A Superb Analogy

The following is an analogy used by Dan Phillips to an article James Spurgeon posted over at Pyromaniacs. Both the Article and the comment thread is very good. The post has brought up some questions in my mind about the doctrine of impassibility. Some believe it is scriptural and some do not. Regardless, these guys at Teampyro can make a fellow think...there's no doubt about that. See what you think about Dan's analogy below:

"Is it true to say that a train never turns? I think so. Is it also true to say that trains change direction? It has to be -- or there'd just be piles of trains in the Atlantic and Pacific, and they'd have to keep building new ones to get passengers back to the other coast.

So a train never turns, yet it does change direction. How can both statements be true? Because the train always stays on the tracks. It never deviates. The tracks themselves are laid so as to accomodate land features, and so as to reach different destinations -- but the train never leaves those tracks.

The application of the analogy would be that God always acts according to His character and purposes (the two tracks?). He never departs. But in the expression of His character, and in the accomplishment of His purposes, we discern changes (I will destroy all Israel / I will not destroy all Israel). But what we discern as changes are not actual changes to His fundamental character, or ultimate purpose."

Not Done Quickly

Counseling Luther to move more temperately, Erasmus judged that ancient institutions could not be quickly changed and would yield more easily to persuasion than condemnation. We can agree that Luther, not Erasmus, “understood the times,” and still appreciate the truth Erasmus stated.

Benjamin Rush disgustedly resigned after he repeatedly failed to get needed medical reforms through Congress for the Revolutionary Army. John Adams begged him to stay and fight the abuses from within. “Patience! Patience! Patience!” Adams said. “The first, the last, and the middle virtues of a politician.” Wasn’t the wicked Iago correct when he said, “How poor are they that have not patience. What wound did ever heal but by degrees?”

By its very nature, success in spiritual work is as elusive as the missing link. Workers feel they may as well plough the seas as to plant gospel seed in human hearts. The work of integrating faith and practice demands such firm, dogged efforts that many seek easier toil elsewhere. Spiritual work takes time—fast-profit entrepreneurs need not apply. Jeremiah 25:11; 2 Timothy 2:24–26

Source: Hurley, V. (2000, c1995). Speaker's sourcebook of new illustrations. (Page 171). Dallas: Word Publishers.

God's Word Encourages

THERE’S NO SUBSTITUTE FOR GOD’S WORD
ROMANS 15:4
We through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
The Bible is filled with encouraging truths. There’s no need to find substitutes from other sources. God’s Word is filled with truth, given to us for the sole purpose of encouraging our hearts. In Romans 15, Paul reminds us that one of the purposes of the Old Testament was to provide encouragement for us today: “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort [encouragement] of the Scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4). Everything from Genesis to Malachi was written for our learning, so that we, through the encouragement of the Scriptures, might have hope. If you don’t get your encouragement from God’s Word, you may find its benefit sadly temporary.
In the New Testament, the theme of encouragement is everywhere, especially in Paul’s writings. When Paul wrote to Timothy and Titus, he reminded those young pastors of the critical importance of using God’s Word as a tool of encouragement. “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort [encourage], with all longsuffering and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2).

Jeremiah, D. (2002). Sanctuary : Finding moments of refuge in the presence of God (Page 181). Nashville, TN: Integrity Publishers.

More Thoughts on Patience

The verb translated “forgive” (aphiemi) means literally “to hurl away.” Paul had that in mind when he wrote, “I found mercy, in order that in me as the foremost [of sinners], Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience” (1 Tim. 1:16; cf. Matt. 7:11). An unforgiving spirit not only is inconsistent for one who has been totally forgiven by God, but also bears the chastening of God rather than His mercy.

You and I have an immeasurable privilege and responsibility to bear the name of Christ in a worthy manner. This was a consistent theme throughout Paul’s epistles. To the Ephesians he wrote, “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (4:1–3).
Source: MacArthur, J. (1995). Alone with God. Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books

Whether you’re a pastor or not, how would the Lord have you respond to wearisome people? By being patient with them. How patient? More patient than you’ve been. Think how patient God has been with you. In fact, God describes Himself as “compassionate and gracious, slow to anger” (Ex. 34:6). Patience is a communicable attribute of God, which means it should also characterize His children.

Recall this interchange between Peter and Jesus: “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven” (Matt. 18:21–22). Since the religious leaders of the day said to forgive up to three times, Peter must have thought he was being exceptionally generous by suggesting over twice that amount. But Jesus presented some mind-boggling multiplication of His own, all to communicate a spirit of ongoing patience with wearisome Christians who keep doing the same thing to us over and over again. Such compassion and personal love changes people—even the wearisome. Source: MacArthur, J. (1996, c1993). Anxiety attacked / John MacArthur, Jr. - Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.

