JD: There was a very interesting statement from John Hagee about converting Jews. He says, many members of the Jewish community come to understand that we do not seek to convert them. Could you provide some more context?
DJ: The reason we’re concerned about this statement is because at least on the surface he seems to suggest what is known as dual covenant theology, which says that because of the Jews are God’s chosen people they can be saved by being faithful to the Mosaic Covenant rather than needing to hear, understand and believe the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Concerning the context pastor Hagee was asked by the interviewer
the following question: How did you decide when you started CUFI to set aside
theological differences with Jews and focus on what you have in common to start
a revolution in Christian-Jewish relations? And pastor Hagee responded with
this: I think the Jewish community has understandably been leery of Christians
rather suddenly offering them unconditional love. But over time I’ve seen many
members of the Jewish community come to understand that we do not seek to
convert them.
Then he makes a statement a couple of sentences later that
is of great concern; “It is good for brothers and sisters to sit together in
mutual love and respect and we have made great progress in making that the
reality. I’m not trying to convert the Jewish people to the Christian faith;
there is nothing that honors Israel that does that.” He went on to say in fact
trying to convert Jews is a waste of time; the Jewish person who has his roots in
Judaism is not going to convert to Christianity there is no form of Christian evangelisms
that has failed so miserably as evangelizing the Jewish people. They already
have a faith structured. I believe that every Jewish person who lives in light of the Torah which is the word of God and has a relationship with God and
will come to redemption.
JD: Well let’s take a moment by encouraging our listeners to be
careful when it comes to high profile teachers. Just because they’re popular
does not mean that they handle the Bible correctly when they are teaching.
DJ: Believers need to be much more careful and
concerning than they some times are and not mistake popularity, prestige and
power as indicators that someone can be trusted to handle the word of God correctly.
JD: David James with Bible in hand with the details on a
statement by John Hagee that Jews do not need to get saved through the gospel
the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
We report this information because it is setting the stage
for Bible prophecy to be fulfilled.
You heard David James quote from the interview with John
Hagee in the Jerusalem Post. The bottom line is that Hagee does not seek to
convert Jews through Jesus because he believes that they can come by another
way. Romans 1:16 says that the gospel of Christ is the power of God for
salvation to the Jew first. That’s God’s word not mans idea.
