By Greg Holt

I would ask one thing of all who read this, please, take the time to share this on social media, share it with your family and friends, and with all of your email contacts.  False doctrine must never never be allowed to stand.  Thank you.

For those that don’t know, Mr. Torba is the owner of the social media platform, GAB.

Mr. Torba, first, I will take this opportunity to thank you for your platform, and the work you have done to maintain it.  I am also thankful for your desire to share Christ with all who will read your words.  You are to be commended for these things.

I do however feel the need to address your most recent newsletter, “What is a “Good Christian?”  In this, you are not to be commended whatsoever at all.  In this letter you have made it plain your feelings on Israel, and none of them are good.  To wit:

“The problem isn’t only on the left with the secularists. We must also reject the definition of a “good Christian” offered by the Zionist heretics who have captured so many of our churches. They command us to bow to the golden calf of a foreign nation-state and a people defined by their 2,000-year rejection of the Messiah. They preach a false gospel that usurps the Church’s identity as the true Israel and hands our spiritual birthright to those who deny the Son.

“The Zionist heresy diverts the energy of God’s people and commands them to secure the borders of a foreign land while the spiritual and cultural borders of our own Christian nations collapse. We are called to disciple all nations, most especially to claim our own lands and our own people for the dominion of Christ, not to serve as political chaplains, an on-demand bomb squad, and a piggy bank for a foreign ethnostate and a people that stands in direct opposition to Christ’s throne.”

That’s quite the statement to make.  It practically screams derision and possibly even hatred for the Jewish people, at the very least, it proclaims a strong dislike for them, and a willful distain for the nation of Israel – yet, you are entitled to your opinion.  I would remind you however that the God you worship, Jesus Christ, was born a man (The God-man), and is of the tribe of Judah, Jewish!  The Jewish people are the chosen people of God, and that will never change.

I can’t say as I’m clear on what you mean by bowing to the “golden calf of a foreign nation-state,” but it is apparent that you reject those who support Israel, and are attempting to teach others to do the same.

The “Zionist heretics” preach a false gospel, one that “usurps” the Church’s “identity” as the real Israel.  Wow, that’s pretty strong language, and oh so wrong, not to mention insulting.

What is the idea behind the Church replacing Israel?  It’s called replacement theology, or supersessionism.  This belief violates the teachings of the Bible in many ways, it is theologically corrupt, it is antisemitic, and highly disrespectful to God.

Basically, those that hold this view conform to the idea that God’s covenant with Israel is null and void.  Israel (The Jewish people) then is/are no longer the chosen people of God, and God has cast off the Jewish people, and chosen the Church as His “replacement” for the Jews.  All who worship God (The Church) have then become the new chosen people of God, replacing the Jews as the chosen people of the Lord.  This is unbiblical, and it is also preaching a false gospel.

“⁷ And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. ⁸ And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” Genesis 17:7-8

This covenant that God made with Israel is eternal, without end, God never revoked this promise that He made to Abraham!  Notice also that the very land of Israel belongs to them as an “everlasting” possession.  It is theirs, and not to be given away, ever.  God also says here, “I will be their God.”  He does not say, “I will be their God, but only if they accept my Son Jesus.”  Can anyone really be so foolish as to imagine that God did not know that His own people would cast Him off?

God says in Genesis to Abram to be “perfect,” and then says that He will make a covenant with him.  Obviously, God knew that Abram could not, and never would be perfect, yet He made a covenant with him, one that was not and has not been withdrawn.

This isn’t anything new, replacement theology has been around since shortly after the time of Christ, it was wrong then, and it’s wrong now.

“⁶ The Lord said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot. ⁷ And I said after she had done all these things, Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it. ⁸ And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.” Jeremiah 3:6-8

The above verses are often used as a justification for replacement theology – “I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce.” Yes, the Jewish people are finished, so says this verse, right?

“Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.” Matthew 21:43

This also sounds like God is done with the Jewish people, especially as it is Jesus who is speaking.

But hold on a moment, there is a serious problem however with those who read these verses, and some others as well, and decide that God is done with Israel, and her people – it’s the cardinal “sin” of Bible reading, study etc., taking verses out of context.  Context is king, the Bible can say almost anything you desire it to, just cherry pick your verses, and ignore other verses that provide a fuller explanation, therefore erasing the meaning you only thought was the truth.