Galatians 5:22 refers to patience with other people. As already noted, we become bitterly impatient when other people cause us to suffer. For example, if we are hurt by slander we rightly want vindication. We are tempted to vindicate ourselves. Unless other people are suffering because of the slander, it is better to remain quiet and let God vindicate us. He can do it better and more thoroughly (Rom. 12:17–21).
Source: Sproul, R. (2000, c1994). Vol. 4: Before the face of God: Grand Rapids: Baker Book House; Ligonier Ministries.

StudyNotes on Romns 9:22-24

HCSB Romans 9:22-24
And what if God, desiring to display His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience objects of wrath ready for destruction? And ⌊what if⌋ He did this to make known the riches of His glory on objects of mercy that He prepared beforehand for glory — on us whom He also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?

Are you a patient person? We all know how frustrating it can be when our patience runs thin. Not only does it cause us inner conflict but those around us get to experience our wrath when we are on edge because our patience has run out. What causes us to lose our patience? I’m not talking about surface issues. I want us to see that when our lives are transformed by the Spirit and we begin to live a life committed to the imitation of Christ, we can develop the very attributes that He possesses. In Galatians 5:22-23 Paul says: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” There is one fruit of the Spirit, with many dimensions. The first facet of this fruit that Paul mentions is love. If we meditate on the list that follows, we see that in one sense each virtue produces the next. Loving loyalty to God produces joy at his victory. This enables us to live at peace with others since we know how things will turn out. Peacefulness enables us to be patient.

Patience is also translated “long-suffering.” It has to do with our ability to endure with other people for the long haul. Our love for others carries through “for better and for worse, in sickness and in health.” Few people seem to have this ability to persevere in adversity. Escalating divorce rates even among believers show how sadly lacking we are in this fruit. Yet, this kind of patient long-suffering works in us the virtue of true kindness.
There are many times when Paul refers to patience as a human virtue. Interestingly there are only two places in Paul’s writings when he speaks of the idea of God’s Patience. Those verses are Romans 2:4 and Romans 9:22. In order to fully understand the context of Rom. 9: 22 we need to take a close look at these verses.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version
Romans 2:4 (NKJV)
“Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?”
It is true that God shows patience to the wicked only to allow the sins of such persons to accumulate so that he might more fully display his wrath and power in judging them at last. That is one of his purposes in showing patience to the wicked. However, that is not the only purpose. The patience of God is also displayed so that those whom God is calling to faith might have the opportunity to repent. In Romans 2 Paul is writing of God’s righteous judgment on those who consider themselves to be better than other people but are actually doing the same things and are committing the same sins. Paul asks “Do you think you will escape God’s Judgment?” (v.3), since you “show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience?” (v.4). But notice now what Paul adds “not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance.” This is an indirect clause, showing what God’s kindness, tolerance, and patience are for – they are intended to lead sinful men and women to repentance.
Now, let’s look at II Peter 3, which is an important chapter for learning about the patience of God. Peter is here dealing with a problem caused by scoffers posed by the delayed return of Jesus Christ who were saying “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (v.4-8). But then Peter comes to his most important argument – “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (v.9). Some people understand this verse as if it were denying the doctrine of election, but that is not it’s meaning. Peter is speaking to the elect in this passage – He says “patient with you.” If that is not the case how could Peter go on to write in verses 15 & 16 “and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.”

Now, it’s interesting to note that Peter refers to Paul as having written of “these things”. But since Paul has only written twice of God’s patience and since Romans 2:4 is easy to understand that only leaves Romans 9:22 since Peter says “in which are some things hard to understand”. Interestingly though, while Paul’s teaching is hard to understand Peter tells us exactly what they mean. They teach that “the Lord’s patience means salvation.” The verses do not say only that God is longsuffering with the wicked so that he may judge them more severly in the end, thereby displaying both his wrath and his power. They also teach that God is patient with sinners so that they may be led to repentance.

If you are having trouble accepting this teaching let’s look at another verse that Paul uses that speaks of God’s unlimited patience to himself. In I Timothy 1:15, 16 Paul says “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.”
So, if God’s patience means salvation for his own, how does that come about?

How Repentance is Produced
IT IS A DIVINE GIFT.
Acts 11:18—“Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.” 2 Tim. 2:25—“If God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.” Acts 5:30, 31. Repentance is not something which one can originate within himself, or can pump up within himself as one would pump water out of a well. It is a divine gift. How then is man responsible for not having it? We are called upon to repent in order that we may feel our own inability to do so, and consequently be thrown upon God and petition Him to perform this work of grace in our hearts.

That sin exists on earth and causes such horrible consequences is not evidence of God’s desire to see sin abound, but of His patience in allowing more opportunity for people to turn to Him for salvation. Thus we can determine that God’s purposes in permitting evil are always good. A tension will always exist between God’s sovereignty and man’s will; therefore we should not try to resolve it by modifying what He says about either reality. God is sovereign, but He gives us choices. And it is in His sovereignty that He commands us to pray, “Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10).

Have you developed a hatred for sin? Does God grant you repentance often?

