THE SOUTH AFRICAN APARTHEID BILL:  an alternative approach

There is currently a message circulating on social media in South Africa with the following warning to Christians:
A DIRECT ATTACK ON THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST IN SOUTH AFRICA

The message offers an urgent warning that the proposed “Apartheid Bill,” driven by the Al Jama-ah party in South Africa, would criminalise any form of support for Israel—including prayer, solidarity events, humanitarian aid, or even speaking positively about Israel. The message frames this as not just political but a direct spiritual attack on Christianity, since Israel is seen as foundational to the faith.  The message states the following:

This bill does more than target foreign policy, it targets the Church directly.

There is no Christianity without Israel.
There is no Bible without Israel.
There is no Messiah without Israel.
There is no salvation story without Israel.

To criminalise support for Israel is to criminalise Christian belief, because the foundation of our faith is rooted in Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the Covenants, the Prophets, the Apostles, and the land from which our Lord Jesus Christ came.

This is not simply a political matter, it is a spiritual matter, a biblical matter, and a matter of Christian survival.

The call to action in the message is urgent: Christians are urged to oppose the bill by submitting public comment, and to mobilise churches, pastors, and believers to spread awareness. The message insists that if passed, the law would silence the Church, erase Christian identity, and punish believers for aligning with Scripture.

In short: it’s presented as a decisive moment where the Church must unite, resist, and act boldly to protect religious freedom and Christian witness in South Africa.

Before assessing the spiritual claims within the message—and why it may contain deeper spiritual flaws than the proposed bill itself—it is essential first to grasp the broader context of the bill.

WHAT THE APARTHEID BILL IS

• The Bill seeks to domesticate the 1973 UN Apartheid Convention into South African law, making apartheid a stand-alone crime with broad definitions and extraterritorial reach.
• It is politically motivated by solidarity with Palestine, aiming to prosecute individuals or organizations accused of committing or aiding “apartheid acts” anywhere in the world, with a clear focus on Israel.
• Al Jama-ah, supported by several parties including the ANC and EFF, frames the Bill as part of South Africa’s liberation legacy.

CHRISTIANITY IN SOUTH AFRICA: CONTEXT

• The Christian community in South Africa is richly diverse, encompassing Evangelical, Pentecostal, Catholic, and mainline Protestant traditions.
• Within this spectrum, some churches and pastors have offered unwavering support for Israel, while others emphasize solidarity with all who suffer—both Israeli and Palestinian—in the midst of war and accusations of genocide.
• Many believers draw parallels between South Africa’s own history of apartheid and claims of apartheid in Israel.
• What remains indisputable is that Christians in South Africa hold differing theological perspectives on this issue.  This law will therefore not apply to most Christians in South Africa and also not to Christianity alone.

IS IT A THREAT TO CHRISTIANITY IN SOUTH AFRICA?

• An unequivocal NO: Absolutely not.  Unless…
• The Bill does not target Christianity itself, nor does it place Christians, pastors or ministries in any danger. It will only impact those who openly support Israel in their acts of genocide on the Palestinian people.

CONCLUSION

The Apartheid Bill is not directed at Christianity itself. Rather, it addresses those who give unconditional support to a regime accused of discriminating against people on the basis of their cultural identity.

FROM A SPIRITUAL PERSPECTIVE

This moment is not simply about legislation—it is about how the Church chooses to live out its mission. Will we be drawn into fear and suspicion, or will we rise with courage, using our freedom to heal, to unite, and to bear witness to the Prince of Peace?

There are four points to consider

1. THE CHRISTIAN CONFESSION

As followers of Christ, we affirm that the confession presented in this message is neither biblical nor theologically sound. It must be rejected without reservation.  This was the statement:

There is no Christianity without Israel.
There is no Bible without Israel.
There is no Messiah without Israel.
There is no salvation story without Israel.

