Page 20 - TORCH Magazine #29 - Autumn 2025

The Super-Spiritual Approach
This characteristic takes the false
doctrine that the Church has replaced Israel
and over-spiritualises the implications. It
is more common in some Evangelical and
Charismatic movements that embrace
Replacement Theology. It is completely
the opposite end of the spectrum to
the Literal-Religious Approach, because
unlike the former that tries to Christianize
now Israel’ makes Israel’s present challenges
seem earthly and unresolvable in the natural
– especially in comparison with the ‘New
Jerusalem’ that the Bible speaks of. It is true
that our hope is in the things above, but
to think that God has finished with earthly
Jerusalem is disproven by Scripture. After all,
Jesus is returning to Jerusalem as a Jewish
city, not a Christianized one, or a Muslim
one. Likewise, to regard the State of Israel
as a man-made creation completely ignores
the miraculous and the prophetic.
the Land through religious practice, the
Super-Spiritual Approach doesn’t think the
The Conditional Approach
State of Israel is of any specific theological
importance to Christians, except maybe for
There is a ‘Lite’ version of Replacement
Bible-history significance.
Theology that is present in many churches
This view suggests that if Jews have
in the West. This view might agree with
forfeited the Land because of unbelief, and
the Biblical view that there is a distinct
if the Church is now Israel anyway, then the
difference between Israel and the Church.
State of Israel in the present doesn’t really
It might also recognise that God has a
have any Biblical relevance. Israel becomes
future purpose for Israel. However, at this
as a spiritual-only
present time they regard
metaphor for Christians,
the Jewish people’s
and a geographical Land
is not applicable for the
“Israel IS
presence in the Land
as entirely conditional
Christian faith.
Also, the formation of
the State of Israel loses
in the Land, re-established
upon their spiritual
restoration, contending
that it has yet to be
its prophetic weight
fulfilled. They say that
if the Jewish people’s
connection to the Land
is severed. The Land
and thriving in their ancestral
until this spiritual
restoration happens
(usually meaning Israel’s
itself might still be
valued as the Land of
homeland."
recognition of Jesus
as Messiah), there
the Bible, and therefore
cannot be a physical
maintains historical
restoration in terms of
importance; but it
the Land. Well, here's
becomes very difficult to Biblically justify
the bombshell – Israel IS in the Land, re-
support for the idea of the State of Israel if
established and thriving in their ancestral
one thinks that the Church is now Israel.
homeland. Therefore, holding this view
This view results in a generally passive
implies that Israel doesn’t have a current
attitude towards Israel-related issues,
right to exist, even though Israel very much
seeing them as only political, and
does exist.
doesn’t necessarily recognise the Biblical
The result of this predicament leaves
significance. It isn’t necessarily swayed
support for Israel at the behest of the
by the pro-Palestinian movement, but it
State of Israel’s behaviour. Those who
doesn’t feel the need to teach about Israel
hold this view tend to take a more critical
and tries to avoid division. It might not set
view of the State of Israel – holding it to a
out to be anti-Israel, but it can easily default
higher standard than any other country. It
to becoming as such, owing to the lack of
undermines God’s grace and ignores the
solid teaching about Israel.
Church’s ‘plank in its own eye’. The Apostle
This over-spiritualising of ‘the Church is
Paul warned about this kind of attitude
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