Food forThought!

Rick

George Whitefield - Sermon #3

God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, that he might become a curse for us. O the freeness, as well as the infinity, of the love of God our Father! It is unsearchable: I am lost in contemplating it; it is past finding out. Think, O believers, think of the love of God, in giving Jesus Christ to be a propitiation for our sins. And when you hear how Abraham built an altar, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood; think how your heavenly Father bound Jesus Christ his only Son, and offered him upon the altar of his justice, and laid upon him the iniquities of us all. When you read of Abraham’s stretching forth his hand to slay his son, Think, O think, how God actually suffered his Son to be slain, that we might live for evermore. Do you read of Isaac carrying the wood upon his shoulders, upon which he was to be offered? Let this lead you to mount Calvary (this very mount of Moriah where Isaac was offered, as some think) and take a view of the antitype Jesus Christ, the Son of God, bearing and ready to sink under the weight of that cross, on which he was to hang for us. Do you admire Isaac so freely consenting to die, though a creature, and therefore obliged to go when God called? O do not forget to admire infinitely more the dear Lord Jesus, that promised seed, who willingly said, “Lo, I come,” though under no obligation so to do, “to do thy will,” to obey and die for men, “O God!” Did you weep just now, when I bid you fancy you saw the altar, and the wood laid in order, and Isaac laid bound on the altar? Look by faith, behold the blessed Jesus, our all-glorious Emmanuel, not bound, but nailed on a accursed tree: see how he hangs crowned with thorns, and had in derision of all that are round about him: see how the thorns pierce him, and how the blood in purple streams trickle down his sacred temples! Hark how the God of nature groans! See how he bows his head, and at length humanity gives up the ghost! Isaac is saved, but Jesus, the God of Isaac, dies; A ram is offered up in Isaac’s room, but Jesus has no substitute; Jesus must bleed, Jesus must die; God the Father provided this Lamb for himself from all eternity. He must be offered in time, or man must be damned for evermore. And now, where are your tears? Shall I say, refrain your voice from weeping? No; rather let me exhort you to look to him whom you have pierced, and mourn, as a woman mourneth for her first-born: for we have been the betrayers, we have been the murderers of this Lord of glory; and shall we not bewail those sins, which brought the blessed Jesus to the accursed tree? Having so much done, so much suffered for us, so much forgiven, shall we not love much! O! let us love Him with all our hearts, and minds, and strength, and glorify him in our souls and bodies, for they are his.

Whitefield, G. (1999). Selected Sermons of George Whitefield. Oak Harbor, WA:

The Justification of God's Elect

There is a past, present, and future aspect to our justification. The past stretches back to God’s electing purpose when he chose us in Christ (Gal. 3:8; 1 Pet. 1:1, 2; Eph. 1:5). The plan of God for the salvation of sinners includes his purpose to call, justify, and glorify (Rom. 8:30). Christ was chosen before the creation of the world as the Lamb of God, whose precious blood would atone for sin (1 Pet. 1:19, 20). God could withhold punishment for sin in the ages before Christ’s coming because of his justifying purpose in Christ (Rom. 3:25).
God’s purpose was accomplished when Jesus Christ finished his work of obedience and atonement on the cross (Gal. 4:4, 5; 1 Tim. 2:6; Rom. 4:25; 5:9; 6:6, 7; 2 Cor. 5:19; Isa. 53:11).
The present is the moment when the Holy Spirit applies to us the benefits of Christ’s redemption (Col. 1:21, 22; Gal. 2:16; Tit. 3:4–7). The future, for which we are guarded by faith, is the salvation ready to be revealed at the last time (1 Pet. 1:5).At the last judgment God’s justifying verdict will be publicly declared; God’s saints will be vindicated, and God’s judgment will bring them joy and salvation (1 Thess. 5:9; 2 Thess. 1:6–10; Rev. 6:10, 16).
Justification is by faith. Faith is the appropriate response to grace, for it acknowledges complete dependence on God as Saviour. It does not earn a reward, but receives a gift. By its very act of looking to the Lord and not to oneself, it is abandonment; it includes commitment, but commitment in the sense of fleeing for refuge.

Carson, D. (2000, c1992). Right with God : Justification in the Bible and the world. "Published on behalf of the World Evangelical Fellowship." (Page 47). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

The Sower of the "Seed"

Descendants were given to Abraham by other than natural means, so that through him Messiah might come, and the point of the apostle’s argument is that since the fulfillment of the promises of God is secured alone by Christ, they only who are “in Christ” can receive them; of spiritual offspring, Rom. 4:16, 18; 9:8; here “the children of the promise are reckoned for a seed” points, firstly, to Isaac’s birth as being not according to the ordinary course of nature but by divine promise, and, secondly, by analogy, to the fact that all believers are children of God by spiritual birth; Gal. 3:29.
As to 1 John 3:9, “his seed abideth in him,” it is possible to understand this as meaning that children of God (His “seed”) abide in Him, and do not go on doing (practicing) sin (the verb “to commit” does not represent the original in this passage). Alternatively, the “seed” signifies the principle of spiritual life as imparted to the believer, which abides in him without possibility of removal or extinction; the child of God remains eternally related to Christ, he who lives in sin has never become so related, he has not the principle of life in him. This meaning suits the context and the general tenor of the Epistle.

Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W. (1996). Vine's complete expository dictionary of Old and New Testament words (Vol. 2, Page 557-558). Nashville: T. Nelson.

Children of the Promise

In the New Testament it is taught, not in poetic imagery, but didactically, in simple, unmistakable prose, that believers are the seed of Abraham; they are his sons; his heirs they are the true Israel. (See especially Romans 9 and Galatians 3) It is not natural descent, that makes a man a child of Abraham. "They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted for the seed." (Rom. 9:8.) The Apostle asserts that the promises are made not to the Israel κατα σαρκα, but to the Israel κατα πνευμα He says in the name of believers, "We are the circumcision." (Philippians 3:3.) "We are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Gal. 3:29.) The promise to Abraham that he should be the father of many nations, did not mean merely that his natural descendants should be very numerous; but that all the nations of the earth should have the right to call him father (Rom. 4:17); for he is "the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised." (Rom. 4:11.) It would turn the Gospel upside down; not only the Apostle’s argument but his whole system would collapse, if what the Bible says of Israel should be understood of the natural descendants of Abraham to the exclusion of his spiritual children.

Hodge, C. (1997). Systematic theology.

Thoughts on 2 Tim.4:3

How rebuked are they by the apostle! He is inspired, and yet he wants books! He has been preaching at least for thirty years, and yet he wants books! He had seen the Lord, and yet he wants books! He had had a wider experience than most men, and yet he wants books! He had been caught up into the third heaven, and had heard things which it was unlawful for a man to utter, yet he wants books! He had written the major part of the New Testament, and yet he wants books! The apostle says to Timothy and so he says to every preacher, "GIVE THYSELF UNTO READING."

The man who never reads will never be read; he who never quotes will never be quoted. He who will not use the thoughts of other men’s brains, proves that he has no brains of his own. Brethren, what is true of ministers is true of all our people. YOU need to read. Renounce as much as you will all light literature, but study as much as possible sound theological works, especially the Puritanic writers, and expositions of the Bible. We are quite persuaded that the best way for you to be spending your leisure, is to be either reading or praying. You may get much instruction from books which afterwards you may use as a true weapon in your Lord and Master's service. Paul cries, "Bring the books" — join in the cry.

Paul herein is a picture of industry. He is in prison; he cannot preach: WHAT will he do? As he cannot preach, he will read. As we read of the fishermen of old and their boats. The fishermen were gone out of them. What were they doing? Mending their nets. So if providence has laid you upon a sick bed, and you cannot teach your class — if you cannot be working for God in public, mend your nets by reading. If one occupation is taken from you, take another, and let the books of the apostle read you a lesson of industry" (from Spurgeon’s sermon #542 "PAUL - His Cloak And His Books" in the Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit 9 (1863): 668-669).

I encourge you to read a good book or two this week. Might I suggest a good one to start with? "The Cross of Christ" by John Stott is excellent.

Rick

Study Notes Romans 9:7-9

We know that all the people of Israel were not spiritual Jews just because of their genetic inheritance. This was true before Christ and has been true even after Christ. There has always been a national Israel and a spiritual Israel. While national Israel is just that – national – those who believed God and His promises are spiritual Israel. Romans 9:7 says: “nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” No one has ever been automatically classified as belonging to spiritual Israel just because he was a member of the nation of Israel.

Francis Schaeffer notes the following: “Speaking of the Jews’ destiny as a nation, Paul wrote, “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?” (Rom. 11:15). I will not exegete this entire verse, but I do want to point out that a time is coming when the nation will be a spiritual, believing Israel. Romans 11:25 adds, “Blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.” The phrase “in part” is a happy one, for multitudes of individual Jews from the book of Acts onward have believed and become spiritual Jews, as well as being natural Jews by birth. Looking to the future of the Jews as a nation, Romans 11:26 says, “And so all Israel shall be saved.” And it is in this setting that Romans 11:29 says, “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” As there is a continuity of the book, the power and the divine leader, so there is a continuity of spiritual blessings — in the past, present and future — under the spiritual portion of the Abrahamic covenant.”

When the fullness of the gentiles will come in we cannot know. However, when it does, the second coming will not be far behind. The Bible comes to an end with the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, and it is announced, "Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, everyone who pierced him; all the tribes of the Earth will wail because of him” (Rev. 1:7). Then the Lord will restore Israel and bring peace on earth in His way and through His chosen people. Once more the cloud of glory will appear on the earth. We read in the prophecy of Isaiah, “Then the Lord will create over the whole site of Mount Zion, and over her assemblies, a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there will be a canopy and a pavilion. It will be for a shade by day from the heat, and a refuge and a shelter from the storm and the rain” (Isa. 4:5, 6).

