The residue of replacement theology is the reason we read the Bible as though it’s first speaking to us and about us. When we in our generation is the lense through which we read the Bible, preach the Bible, we miss the truth that is in there.

Matthew 24 is the most obvious example. We in 2020 read this chapter through the lens of the cross already happened, the resurrection already took place, the Temple is already destroyed, so it must speak about a second coming of Christ because we read the Bible as though it’s all about us in this generation. But if you read it through their eyes, those Israelites hearing it with none of those events having happened yet, it is clear Jesus was talking to them about the events that would take place between that day and AD 70 when the Temple was destroyed.

The clue that this is true is in the first three verses of the chapter. Matthew 24:1-3 “Jesus left the Temple and went away. As he did so, his disciples came and pointed out the Temple buildings to him. “Yes,” he said, “and you see all these things? I’m telling you the truth: not one stone will be left standing upon another. All of them will be thrown down.” As he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, his disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that you are going to appear as king, and that the end of the age is upon us?”

If we are going to manifest the kingdom of God in power we must allow the Lord to clean the inside of us from all the doctrines of men we have been dipped in. The freedom that comes from this cleansing God wants to do is refreshing on a level we didn’t know we wanted, but we will love in ways we will struggle to explain. Unity will be the fruit of this cleansing. It’s going to be so good, for the truth will set us free from the doctrines of men!