When Love for Israel Meets the Call for Discernment

When Love for Israel Meets the Call for Discernment

By Dr. Shawn M. Greener — Follower of the Way, theologian, and author
© 2025 True Word, Faith for LIFE! All Rights Reserved.

Can Christians support Israel without endorsing every action of the Israeli government? This question often divides modern believers, yet Scripture gives a clear and balanced answer. In this article, Dr. Shawn M. Greener, theologian, author, and Follower of the Way, explores the biblical foundation of Israel’s covenant relationship with God and what that means for Christians today. Drawing on history, theology, and contemporary insight, he explains how faithful believers can embrace both truth and love: standing with Israel as God’s covenant people while maintaining moral discernment and integrity before the Lord.

I love comments on  the channel like this!

Question from @joer9156:

“One thing I'm uncomfortable with is the fact that Mossad has unfettered access to the CIA through the ‘Israel Account,’ but the CIA doesn't have access to Mossad, only what they are willing to share on a piece-by-piece basis.

I'd be interested in your thoughts regarding that.

I'm trying to understand, is it your position that everything the state of Israel does is automatically good because of the fact it identifies itself as the Jewish state? Or is that it might not be good, but as Christians we are not allowed to criticize anything they do, simply because of who they are? Or neither of those?”

🔹 A Thoughtful, Grateful Response

Here was my answer:  

Thank you, Joe, for asking such powerful and thoughtful questions; questions that many believers quietly wrestle with. These issues sit at the crossroads of theology, politics, and biblical covenant. When we engage them prayerfully, we honor both truth and faith.

🔹 On the Intelligence Relationship: Mossad and the CIA

It is true that Israel and the United States maintain one of the most advanced and trusted intelligence-sharing partnerships in the world. This cooperation, sometimes informally referred to as “the Israel Account,” allows both nations to work closely in counterterrorism, cyber defense, and global threat analysis.

However, that relationship is mutual, not one-sided. The Mossad does not have unrestricted access to the CIA. Both agencies safeguard their national interests and classified data, sharing only what aligns with joint security goals.¹ In practice, this kind of selective sharing is common in intelligence alliances; even among NATO members.

Israel’s intelligence capability is among the most sophisticated globally, often sharing actionable intelligence with the United States that saves American and allied lives. But as with all sovereign states, full transparency between agencies is neither required nor operationally wise. Each nation protects its methods, personnel, and ongoing operations.

🔹 On Biblical Support and Moral Accountability

Your second question is deeply theological: “Do Christians have to endorse everything Israel does?”

The short answer is no; and yes, in a deeper way.

No, not everything the modern State of Israel does is automatically righteous. It is a government run by fallible people. Scripture never sanctifies political institutions; it sanctifies covenant promises.

Yet yes, believers are called to stand with Israel in prayer, faith, and understanding because God’s covenant with Abraham (Genesis 12:1–3) remains active and irrevocable.² The apostle Paul reminds us that “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29). Israel’s covenant role in redemptive history does not excuse wrongdoing, but it does define divine purpose.

As followers of Yeshua, our stance toward Israel must be both discerning and devoted. We can acknowledge policy errors or moral failings without abandoning covenant support. In the same way that a parent can correct a child without ceasing to love them, Christians can critique a nation’s conduct without withdrawing spiritual solidarity with God’s people.

🔹 Why Israel Still Matters in God’s Redemptive Plan

From Genesis to Revelation, Israel is not an afterthought; it is the vessel of revelation. Through Israel came the Torah, the Prophets, the Messiah, and the Gospel itself. The Bible does not grant Israel moral immunity, but it does affirm divine continuity.³

To reject or disregard Israel’s place in God’s plan is to forget the covenant through which redemption was revealed.

As Dr. Michael Heiser wrote, “God’s promises to Abraham, Israel, and the nations are part of one unified, supernatural mission; to reclaim humanity and restore Eden.”⁴

Our response must therefore reflect both the justice of God and the faithfulness of His promises. Christians should support Israel’s right to exist in peace and security, even as we pray for moral clarity, righteous governance, and compassion toward all who suffer.

🔹 The Balanced Biblical Posture

Supporting Israel biblically does not mean endorsing every action politically. It means seeing through covenantal eyes, understanding that even in human failure, God’s purposes advance.

Our calling is to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Psalm 122:6), to love truth, and to stand for justice. But our loyalty is first to the Lord, who keeps covenant and shows mercy to a thousand generations (Deuteronomy 7:9).

So, Joe, I deeply appreciate your question because it models what mature faith looks like: loyal, thoughtful, and anchored in truth. That’s the kind of discernment every believer needs in these days.

📖 Summary: Truth, Covenant, and Wisdom

Israel is a covenant reality, not a moral exemption.
God’s covenant is eternal, not political.
And our support must be both faithful and truthful.

To love Israel is to love God’s unfolding plan of redemption.
To speak truth in love is to honor that plan with integrity.

📚 Footnotes

1. Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community(Washington, DC: ODNI, 2024), 8–9; Ronen Bergman, Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel’s Targeted Assassinations (New York: Random House, 2018).
2. See Genesis 12:1–3; 17:7–8; Deuteronomy 7:7–9; Romans 11:28–29.
3. Michael L. Brown, Our Hands Are Stained with Blood: The Tragic Story of the Church and the Jewish People(Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image, 2019), 214–220.
4. Michael S. Heiser, The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2015), 340–347.

📚 Bibliography

Bergman, Ronen. Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel’s Targeted Assassinations. New York: Random House, 2018.

Brown, Michael L. Our Hands Are Stained with Blood: The Tragic Story of the Church and the Jewish People. 2nd ed. Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image, 2019.

Heiser, Michael S. The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2015.

Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community.Washington, DC: ODNI, 2024.

The Holy Bible. Lexham English Bible (LEB). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012.