Have a blessed Resurrection Sunday!

Rick

Thank You Jesus

Yet He Himself bore our sicknesses, and He carried our pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds. We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the LORD has punished Him for the iniquity of us all.
HCSB Isaiah 53:4-6

…so also the Messiah, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.
HCSB Hebrews 9:28

Why Are God's Choices Irrevocable?

"Now think about the nature of God for a minute. He is omniscient. His knowledge is infinite and unchangeable because it is perfect. He never learns for he has always known it all. God is also omnipotent. He has all power and that power is infinite so that his power can never be increased nor diminished. There is no limit to what he can do. God is also all-wise. His wisdom is perfect. He never takes even a second-best path. All of his choices, decisions, decrees are eternal and they are perfectly wise. In fact, his decrees are the wisest of all choices.

Omniscience + omnipotence + all-wisdom = complete sovereignty."

This is part of a post that James Spurgeon posted at Pyromaniacs dealing with predestination. It's an excellent explanation and does a much better job of elucidating a post I was working on as a follow up to my last study post. I am going to continue working on the post and will post it later. I know many of you (my class) are still trying to figure the blog thing out. Don't get frustrated and give up. I guarantee you it will be well worth your time. I know it's making me study harder. I sure don't want to put up something that is wrong....for the whole blogsphere to see. Wait....is that prideful? Well, guess I better work on that too.

Rick

External Privledges or Eternal Salvation?

Study Notes on Romans 9:6

“Think not that I mourn over the total loss of Israel; for that would involve the failure of God’s word to Abraham; but not all that belong to the natural seed, and go under the name of ‘Israel,’ are the Israel of God’s irrevocable choice.” The difficulties which encompass this subject are not in the apostle’s teaching, which is plain enough, but in the truths themselves, the evidence for which, taken by themselves, is overwhelming, but whose perfect harmony is beyond human comprehension in the present state. The great source of error here lies in hastily inferring that the Election treated of in the body of this chapter is national, not personal Election, and consequently is Election merely to religious advantages, not to eternal salvation. In that case, the argument of Ro 9:6, with which the subject of Election opens, would be this: “The choice of Abraham and his seed has not failed; because though Israel has been rejected, the Gentiles have taken their place; and God has a right to choose what nation He will to the privileges of His visible kingdom.” But so far from this, the Gentiles are not so much as mentioned at all till towards the close of the chapter; and the argument of this verse is, that “all Israel is not rejected, but only a portion of it, the remainder being the ‘Israel’ whom God has chosen in the exercise of His sovereign right.” And that this is a choice not to mere external privileges, but to eternal salvation, will abundantly appear from what follows.

Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., Fausset, A. R., Brown, D., & Brown, D. (1997). A commentary, critical and explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments. On spine: Critical and explanatory commentary. (Ro 9:6). Oak Harbor, WA:

Function of "Song of the Bow"

Study Notes Romans 9:6-13

The Holy Bible, New King James Version
Romans 9:6 - Romans 9:13 (NKJV)
6But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel,
7nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.”
8That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.
9For this is the word of promise: “At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.”
10And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac
11(for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls),
12it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.”
13As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”

It was perfectly natural for Israel of Paul’s day to resent the Gospel. As it was being preached to the gentiles it was seen to nullify the promises of God which had been made to the fathers. But in the opening verse Paul declares that not all Israel is Israel.

Once, a master wood carver carved some kernels of wheat from a piece of wood that was the same color as real wheat kernels. His work was so expertly done that the carved pieces could not be identified from the real thing. The only way to tell them apart was to put both the real and the carved kernels into a bowl of water. The real wheat would eventually sprout and show life while the carved pieces remained dead pieces of wood. It’s the same with people who profess to be children of God but have not the life of God within. And even though sometimes it’s hard to distinguish between them the differences are there nonetheless. So, we see Paul preaching the Gospel that was turning the tables. Paul seemed to be saying that Israel was “dead wood” while the gentiles were living kernels. Paul's reasoning was that salvation didn’t come merely by physical descent - Abraham’s seed - but through God purpose. And, of course, the difference was put there by God.

Our focus today is in understanding the great theological dilemma facing Paul’s contemporaries. The original Christians were Jews. As early preachers began to obey the great commission they were preaching to Jews. Since the promises were made to Jews and since Jesus was a Jew it would seem to modern day readers that Israel would embrace Christ. But this wasn’t happening. As a matter of fact the largest number of emerging Christian churches was gentile. So, the promises were to Israel, but Jesus had been rejected and crucified and Jews were unresponsive to the Gospel message. Paul had to deal with Israel’s presumption that because they were Abrahams seed that was all that mattered. If Israel was relying on the fact that Ishmael was rejected and cast out, Paul brought them face to face with the fact that one of the sons of Isaac (Esau) was also rejected while Jacob was God’s choice. It was God’s choice in the matter and not the fleshly line of Isaac.