In response, our confession as Christians should rather be based on the following:

There is no Christianity without Jesus, the Son of the Living God, who wants ALL to be saved

• Matthew 16:16 — “Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’”
• 1 Timothy 2:3–4 — “…God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”
• John 14:6 — “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”

There is no Bible without Jesus, who was the Word, is the Word, and will always be the Word

• John 1:1 — “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
• John 1:14 — “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory…”
• Hebrews 13:8 — “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

There is no Messiah without Jesus, who gave Himself as a living sacrifice for ALL to be saved

• Isaiah 53:5 — “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities…”
• Romans 5:8 — “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
• Hebrews 10:12 — “But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.”

There is no salvation story without Jesus, who came to seek and save the Lost

• Luke 19:10 — “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
• John 3:16–17 — “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son… For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
• Acts 4:12 — “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

I am not redeemed, transformed and saved by Israel, or any nation for that matter, except through Christ and Christ alone!

2. THE CHRISTIAN CALL

Christians are called to be peacemakers and reconcilers. A verse that speaks directly to this calling is:

Matthew 5:9 — “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

And to highlight reconciliation:

2 Corinthians 5:18 — “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”

Together, these verses beautifully capture the identity and mission of Christians as peacemakers and reconcilers.  We are not called to take sides or elevate one group above another, but to stand with the voiceless and the marginalized wherever they may be.  A Bill of this nature should therefore not unsettle those who are committed to the Christian life of speaking truth and compassion into places of suffering.  Christians should see this as an opportunity to recommit to the call of redemption and a life of compassion

3. THE DANGER OF NARRATIVES

The message in question is framed by fear—a theme Scripture repeatedly not only warns us about, but specifically instructs us against.

• Isaiah 41:10“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
• 2 Timothy 1:7 — “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
• Joshua 1:9 — “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
• 1 John 4:18 — “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”
• Psalm 27:1 — “The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?”

These passages make it clear: fear is not the posture of faith. God repeatedly instructs His people to reject fear and rest in His presence, power, and love.

Rather than informing the reader, the message seeks to manipulate the reader, drawing believers into a space of suspicion and fear. It deserves to be weighed carefully, not because it threatens those who support Israel, but because it entices the Church into a posture of fear rather than love and faith.

4. THE VICE OF VICTIMHOOD

When fear and suspicion take root, they often give rise to a narrative of victimhood. It immediately places “them” against “us” and results in suspicion and animosity. This posture distracts from the Christian call to love, with courage, a heart for reconciliation, and a deposit of hope.  A message with this content runs the risk of completely distorting the witness of the Church.

Consider the following:

• Israel in the wilderness: The Israelites repeatedly complained, saying they were brought out of Egypt to die (Exodus 14:11–12; Numbers 14:1–4). Their grumbling reflects a victim mindset that forgets God’s deliverance.
• Jeremiah 29:11: God promises hope and a future, not despair. A victim mentality denies this assurance.
• Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” This verse directly counters feelings of powerlessness and a victim mentality
• Romans 8:37: “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” The language of victory replaces victimhood.
• Psalm 71:20: Even after suffering, the psalmist trusts God to restore life, showing resilience instead of defeat.
• And finally 2Timothy 1:7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.  This reminds us that the weapons we use when we feel threatened differs from the those who live under the yoke of fear.  When we feel threatened we retaliate by loving.  The power of a disciplined Christian life will always conquer the vices of fear and suspicion.

CONCLUSION

In closing, it is vital to be fully informed about the content and implications of the proposed Bill. Yet beyond political awareness, Christians must remain deeply rooted in the greater spiritual truth: our calling is not to cling to freedom as something to be defended, but to exercise it as a gift entrusted to us.

We are called to use our freedom to reconcile rather than to divide, to build bridges rather than walls, to foster unity rather than fuel animosity. True Christian witness is not measured by how loudly we protect our rights, but by how faithfully we embody Christ’s example of love, peace, and reconciliation.