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Do Christians Have a Duty to Support Israel?

Date: July 12, 2025
Source: Father Spyridon YouTube Video Transcript
Topic: Orthodox Christian Critique of Christian Zionism and Dispensationalism

Core Thesis​

Father Spyridon presents a sharp Orthodox Christian critique of modern Christian Zionism, arguing that the Church has replaced Israel as God's chosen people and that dispensationalism is a dangerous modern heresy that leads Christians away from Christ's commands.

The Central Declaration​

Modern Christian Zionism as Heresy​

"This is a modern heresy. We must be clear. Israel, the people of God is the Orthodox church. There is no special dispensation outside of Christ."

The Finality of Christ's Work​

"Those who reject him, reject Christ, whether Jew or Gentile, reject salvation. The great conversion of the Jews in the end times has already happened. The apostles, the first Christians, were all Jewish converts."

The Church as True Israel​

Justin Martyr's Teaching​

"As Justin Martyr said, the church is true Israel. St. Justin Martyr says, 'Judaism has come to an end. The faith, the religion of Judaism came to an end in Christ. The church is true Israel.'"

Paul's Universal Message​

"In the third chapter of St. Paul's epistle to the Galatians, he says, 'There is no Jew or Greek in Christ. If you are in Christ, you are Abraham's offspring. If you are Christ's, you are Abraham's offspring.'"

Personal Testimony and Universal Truth​

Father Spyridon's Jewish Heritage​

"My grandmother on my father's side was Jewish. She recognized herself as ethnically Jewish... And of course, as it travels down the female line, that made my father Jewish. He never practiced. I was brought up an atheist."

The Spiritual Reality​

"So that identity and that nationality still exists. Of course, there are still Jews in the world who recognize themselves and have the right to call themselves Jews. But before God, there is no distinction. There is no distinction between Gentile or Jew."

The Rejection of Tribal Privileges​

Christ's Teaching on the Sons of the Kingdom​

"In the 8th chapter of the Gospel of St. Matthew, Jesus describes the sons of the kingdom being thrown out into outer darkness... He says this because the heritage the tribal privileges that existed previously do not exist in Christ."

The Absolute Nature of Salvation​

"Nothing will save those who reject faith in Christ. Nothing. Nothing. Any Jew who claims to be faithful to the Old Testament but rejects Christ contradicts himself."

The Road to Emmaus Revelation​

Christ's Self-Revelation in Scripture​

"We remember on the road to Emmaus how Christ opened the scriptures to the apostles and revealed to them how the scriptures revealed him as the Messiah spoke of the Christ. He explained this to them."

Modern Judaism vs. Biblical Faith​

The Talmudic Departure​

"Modern Judaism is not the faith of the people from whom our Lord emerged. The Talmudic faith is alien to Moses, to Isaac, to Jacob, to all the prophets."

The Blasphemy Charge​

"Christians must know that the Talmud blasphemes Christ. It blasphemes the mother of God. There is no no separate, no second, no no different salvation. The economy of God is in Jesus Christ alone."

The Dangers of Dispensationalism​

The Historical Novelty​

"Dispensationalism only appeared in the 1830s. It's completely absent from the writings of the church fathers."

The Antinomian Error​

"This error only leads to more errors. Many American evangelicals believe that the commands of Christ to to live virtuous lives to to follow the teachings of the the sermon on the mount. They believe they only apply to the Jews and that they as Christians are saved by faith alone."

The Real Danger​

"The real danger of this modern heresy, the the heresy of dispensationalism is not the the inflated and and misguided allegiance to Israel, but it's that it leads those who would seek salvation in Christ to abandon his commands."

The Necessity of Works​

Faith Without Works is Dead​

"We must be clear. Faith without works is dead. Without repentance, without attempting to be obedient to Christ's commands, then we have no faith. We have no love of him."

Christ's Own Words​

"If you love me, you will follow my commands, he says."

The Sermon on the Mount's Universal Application​

"His command to forgive, to repent, to be humble, and so on, to mourn over our sins. everything that he teaches us there in the sermon on the mount."

Spiritual Warfare and Fear​

The Devil's Tactics​

"The devil uses everything to attack us. And fear is one of his most powerful weapons. When conflicts occur, when when we see wars in various parts of the world, the devil always uses chaos and confusion to try to pull us pull us from the the royal path, the narrow path as Christ calls it, the narrow path of salvation."

The Antidote to Fear​

"But we must not fear. As Jesus said many times, as the angels proclaimed again and again, do not fear, have no fear."

The Victory in Christ​

Complete Victory​

"In Christ, there is victory over all, over the whole world, over all evil, over everything that can possibly threaten us. But this victory is found only in Christ."

Key Theological Arguments​

1. Replacement Theology​

  • The Church has replaced Israel as God's chosen people
  • The "great conversion of the Jews" occurred with the apostles
  • No separate covenant or dispensation exists for ethnic Jews

2. Critique of Dispensationalism​

  • A 19th-century innovation absent from church fathers
  • Leads to antinomianism (abandoning Christ's moral commands)
  • Creates false division between Israel and the Church

3. Universal Salvation Through Christ Alone​

  • No ethnic or tribal privileges exist in the New Covenant
  • All salvation comes through Christ, regardless of ethnicity
  • Modern Judaism is fundamentally different from biblical Judaism

4. The Danger of Political Theology​

  • Christian Zionism conflates political support with spiritual truth
  • Fear and chaos are used to pull Christians from the "narrow path"
  • True victory is found only in Christ, not political alliances

Pastoral Implications​

Father Spyridon argues that:

  • Christians should not feel religiously obligated to support Israel politically
  • The focus should be on Christ's commands rather than geopolitical allegiances
  • Modern dispensationalism undermines genuine Christian discipleship
  • The Church's identity as "true Israel" is central to Orthodox theology

Historical Context​

The video addresses the contemporary debate over Christian support for Israel, particularly in American evangelical circles, from a traditional Orthodox Christian perspective that emphasizes:

  • Continuity with early church teaching
  • Rejection of 19th-century dispensationalist innovations
  • The centrality of Christ and the Church in God's plan
  • The universal nature of salvation through Christ alone

This represents a significant theological counter-narrative to the Christian Zionist position that has influenced much of American evangelical political engagement with Middle Eastern affairs.