An important statement of pro-Israel Christian beliefs in relation to Israel was prepared last year by a core group of pro-Israel Christian leaders in Australia.
It should not be identified in any way as the official position of any particular organisation – rather, it is an attempt to provide a clear, uncompromising, simply-expressed Biblically-based statement making clear where we as Israel-supporting Aussie Christians stand.
This statement (see bottom of this article) is grounded firmly and primarily in God’s Word, and was drawn up in the light of compelling Biblical arguments in support both of Israel’s right to sovereignty over Judea and Samaria and of the indivisibility of Jerusalem, as well as a fundamental rejection of the ‘classic’ two-state solution to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, viewed increasingly by many as now ‘dead in the water’.
In addition, the increasing level of political activity and negative posturing by the United Nations and by many nations of the world on Israel’s right to her God-given land, as well as the positive and powerful heritage of the Anzac legacy, contribute to making this a vital matter on which Australian Christians must now make a clear and uncompromising stand.
There are many lies and much ongoing spiritual deception working against God’s purposes for Israel in our nations, which are endeavouring, by a demonstrably false peace process and a relentless campaign of delegitimisation, to deprive the Jewish people of the land that God has eternally covenanted to them and miraculously restored to them.
We acknowledge that the Lord has made numerous commandments and provisions for the rights of non-Jewish residents and aliens who dwell in the land to a quiet and peaceful enjoyment of the land, but this obligation is provided under Israel’s protection and sovereignty.
“This statement is grounded firmly and primarily in God’s Word, and was drawn up in the light of compelling Biblical arguments…”
We believe this statement can be ‘owned’ by most pro-Israel Christians in Australia. We would recognise that some Christians may have some different or nuanced views on one or two of the paragraphs, but that is inevitable given the complexity of the issues.
We believe this position statement also has the potential to be received by others – including politicians – as a clear declaration of our convictions as Christian believers in relation to Israel and issues of sovereignty over the Biblical heartland.
In February 2015 Ian Worby and I flew to Canberra to present two petitions to the Australian Federal Parliament – one to the House of Representatives (signed by over 3600 people) and a second to the Senate (signed by nearly 3400 people).
These petitions were signed by Christians across our nation, and were carefully drawn up to acknowledge gratefully our government’s support of Israel, and also to encourage the government to take a clear stand in maintaining its current position, and to reject the escalating – and dangerous – unilateral call for a Palestinian state, without negotiations.
The petitions also included a reference to a ‘one state solution’, reflecting our Christian understanding that the land which God gave to Israel – and which is not to be divided – includes the Biblical heartland of Judea and Samaria. In our discussions with parliamentarians we covered fully the content of the petitions, including the strong Biblical grounds for not dividing the land, and were encouraged by the evident support from those with whom we spoke.
We believe it is now time for this position statement to be released as widely as possible, both to encourage Australian believers to reflect deeply on these important issues, and also in an appropriate format as an encouragement to the leaders of our nation to ‘stay the course’ and not take any action that would result in the division of the land of Israel.
A statement of pro-Israel Christian beliefs in relation to Israel, with particular reference to Israel’s rights in relation to the land and specifically to all of Jerusalem.
This position statement has been prepared recently by a group of Australian pro-Israel Christian leaders
and is circulated as a help and encouragement.
1. We are Australian Christians who see in the Word of God – the Bible – the unchanging revelation of the loving heart of God to restore His broken and troubled world back into relationship with Himself. (Genesis 12:1-3; 2 Corinthians 5:17-19)
2. We are eternally grateful to the Jewish people for the Hebrew Bible, which has served for three millennia as a cornerstone of Western civilization and serves today as the moral foundation for societies around the world. (Exodus 20:2-17)
3. We believe that God has sovereignly entered into an everlasting and unconditional covenant relationship with the Jewish people and given them a land in which to dwell in prosperity, peace and security. (Genesis 17:7-8; Jeremiah 31:35-37)
4. We recognize the historical and spiritual significance to the Jewish people of their ancient land of Israel and of the eternal city of Jerusalem, the undivided capital of Israel. (Psalm 137:5-6; Joel 3:20)
5. We believe that God’s love and purpose for Israel has never changed, and that He has yet to restore many more Jewish people to the land that is clearly theirs by biblical, historical, legal and moral right. (Jeremiah 30:3; Amos 9:14-15)
6. We acknowledge that the possession of the land by Israel, the only true democracy in the Middle East, requires her government to care equally for all citizens and residents, Jewish and non-Jewish alike. (Deuteronomy 1:16; Deuteronomy 14:29)
7. We recognize the right of the Arab peoples in the Middle East to dwell in prosperity and security in their existing lands, mindful of the biblical promises of blessing upon their ancient ancestors. (Genesis 17:18-21)
8. We are deeply grateful that our God has always been and remains faithful to keep His word, even when we – Christian and Jew alike – are unfaithful. (Numbers 23:19; 2 Timothy 2:13)
9. It grieves us that the Jews, as a people with a divine calling in that land to reveal to the world the character of the one true God, have been hated and persecuted throughout their history – including sadly by Christians. (Psalm 83:1-5)
10. We see the unrelenting violence and hatred against Israel and the Jews by the Palestinian Arab leadership – and by many others worldwide – as a major ongoing expression of this demonic, age-old anti-Semitism. (Esther 3:12-13; John 10:10)
11. We believe that all efforts to resolve this conflict by a two-state solution that would establish a manifestly hostile Palestinian state on land that belongs to Israel is both unbiblical and a clear threat to Israel’s security. (Psalm 33:10-12)
12. We affirm that Israel, like every other sovereign nation, has the right to self determination, and that Jerusalem is and should be recognized by the international community as the eternal, undivided capital of the State of Israel. (2 Chronicles 6:6; Psalm 122:3-9)
13. We affirm Israel’s inherent right to extend sovereignty over Judea and Samaria, the nation’s biblical heartland, especially in view of the unremitting call by her enemies to obliterate Israel. (Genesis 12:6-7; Exodus 6:8)
14. We view the recent capitulation by the P5+1 nations to Iran in relation to the Iranian nuclear program as a clear indication of the futility of trusting in secular governments to protect Israel from those who would destroy her. (2 Chronicles 20:1-4)
15. We affirm Israel’s right – in common with all other nations – to undertake whatever legally justified defensive action is necessary to ensure the security, protection and well-being of all her citizens. (Nehemiah 4:13-14)
16. We applaud the efforts of the Israeli government – even in times of conflict – in reaching out to innocent Palestinian people with various offers of humanitarian assistance, consistent with Israel’s biblical calling to be a blessing to all people, as well as guaranteeing full rights and privileges to her Arab Israeli citizens. (Exodus 22:21; Leviticus 19:34)
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