In Defense of Israel, or In Defense of the Gospel?

hat tip to PJ at Sola Dei Gloria:

from Messianic Good News:

In defense of the Gospel

“Messianic Good News” was formed for the purpose of proclaiming and publishing the Good News that Jesus is the Messiah. There is no other good news or promise of blessing apart from that of being reconciled to God through faith in Him – for Jew and non-Jew alike. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). In view of certain teachings suggesting that there is another gospel for Israel which is yet to be fulfilled we felt it necessary to define exactly what the gospel is and to refute the false notion of another gospel that is being held out as the hope of Israel.

What is the gospel?

Since gospel means good news, in order to fully appreciate the good news we need to first grasp the bad news of the collective condition of mankind. Following the disobedience of Adam and Eve mankind was driven from God’s presence, represented by the Garden of Eden, and subjected to the curse of death. But at the same time that the curse was pronounced over them the LORD gave them the promise of good news: the seed of the woman would crush the head of the deceiver (Genesis 3:15). The exile from Eden set mankind on a course through which they would experience the devastating consequences of sin and rebellion in the hope that they would seek the LORD and be reconciled to him in genuine faithfulness through the Messiah (see Romans 8:18-22). The Messiah/Redeemer was only destined to be born thousands of years later, but those who believed God were sustained by faith in the promise.

Abraham was such a man of faith, as Jesus testified: “Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad” (John 5:56). God called Abraham out from among the pagans to further his purpose of redemption through the descendants of Abraham, re-iterating again the good news of a future redemption with the promise that all nations would be blessed through his seed (i.e. the Messiah). Thus the nation of Israel was formed as the vehicle through which his redemptive purposes for mankind would be realised.

The Law of Moses was given to Israel as a measure to show how far man has fallen short of God’s perfect standard of holiness and as a means by which the people could draw near to God through the sacrifices of atonement. Everything in the Law – temple, sacrifices and priesthood – pointed ahead to the Messiah who would fulfil the Law in every aspect: The Messiah is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes (Romans 10:4).

Unfortunately the Rabbis failed to understand the goal and purpose of the Law, imagining that it was the means by which righteousness could be attained. But what emerges throughout Scripture is that what is needed is not a change from without, but a change within. Until we are transformed by the Holy Spirit, God’s perfect Law given through Moses testifies against us that we are sinful and rebellious by nature: “Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God. There it will remain as a witness against you. For I know how rebellious and stiff-necked you are (Deuteronomy 31:26). Moses knew that the people of Israel would fall into apostasy and be scattered among the nations. This is why Jesus said to those who pretended to be righteous according to the Law, “Do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set” (John 5:45).

Read the complete article here: In defence of the Gospel