Here are the resources mentioned at Cornerstone about the war in Israel and Biblical interpretation.
"Beyond the Message" is sent to Cornerstone's congregation, members, friends, and those who worshiped with us last weekend. Below you'll find resources to help you apply last week's message and go deeper into the topic.
Let's not bring dishonor to Jesus by what we support or defend. 🚫
At the beginning of the year, I asked what topics our congregation hoped to hear about in 2024. There were multiple responses related to what is currently going on in Israel, so in last Sunday's message, we explored how we are to understand & respond to current events—there and elsewhere—in light of Scripture.
My primary concern was that we think deeply, rationally, and Biblically about world events and our own politics, so that we don't bring dishonor to Jesus by what we support or defend. To that end, I suggested that we...
- Recognize & reject tribalism.
- Understand Israel as it's described in Scripture.
- Apply the rules impartially.
You can listen to last Sunday's message for the finer points.
The missing links! ✅
In Sunday's message I mentioned that there were resources listed in the Growth Guide to help you ask questions and get answers, but there weren't! (They were included in the previous week's Growth Guide, but that didn't get distributed because of the change in schedule!)
So here they are!
- Seven Statements about the Israel-Hamas War — A local pastor's thoughts at the outbreak of the war.
- Who Can Claim Palestine? - Uncharted Territories — A non-religious layman's overview of the history of the land and claims to it. One article of several in an excellent series on the current conflict in Israel. (Warning: some graphic holocaust images and salty language.)
- What Does Paul Mean by ‘All Israel Will Be Saved’ in Romans 11:26? — A theological expository article exploring the passages in Romans.
And here's a bonus that wasn't in the original list:
- Just War Theory — Just war theory is an ethical framework used to determine when it is permissible to go to war. This overview is from the Australia-based The Ethics Center.
I hope you'll find this helpful and that we as a people will bring honor to the Lord and recommend the Gospel to others by our good citizenship and demonstrating character above reproach. - B