The entire Bible is written in a way that surrounds the Jewish people if you will.  God by no means wrote them off, or replaced them – never happened, and never will happen.

The Israelites came out of Egypt, and were witness to a great many miracles.  Yet, they still sinned against God.  And yet God still did not “replace” them.

During the time of the Judges in Israel, the people wandered away from God and committed much evil: “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” Judges 21:25  And yet, even after the continued disobedience of Israel, God blessed Israel greatly through King David, and subsequently through Solomon.

“¹⁵ Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations; ¹⁶ Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac; ¹⁷ And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant, ¹⁸ Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance;
1 Chronicles 16:15-18

This is during the time of King David, and was in fact part of his prayer to God in thanks and praise to Him after the recovery of the Ark of the Covenant.

David had become king after the not-so-good reign of Saul, from whom God took the kingdom and gave it to David, calling David a man after His own heart (Acts 13:22).

“But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.” 1 Samuel 13:14

It is significant that God says this about David, after all, God knew the future sins of David, yet He made him king, and blessed him abundantly, and through him, sinful Israel as well.

After King David came Solomon, who was greatly blessed of God, even though he later turned to sin, which of course God knew full well was going to happen.

God affirmed His covenant promise to David:

“¹² And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹³ He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. ¹⁴ I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: ¹⁵ but my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. ¹⁶ And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.” 2 Samuel 7:12-16

Note that God promises that He will not remove His “mercy,” there will be no withdrawal of the promises, David’s throne would last forever, not for a while, not only if Israel behaves herself, forever.

Jesus is to sit upon the throne of David:

“³¹ And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. ³² He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: ³³ and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”  Luke 1:31-33

Notice God will give Jesus the throne of David, and not only that, but He (Jesus) shall reign over the house of Jacob – forever!  There will be no end of His Kingdom.  Of whose kingdom?  Jacob is a direct reference to Israel, obviously the Gentiles will be included in the future Kingdom of Christ, but this verse alone tells us that the Jewish people will be included in this Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Isaiah confirms this as well:

“⁶ For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:
and the government shall be upon his shoulder:
and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor,
The mighty God,
The everlasting Father,
The Prince of Peace.
⁷ Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end,
upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom,
to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice
from henceforth even for ever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” Isaiah 9:6-7

The Apostle Paul also confirms the inclusion of Israel, that the promises of God are not null and void:

“¹ I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. ² God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew.” Romans 11:1-2a

Paul goes on to witness to this fact yet still more:

“¹¹ I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. 12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?” Romans 11:11-12

The salvation of the Gentiles was to stir up the Jewish people, to provoke them, to awaken them from their apathy – that doesn’t sound like God is done with them to me.  It sounds more like they were punished, and God desires them to come back to Him and reap the benefits of being His children once again.

“For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?” Romans 11:15

The temporary casting away of the Jews has resulted in the saving of the Gentiles, period.

There should be by now just in this article alone; a pattern noticed – as in what the Bible relays, Israel sins, and God chastises them, eventually, Israel comes back to God, this repeats time and again, there is no permanent discarding of Israel!  This is no different than our own children, they are disciplined when they do wrong, often they are angry, stomp their feet etc., and refuse to speak to us for a while, later on, they “come back” to us, it is no different with Israel, Israel are the children, and God is the Father.

“¹⁶ For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. ¹⁷ And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; ¹⁸ boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. ¹⁹ Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. ²⁰ Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: ²¹ for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. ²² Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. ²³ And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. ²⁴ For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?” Romans 11:16-24

It cannot be possible to read the above Scriptures, and come away with the notion that God has cut off Israel forever.  There is a specific warning to us, the Gentiles in these verses: “Be not highminded, but fear: ²¹ for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.”  God temporarily cut off His own chosen people, so then why would we, the Gentiles be safe from the same threat?  Boast not against the “branches,” the Jewish people!

Here is another consideration – the Jewish people were cut out of their own olive tree, and we, the Gentiles were grafted into their olive tree.  Meaning – if God then brought in His enemies to the “fold,” those being the Gentiles, then how much more so will He bring back into the fold His very own chosen people?

