to the wider Jewish community. Clearly there are a number of pressing issues of how various parts of the Church relate together in unity, while celebrating God-given diversity and distinctiveness (and such issues often come into focus while exploring the development of Messianic Judaism). CMJ believes it is in a uniquely privileged place of addressing these issues in a biblically faithful and astute way, which will result both in honouring and strengthening unity(Ephesians 2:14-16), while allowing God-given distinctiveness to flourish in ways inspired by the Holy Spirit.
In promoting "Jewish roots teaching" within the Church are you not adding to the Church issues of secondary importance?
No. CMJ believes that Jewish roots teaching, when appropriately introduced into a local Church, helps the Church to gain a far greater understanding of central issues. For example, there are many scenes in the gospel accounts which only begin to reveal their full significance when we understand the essential Jewishness of the characters (including Jesus) and the contexts. Also, for example, the link between Holy Communion and Passover can be truly significant in helping Christians appreciate more fully the redemptive love of God. Rediscovering our biblical Jewish roots brings a foretaste of what Paul calls the coming "life from the dead" (Romans 11:15).