HCSB Mal. 1:2,3
2 “I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you ask: “How have You loved us?” “Wasn’t Esau Jacob’s brother?” ⌊This is⌋ the LORD’s declaration. “Even so, I loved Jacob, 3 but I hated Esau. I turned his mountains into a wasteland, and ⌊gave⌋ his inheritance to the desert jackals.”

The Basis for Predestination

These verses are the classic passages in the New Testament on election and predestination. The emphasis in Romans 9 is on God’s purpose. Romans 9:11–12 tells us that the decision was made so that God’s purpose might stand, though it occurred before Jacob and Esau were born, before they had done anything good or evil. This statement totally opposes any “foreknowledge” view of predestination, the notion that God based his choice on his foresight of human decisions. The choice is all due to God’s good pleasure:
(NKJV) Eph. 1:5
"having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,"

Not only had Jacob and Esau not done anything good or evil in space and time when God made his choice, but by implication they had not “done good or evil” even in the mind of God. In other words, from God’s perspective no personal good or evil activity is taken into account. His choice was made without regard to the goodness or wickedness of the two boys.

Is this unfair? Obviously not. In the background of God’s choice, all human beings are so corrupt, even in their nature, that none ever does anything truly good (Rom. 3:12). If God made his choice by looking into the future, he would choose no one because no one is worthy to be chosen. “As it is written, ‘There is no one righteous, not even one’ ” (Rom. 3:10).
The foreknowledge view fails because it bases God’s election on good works. Semi-Pelagians argue that God elects those to be saved based on foreseen faith, but what is faith if it is not the greatest of human actions? The supreme good work is to place one’s trust in Jesus Christ. As Jesus himself said, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent” (John 6:29). In the semi-Pelagian or Arminian view, the final decision for our salvation ultimately rests upon a human choice, not upon a divine act.

Jesus the "Christ"

The Holy Bible, New King James Version
Romans 9:5(NKJV)
5of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.

I want to deal for a moment on the etymology of the word “Christ”. “Christ” is the English rendering of the Greek Christos, meaning “anointed.” MESSIAH (Mehs si' uh) Transliteration of Hebrew word meaning, “anointed one”

The Old Testament and Early Jewish Background
“Anointed” carries several senses in the Old Testament. All have to do with installing a person in an office in a way that the person will be regarded as accredited by Yahweh, Israel’s God. Even a pagan king such as Cyrus was qualified as the Lord’s anointed (Isa. 45:1) to execute a divinely appointed task. The usual application of the term anointed was to God’s representatives within the covenant people.

Messiahship in Jesus' Ministry
A question posed in John 4:29; compare 7:40-43 is: “Is not this the Christ (Messiah).” It is evident that the issue of the Messiah’s identity and role was one much debated among the Jews in the first century. In the Synoptic Gospels the way Jesus acted and spoke led naturally to the dialogue at Caesarea Philippi (Mark 8:29). Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” a question to which Peter gave the reply, “Thou art the Christ (Messiah)” (Mark 8:29). Mark made clear that Jesus took an attitude of distinct reserve and caution to this title since it carried overtones of political power, especially in one strand of Jewish hope represented by the Psalms of Solomon. Jesus, therefore, accepted Peter’s confession with great reluctance since with it went the disciple’s objection that the Messiah cannot suffer (see Mark 9:32). For Peter, Messiah was a title of a glorious personage both nationalistic and victorious in battle. Jesus, on the other hand, saw His destiny in terms of a suffering Son of man and Servant of God (Mark 8:31-38; 9:31; 10:33-34). Hence He did not permit the demons to greet Him as Messiah (Luke 4:41) and downplayed all claims to privilege and overt majesty linked with the Jewish title.The course of Jesus’ ministry is one in which He sought to wean the disciples away from the traditional notion of a warrior Messiah. Instead, Jesus tried to instill in their minds the prospect that the road to His future glory was bound to run by way of the cross, with its experience of rejection, suffering, and humiliation. At the trial before His Jewish judges (Matt. 26:63-66) He once more reinterpreted the title Messiah (“Christ,” KJV) and gave it content in terms of the Son of man figure, based on Daniel 7:13-14. This confession secured His condemnation, and He went to the cross as a crucified Messiah because the Jewish leaders failed to perceive the nature of messiahship as Jesus understood it. Pilate sentenced Him as a messianic pretender who claimed (according to the false charges brought against Him) to be a rival to Caesar (Mark 15:9; Luke 23:2; John 19:14-15). It was only after the resurrection that the disciples were in a position to see how Jesus was truly a king Messiah and how Jesus then opened their minds to what true Messiahship meant (see Luke 24:45-46). The national title Messiah then took on a broader connotation, involving a kingly role which was to embrace all peoples (Luke 24:46-47).

