Romans 15:27 – They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.
If God has made a covenant with the Jewish people, if they are the vessel through which God’s kingdom and salvation have been brought to the world, if God is bringing them home in our time, and if God’s Word urges us to pray for them, then it is clear that Israel is relevant to us. Paul teaches in the Book of Romans about the role of the Jews in God’s plan of salvation, concluding that we as Gentile Christians owe them a debt. He collects offerings for “the saints in Jerusalem” and writes:
Romans 15:25-27 – Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the Lord’s people there. For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord’s people in Jerusalem. They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.
Paul points out that since the church has received spiritual blessings from the Jews, we are indebted to them; in fact, we owe (some translations say we are “obligated”) to help them in practical ways.
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells the parable of the prodigal son. The story compellingly portrays the father waiting for his returning son, but a bitter taste remains when we read about the elder son who refused to welcome his brother. This can resemble how the Christian church reacts to the Jews returning to Israel today. Despite the fact that the return of the Jews and the restoration of Israel are among the most prophesied events in the Bible for our time, many parts of the global church remain indifferent to Israel.
The Church’s Calling
As followers and disciples of Jesus, we are called to be co-workers with God. What matters to Him should matter to us. God’s Word says in Jeremiah 32:41: “I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul.” When God brings the Jews back home and plants them in the land with all His heart and soul, it should touch and move every church. Historically, forced conversions by Gentile missionaries have damaged the relationship between Jews and Christians. Today, almost no Messianic Jews in Israel use the term “Christian” for themselves or refer to their congregations as “churches,” illustrating the lingering challenges.
However, genuine love and care have transformed the relationship between Christians and Jews in Israel in recent decades. When the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) was established in 1980, there was deep skepticism toward Christians. Forty-one years later, Israel’s President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, Defense Minister, and Tourism Minister send their greetings and thank-you messages to the ICEJ’s Feast of Tabernacles event in Jerusalem. They unanimously express gratitude for the Christian love and support.
The Bible shows that we have received salvation and God’s Word from the Jewish people, suggesting a special connection in God’s plan between the Jewish people and His church. We are called to offer them comfort, prayer, and blessings.
The Call to Pray and Speak
A stark illustration of the importance of this is that if the church had not been influenced by replacement theology and antisemitism, the Holocaust likely would not have occurred in the Christian continent of Europe.
This people and this nation concern all Christians, both individually and as churches. God invites us to be His co-workers in this area too. We must not remain silent spectators when hostility toward the Jews arises. Let us stand up boldly with compassion and care for this people who have suffered so much. They have borne the heavy burden of the enmity and rejection of the nations throughout history, a burden no other nation has had to bear. They have paid this price so that God’s promise to Abraham could be fulfilled: “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Reflection Questions – The Church’s Calling
1. – Can we say that the church owes a debt to the Jews?
2. – How can the church bless Israel?
3. – What can you do to support God’s plan for Israel?
4. – Which Bible verses spoke to you specifically?