I do not here say that God will cut off those who besmirch His people, as in your salvation is at risk, that is between you and God, and not mine to judge.  I will say however, for all those who believe in “replacement theology,” you will answer to God for this, and those who teach this nonsense will incur a stiffer penalty for doing so.  You are teaching an unbiblical and dangerous doctrine, and one that makes out God’s chosen people to be evil and worthless, and that isn’t going to go over well with God.

Benson Commentary –

“And if the root of them, namely, Abraham, was holy and beloved of God, so are the branches still beloved for the father’s sake, and so will be once more, in his good time, admitted to his favour. There seems here to be an allusion to Jeremiah 2:16, where the Jewish nation, made the visible church of God by virtue of the covenant at Sinai, are represented under the figure of a green olive-tree, of which Abraham was the root, and his descendants by Isaac the branches. Hence the thrusting the Jews out of the covenant of God, is here represented by the breaking off of the branches; and the admission of the Gentiles into that covenant, so as to make them members of God’s church, is set forth under the idea of their being ingrafted into the stock of the green olive-tree; and the advantages which they enjoyed thereby, are expressed by their partaking of the root and fatness of the olive-tree. The expression, a wild olive-tree, means here, a branch of a wild olive-tree, for branches only are ingrafted. The Gentiles are called a wild olive, because God had not cultivated them as he did the Jews, who on that account were called, Romans 11:24, the good or garden olive.” (Source)

“²⁵ For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. ²⁶ And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: ²⁷ for this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.” Romans 11:25-27

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary –

“Of all judgments, spiritual judgments are the sorest; of these the apostle is here speaking. The restoration of the Jews is, in the course of things, far less improbable than the call of the Gentiles to be the children of Abraham; and though others now possess these privileges, it will not hinder their being admitted again. By rejecting the gospel, and by their indignation at its being preached to the Gentiles, the Jews were become enemies to God; yet they are still to be favoured for the sake of their pious fathers. Though at present they are enemies to the gospel, for their hatred to the Gentiles; yet, when God’s time is come, that will no longer exist, and God’s love to their fathers will be remembered. True grace seeks not to confine God’s favour. Those who find mercy themselves, should endeavour that through their mercy others also may obtain mercy. Not that the Jews will be restored to have their priesthood, and temple, and ceremonies again; an end is put to all these; but they are to be brought to believe in Christ, the true become one sheep-fold with the Gentiles, under Christ the Great Shepherd. The captivities of Israel, their dispersion, and their being shut out from the church, are emblems of the believer’s corrections for doing wrong; and the continued care of the Lord towards that people, and the final mercy and blessed restoration intended for them, show the patience and love of God.” (Source)

“Our birthright” was also mentioned, that is not strictly speaking true, the promises, the covenants, the Law etc., all was given to the Jewish people, not to us the Gentiles.  We were made a part of what belongs to the Jews, their (The Jewish people) “birthright” was never transferred to us, nowhere in the Bible is there found any support for this concept.  The birthright belongs to the Jewish people, who have for a time been excluded, but they will be returned to the fold in time, the Bible makes this very clear (Romans 11:25-27).

It’s like this; God had a contract if you will, with the Jewish people.  I God will do this, and you the Jewish people will do that.  If you the Jewish people don’t do that, then will I God do this.  God did not tear up the contract with His people, He simply made an amendment, and we were added to that contract with some few extra provisions where we specifically were/are concerned.

“²⁸ For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: ²⁹ But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” Romans 2:28-29

Meaning, all regardless of birth, being Jewish, Greek, American, Polish etc., all who truly worship and follow Jesus are the true offspring of Abraham, and therefore entitled to the blessings of the covenant with God.

Here is something else to think about – Jesus during His Earthly ministry spent most of His time with the Jewish people.  When Jesus sent the twelve out, He specifically barred them from going to the Gentiles.