Messiah as a Title in the Early Church
From the resurrection onward the first preachers announced that Jesus was the Messiah by divine appointment (Acts 2:36; Rom. 1:3-4). Part of the reason for this forthright declaration is to be traced to apologetic reasons. In the mission to Israel the church had to show how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies and came into the world as the “Son of David,” a title closely linked with the Messiah as a royal person. Matthew’s Gospel is especially concerned to establish the identity (Matt. 1:1), but it is equally a theme common to Luke (Luke 1:32, 69; 2:4, 11; Acts 2:29-36; 13:22-23). Paul also saw in Jesus the fulfillment of the messianic hopes of the old covenant (1 Cor. 5:7-8). Peter, too, sought to show how the sufferings of the Messiah were foretold (1 Pet. 1:11, 20; 2:21; 3:18; 4:1, 13; 5:1). Luke stressed the link between Jesus as the One anointed by the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:16-22) in a way that looks back to Isaiah 61:1, and he recorded Peter’s statement (in Acts 10:38 NIV) that “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power” as a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. The letter to the Hebrews is rich in this theme. See Hebrews 1:9; 2:2-4; 9:14-15.
The final stage of development in regard to the title Messiah came in the way that Paul used the word more as a personal name than as an official designation (seen in Rom. 9:5, “Christ”). The reason for this shift lies in the intensely personal nature of Paul’s faith which centered in Jesus Christ as the divine Lord (see Phil. 1:21; Col. 3:4). Also, Paul taught his converts who were mainly converted to Christ from paganism that Jesus was the universal Lord whose mission was wider than any Jewish hope could embrace. In Pauline thought, “Christ” is a richer term than “Messiah” could ever be, and one pointer in this direction is the fact that the early followers of the Messiah called themselves not converted Jews but “Christians,” Christ’s people (Acts 11:26; 1 Pet. 4:16) as a sign of their universal faith in a sovereign Lord.

The first argument from the New Testament in proof of the divinity of Christ, is derived from the fact that He is everywhere called Lord; the Lord; our Lord. It is admitted that the Greek word κυριος means owner, and one who has the authority of an owner, whether of men or things. The Lord of a vineyard is the owner of the vineyard, and the Lord of slaves is the owner of slaves. It is also admitted that the word is used with all the latitude of the Latin word Dominus, or the English Master or Mister. It is applied as a title of respect, not only to magistrates and princes, but to those who are not invested with any official authority. It is, therefore, not merely the fact that Jesus is called Lord, that proves that He is also God; but that He is called Lord in such a sense and in such a way as is consistent with no other hypothesis. In the first place, Christ is called Lord in the New Testament with the same constancy and with the same preeminence that Jehovah is called Lord in the Old Testament. Every believer knows in what sense he calls Jesus Lord; and he knows that in thus recognizing Him as his owner, as his absolute sovereign, to whom the allegiance of his soul, and not merely of his outward life, is due; and as his protector and Saviour, he is in communion with the Apostles and martyrs. He knows that it is from the New Testament he has been taught to worship Christ in calling him Lord. But in the second place, Jesus Christ is not only thus called Lord by way of eminence, but He is declared to be the Lord of lords; to be the Lord of glory; the Lord of all; the Lord of the living and the dead; the Lord of all who are in heaven and on earth, and under the earth. If his Lordship were merely the supremacy which one creature can exercise over other creatures, there would be no necessity for a divine illumination to enable us to recognize his authority. But if He is Lord in the absolute sense in which God alone is Lord; if He has a right in us, and an authority over us, which belong only to our Maker and Redeemer, then it is necessary that the Holy Spirit should so reveal to us the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, as to lead us to prostrate ourselves before Him as our Lord and our God.

The Deity of Christ

To complete the biblical teaching about Jesus Christ, we must affirm not only that he was fully human, but also that he was fully divine. Although the word does not explicitly occur in Scripture, the church has used the term incarnation to refer to the fact that Jesus was God in human flesh. The incarnation was the act of God the Son whereby he took to himself a human nature. The scriptural proof for the deity of Christ is very extensive in the New Testament. We shall examine it under several categories.
1. Direct Scriptural Claims. In this section we examine direct statements of Scripture that Jesus is God or that he is divine.

a. The Word God (Theos) Used of Christ: Although the word theos "God," is usually reserved in the New Testament for God the Father, nonetheless, there are several passages where it is also used to refer to Jesus Christ. In all of these passages the word "God" is used in the strong sense to refer to the one who is the Creator of heaven and earth, the ruler over all. These passages include John 1:1; 1:18 (in older and better manuscripts); 20:28; Romans 9:5; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8 (quoting Ps. 45:6); and 2 Peter 1:1. As these passages have been discussed in some detail in the chapter on the Trinity, the discussion will not be repeated here. It is enough to note that there are at least these seven clear passages in the New Testament that explicitly refer to Jesus as God.

