Southern Seminary Magazine (Vol. 91.2) Pastoral Ministry in a Changing World

NEWS & FEATURES
Andrew Walker, Ayman Ibrahim, Thomas Schreiner, and R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
“The issue is very complicated,
and believers have different views,”
Schreiner said. “God chose the Jews
as his covenant people and Paul says
the gospel went to the Jews first. My
understanding is that the church
of Jesus Christ is a fulfillment of
the promises to Israel. There is a
promise of a future eschatological
salvation for the Jewish people as
they put their trust in Jesus Christ.”
“We are definitely in the last
days,” Schreiner said, “because 1
John 2 says this is the last hour and
Hebrews says we’re in the last days.
But it is impossible to know if we
are in the last days of the last days.
Every generation rightly believes
we are in the last times.”
Mohler believes the modern
state of Israel may have significance
for God’s redemptive and
historical plan.
“Ultimately all the promises
to Israel are fulfilled in Christ,”
Mohler said. “But there are
historic and territorial promises
yet to be fulfilled. I believe 1948
means something. I believe in a
literal space-time rule of Jesus
from Jerusalem and that Israel is
a providential nation—a means of
preserving the Jewish people for
God’s redemptive purposes in the
age to come.”
Why has there been a hesitation
for some leaders to condemn
the attacks?
“All civilized nations must
support Israel in this situation,”
Mohler said. “A brutal invasion
with beheadings and the taking
of hostages is the kind of thing
that any civilized society needs to
declare as wrong. Some student
organizations have taken the side
of the Palestinian cause because
they say the Palestinian people
have been oppressed. They are
right that the Palestinians have
been oppressed, as Israel has had
to worry about implanted jihadists
who may cross their border.
However, I do not believe we can
question Israel’s right to exist and
defend itself. Even if you have no
biblical or theological stake in this,
you can recognize that if this can
be tolerated in Israel it could be
tolerated anywhere else.”
“An Islamist group that murdered
babies and grandmothers must
be condemned,” Mohler said. “If
the attacks can’t be condemned by
Harvard, then everlasting shame
on Harvard.”
Is Israel justified to retaliate in a
ground invasion?
“Christian Just War Theory has
two parts: when military action is
justified and how it is to justly be
carried out,” Mohler said. “After the
attack, the justification for war has
been met. Now Israel must seek to
preserve civilian life as best as they
can. All Christians should recoil at
the danger to civilians and those
trapped in the dangers of war. But
if Israel does not neutralize the
threat of Hamas there will be a
threat of escalated war. If this were
the United States, the American
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