Be Careful—Paul Warned Us: Christian Arrogance Toward Israel Is Spiritually Dangerous
- Ron Cantor
- 49 minutes ago
- 5 min read
I continue to hear some of the most hateful words coming from supposed Christians against the Jewish people. The claim often goes like this: “Because the Jewish people rejected Jesus, God has rejected them.” Others go further, suggesting the Jewish people are “enemies of God” or even “agents of Satan.”
Be very careful. Paul warned that such attitudes are spiritually dangerous—not only for Israel, but for Gentile believers themselves.
“Do not be arrogant toward the branches (Israel)… It is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you.”
—Romans 11:18
Modern Christian antisemitism—whether on the right or the left—proves that Paul’s warning remains urgently relevant.
Paul’s Warning: Gentile Arrogance Toward Israel Endangers the Church
The rabbi alluded that God’s anger would be provoked against those who judged the Jewish people harshly.
Paul continues:
Do not be arrogant, but tremble. For if God did not spare the natural branches (Israel), he will not spare you either. Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.”
—Romans 11:20-22
Paul is not merely offering theological insight. He is issuing a prophetic warning to the future Church. If the Church becomes proud, contemptuous, or dismissive toward the Jewish people, it places itself under the same judgment it imagines for Israel.
The Mystery: Temporary Hardening, Future Salvation
Contrary to the contempt for the Jews theology, Paul states clearly:
Israel’s unbelief is temporary.
The hardening is partial.
The purpose is redemptive.
The end of the story is salvation.
Paul continues:
“I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery… Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved.”
—Romans 11:25–26
If a believer judges Israel for unbelief, he is judging the very plan God set in motion. These people blame the Jewish people for the very thing that allowed the Gospel to prosper in the nations: Israel’s rejection.
“Rather, because of [Israel’s] transgression, salvation has come to the Nations to make Israel envious.”
—Romans 11:11
Paul then reveals something breathtaking:
“If [Israel’s] rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?”
—Romans 11:15
According to Paul:
Israel’s unbelief = blessing to the nations
Israel’s salvation = global resurrection power
This is the opposite of replacement theology.
It is a theology of hope for Israel and the nations!
Historical Christian Antisemitism: A Tragic and Demonic Legacy
The Church has a long and painful history of persecuting the Jewish people—rooted in the very arrogance Paul warned against. Today’s online Christian antisemitism echoes much older sins.
1. The Black Death Accusation (1348–1351)
When the plague swept through Europe, entire Jewish communities were falsely accused of poisoning wells or magically spreading disease. As a result:
Hundreds of Jewish communities were massacred.
In Strasbourg, 2,000 Jews were burned alive in 1349.
These slanders eerily mirror modern conspiracies—such as RFK Jr.’s false claim that COVID-19 spared Jews of European descent.
However, the most widely accepted scientific explanation claims that the black plague came from the Mongolian mountains, not Jewish people poisoning wells!
2. The Blood Libel of William of Norwich (1144)
The first recorded blood libel—the accusation that Jews murdered Christian children for ritual purposes—arose in Norwich, England. A young apprentice named William was found dead, and local clergy accused Jews without evidence.1
This lie spread across Europe for centuries, inspiring violence, expulsions, and pogroms.
“The first known case of the Blood Libel was in 1144 when a 12-year-old boy, William, was found murdered in Norwich. His death was unexplained, and there was no evidence linking Jews to this.”2
3. Host Desecration Accusations—Wafer Torture! (13th–16th centuries)
Medieval Christians believed that Jews stole consecrated communion wafers—then physically tortured them. Because the Eucharistic host was believed to be the literal body of Jesus, these accusations provoked fury.
Historian Miri Rubin documents dozens of cases where entire Jewish communities were executed based on nothing more than rumor.3
These accusations were theological misunderstandings weaponized into violence.
The Resurgence of Antisemitism in Today’s Church
After the Holocaust, much of the Church repented of its complicity in antisemitism. Yet today a disturbing new wave is rising—sometimes from the very people who claim to be “biblical.”
Without any evidence, Candace Owens has speculated who may have been responsible for Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Owens listed possible suspects from ChatGPT’s Bill Ackman to Egypt and France, and even Turning Point USA leaders—but the first entity she publicly named was Israel.
This reflex to blame Jews before any evidence is produced is classic antisemitism.
Reform influencers like Dale Partridge regularly post claims portraying Jews as enemies of God, ignoring the plain teaching of Romans 11. Christian Nationalist Pastor Doug Wilson writes, “the Church is Israel now, and is the lawful recipient of all God’s promises to Abraham.” I would challenge Wilson to show me in which of the 75 times “Israel” appears in the New Testament (Textus Receptus) does it not refer to Israel (meaning, the physical descendants of Abraham). The only place where there is even controversy is Galatians 6:16—every other mention is clearly ethnic Israel.
They selectively quote Scripture while avoiding entire chapters that contradict their theology. Romans 9–11 is not optional. It is Paul’s clearest teaching on Israel’s past, present, and future.
Turning Point USA still platforms Tucker Carlson and other antisemites who claim to be Christians, like Jack Posobiec. Recently, Carlson claimed in an interview with white supremacist Nick Fuentes, “I despise Christian Zionism more than anything.” He described Christian Zionism (the belief that God brought the Jewish people back to their homeland) as “a dangerous heresy within Christianity.” And as a professing believer said, “I despise Christian Zionists more than anyone else on earth.”
Posobiec has a history of associating with white supremacists and using antisemitic symbols. Yet he is a contributor to Turning Point USA and a regular speaker at their events.
Conclusion: Fear God, Love Israel, Reject Every Form of Antisemitism
Paul’s warning is not academic. It is spiritual. It is both theological and prophetic. Romans 11 is a warning, as much as it is eschatological.
“Do not become proud, but fear.”
—Romans 11:20
If the Church attacks the Jewish people—whether through theology, conspiracy theories, or political rhetoric—it stands against God’s revealed plan.
God is not finished with the Jewish people. He has not rejected them. He has promised restoration. And when Israel returns, Paul says it will release “life from the dead.”
May the Church repent of ancient sins and modern prejudices alike. May we honor the people through whom God brought salvation to the world.
God’s plan has always been to use the Gentile believers to win Israel (Rom. 11:11).
Loving Israel does not mean agreeing with every decision Israel’s government makes. It is being grateful that God used Israel to bring the gospel to the nations, and contending for her salvation through prayer, sharing the gospel, and combating antisemitism. Antisemitism is not disagreeing with decisions from Israel’s political leaders—even Israelis disagree with their political leaders—it is believing that Jews are inherently evil, and have sinister plans for the rest of the world (amongst other unfounded racist tropes).
[1] RFK Jr. claim documented in: The New York Times, July 2023. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/15/us/politics/rfk-jr-remarks-covid.html.
[2] The Blood Libel – William of Norwich,” The Holocaust Explained, accessed December 8, 2025, https://www.theholocaustexplained.org/anti-semitism/medieval-antisemitism/the-blood-libel-william-of-norwich/
[3] Miri Rubin, Gentile Tales: The Narrative Assault on Late Medieval Jews, Yale University Press, 1999.