“⁵These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: ⁶ but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matthew 10:5-6

It is said that God is no respecter of persons, yet the chosen people, i.e., the Jews, are always first.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (Gentile).” ***Parenthetical mine***

“⁹ tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; ¹⁰ but glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: ¹¹ for there is no respect of persons with God.” Romans 2:9-11

The Jewish people are first in line for the blessings, and they are also first in line for punishment, and quite probably are judged with a higher, or a harsher standard than the Gentiles are, the same as all who teach about Jesus will be judged more harshly than others will be who do not teach.

Finally, I present the last evidence of replacement theology being false, a complete and total made up doctrine, an evil from the very pit of Hell.

“³⁵ Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The Lord of hosts is his name: ³⁶ if those ordinances depart from before me, saith the Lord, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever. ³⁷ Thus saith the Lord; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the Lord.” Jeremiah 31:35-37

Please note carefully what is being said here; if the sun, the moon, and the stars cease to exist, then shall Israel not be a nation before God any longer.  If mere men can measure the heavens and the foundation of the Earth, God will cast off the Israelites forever.  Not happening.

This is reinforced again in Jeremiah 33:20-22 –

“²⁰ Thus saith the Lord; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season; ²¹ then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers. ²² As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me.”

The covenant with Israel is not and will not be broken, it is eternal, by God’s own words.

“For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” Romans 11:29

“In the immediate context of Romans 11:29, Paul is discussing the place of Israel in God’s plan. Romans 1—8 discusses the condemnation, justification, sanctification, and future glorification of all the world. He concludes chapter 8 with a wonderful statement of the surety of all these things, particularly the security of the believer in Christ regarding eternal life. The following questions then arise: “Didn’t God make promises to Israel? Are those promises going to be kept?” Paul answers in Romans 9—11.

“Prior to the statement, “The gifts and callings of God are irrevocable” in Romans 11:29, Paul says that “Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in” (Romans 11:25). When all the Gentiles who will be saved receive salvation, Israel will return to God and be saved (verse 26). Paul then concludes that, from the viewpoint of the Gentile, the Israelites are enemies, but, from the viewpoint of God, they are His beloved (verse 28). God will not renege on His promises to Israel, because the gifts and callings of God are without repentance (verse 29).” (Source)

“We are called to disciple all nations,” you stated Mr. Torba, true – and that includes the Jewish people who have been “hardened” until the full measure of the Gentiles comes in.  You had stated that people need to “dust off their Bibles,” well, with all due respect, I believe you need to do likewise, and pray that God would reveal to you the truth of this matter (Replacement theology).  Why?  Because my words do not matter, but God’s words do matter.

As far as Israel being this implied evil “ethnostate,” that is ridiculous, there are plenty of Arabs living in Israel after all – not in Gaza or the West Bank, but central Israel.  The same could be said of the U.S., this country having being founded on Christ after all, despite this, we are a “melting pot” of many peoples, as well as many other “states” that were founded on their own specific criteria, big deal.  That doesn’t make Israel evil by any means, nor does it any other state.  This hatred, dismissal, and derision for Israel is uncalled for, and counter-productive to the message of the Gospel of Jesus.

“Oh, how the phrase “Israel is an ethno state” has become the mantra of those eager to cast Israel as something uniquely sinister.

“Yet somehow, only when Israel is discussed the term “ethno state” transforms from a factual descriptor into a loaded slur. When it’s Greece, Poland, or Japan, no one questions their legitimacy or demands that they erase their identity. But for Israel—uniquely Jewish, small, and surrounded by states with explicit Arab and Islamic character—the same logic doesn’t apply. Here, what’s normal elsewhere is weaponized as a moral scandal. The existence of a Jewish homeland is no different in principle from any other ethno state, though it continues to be treated as if it’s an outrage.” (Source)

The United States does defend Israel, so what, we always have, does it not cross your mind Mr. Torba (And others who swallow this poppycock) that our defense of Israel is part of the source of our blessings from God?  As far as “spiritual and cultural borders” not being defended here in the USA, that has nothing to do with our support of Israel.  Seriously????  Any malfeasance of any kind concerning the USA can be squarely parked on the doorstep of those responsible for governance of this country, as well as the people themselves for not doing what needs to be done.  Israel has no blame in this, that is a cheap shot without merit.

I agree with the majority of your insights Mr. Torba, but I have to admit, I am gravely disappointed in you for the content of this “newsletter.”