Reading a Torah scroll Photo: © Fotolia.com

Sacramental Theology Of Works vs Evangelical Theology Of Faith

There's an interesting parallel here between the Faith and Works Theologies of the Letter of JAMES and represented in the modern Church by

• SACRAMENTALISM & RITUALISM based on observance of the Ten Commandments, religious rituals and the performance of works of charity

• EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANITY which emphasises the concepts of grace, faith and heartfelt obedience to God out of gratitude for Christ's redeeming death on the cross and glorious resurrection

It is a reflection of the tensions between the Judaisers and Evangelicals of the Early Church  -  the former stressing the Law of Moses and circumcision; the latter stressing the grace of God and faith demonstrated by the compassion of Christ. What the Council of Jerusalem in ACTS Chapter 15 realised was that in Christ all become one through faith and obedience to Jesus Christ  - Yeshua Ha Mashiah. The result is that there is neither Jew or Gentile, neither male nor female, neither slave nor free  -  just those who are the obedient branches of Jesus The True Vine.

The Willowbank Evangelical Declaration 1989

In 1989 a number of American evangelicals published what has become known as The Willowbank Declaration on the Christian Gospel & the Jewish People in which they denied that "any non-Christian faith, as such, will mediate eternal life with God." Not surprisingly, it was heavily criticised by many liberal Christian denominations as being unloving and too exclusive, although it was thoroughly scriptural.

The World Evangelical Alliance Report "The Gospel & The Jewish People"

In March 2008 the World Evangelical Alliance published The Gospel & The Jewish People as "a biblical statement that expresses the truth in love." While it expressly disassociated itself from any anti-Semitic attitudes on the part of the Church in past centuries, it reaffirmed the belief stated in ACTS 4:12 that "There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved." They stated: "We believe that it is only through Jesus that all people can receive eternal life. If Jesus is not the Messiah of the Jewish people, He cannot be the Saviour of the World."

Replacement (or 'Supersessionist') Theology - "The Church As The New Israel"

In some evangelical circles the problems of Yeshua Ha Mashiah have resulted in a different response. According to this approach, the Church is the New Israel, embodying the New Covenant in Jesus' blood. This at times gives the impression that God has somehow set aside his covenant with Israel in favour of the Gentiles. 

This is denied by its proponents. "Covenant theologians deny that God has abandoned his promises to Israel, but see the fulfillment of the promises to Israel in the person and the work of the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, who established the church in organic continuity with Israel, not a separate replacement entity." (For more click on COVENANT THEOLOGY in Wikipedia)