One Old Testament example of the name God applied to Christ is seen in a familiar messianic passage: "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God..

The scriptural material supporting this definition is extensive.
B. Noun.
mashiach (מָשִׁיחַ, 4899), “anointed one.” A word that is important both to Old Testament and New Testament understandings is the noun mashiach, which gives us the term messiah. As is true of the verb, mashiach implies an anointing for a special office or function. Thus, David refused to harm Saul because Saul was “the Lord’s anointed” (1 Sam. 24:6). The Psalms often express the messianic ideals attached to the Davidic line by using the phrase “the Lord’s anointed” (Ps. 2:2; 18:50; 89:38, 51).
Interestingly enough, the only person named “messiah” in the Old Testament was Cyrus, the pagan king of Persia, who was commissioned by God to restore Judah to her homeland after the Exile (Isa. 45:1). The anointing in this instance was more figurative than literal, since Cyrus was not aware that he was being set apart for such a divine purpose.
The New Testament title of Christ is derived from the Greek Christos which is exactly equivalent to the Hebrew mashiach, for it is also rooted in the idea of “to smear with oil.” So the term Christ emphasizes the special anointing of Jesus of Nazareth for His role as God’s chosen one.

It's Not Going To Happen

Frank Turk posted a very interesting comment here which said:
"Does any person who ought to be condemned to hell escape because God is somehow not concerned or involved enough about sending them to hell that they escape his wrath? For example, is it possible that, in the final account, Judas will be judged by God worthy of hell but will escape God's wrath and spend eternity in heaven with the saints?



Now, Frank's no clown. He knows the implications of such a question - and He knows the answer too. But also, there are quite a few very good comments in the thread that are well worth reading. Give it a look and see what you think.

Rick




Title: The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1
Author: Irenaeus - Against Heresies, Book 1, Ch. 31, 1 [A.D. 120-202.]

Chap. XXXI.—Doctrines of the Cainites.

1. Others again declare that Cain derived his being from the Power above, and acknowledge that Esau, Korah, the Sodomites, and all such persons, are related to themselves. On this account, they add, they have been assailed by the Creator, yet no one of them has suffered injury. For Sophia was in the habit of carrying off that which belonged to her from them to herself. They declare that Judas the traitor was thoroughly acquainted with these things, and that he alone, knowing the truth as no others did, accomplished the mystery of the betrayal; by him all things, both earthly and heavenly, were thus thrown into confusion. They produce a fictitious history of this kind, which they style the Gospel of Judas.

Concerning Free Will

James Spurgeon has some very good thoughts on "Free Will" over at Pyromaniacs. It's well worth the read.

Rick

The Secret of Being Content

The truth is that if God wanted us to have more right now, we would hav it. If we needed different gifts to enable us to glorify him, he would provide them. If we were ready for the job or ministry we want, he would put us into it. If we were supposed to be in a different situation in life, we would be in it. Instead of always saying, "If only this" and "If only that," God calls us to glorify him right now, whatever the situation we are in.

The word for this is contentment. Contentment is the positive side of the last commandment; it is the remedy for covetous desire. The Westminister Shorter Catechism says, "The tenth commandment requireth full contentment with our own condition, with a right and charitable frame of spirit toward our neighbor and all that is his" (A.80). This emphasis on contentment is thoroughly Biblical. "Godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Tim. 6:6). "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have" (Heb. 13:5a).

Contentment means wanting what God wants for us rather that what we want for us. The secret to enjoying this knid of contentment is to be so satisfied with God that we are able to accept whatever he has or has not provided. To put this another way, coveting is a theological issue: Ultimately, it concerns our relationship with God. Therefore, the way to get rid of any covetous desire is to be completely satisfied with God and what he provides. In a wonderful book called The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, the Puritan Jeremiah Burroughr explained what we ought to say to ourselves whenever we are tempted to be discontent: "I find a sufficiency of satisfaction in my own heart, through the grace of Christ that is in me. Though I have not outward conveniences to supply my necessities, yet I have a sufficient portion between Christ and my soul abundantly to satisfy me in every condition."

Godly people have always known this secret. Asaph knew it. True, there was a time in his life when Asaph was disappointed with God. He saw wicked men prosper, while he himself had nothing to show for his godliness. It made him angry with God and bitter about what life didn't seem to offer. But then Asaph learned the secret of being content, and he was able to say to the Lord, "Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you" (Ps. 73:25).

The Apostle Paul knew the secret, too. He said, "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want" (Phil. 4:11b, 12). In other words, Paul had learned contentment is not circumstantial; it does not depend on our situation in life. So what's the secret? Paul said, "I can do everything through him who gives me strength" (Phil. 4:13).

God is all we need and therefore all we ought to desire. To be even more specific, all we need is Jesus. God does not offer us His son as a better way of getting what we want. No; God gives us Jesus and says, 'Even if you don't realize it, He is all you really need.' When we come to Jesus, we receive the promise of eternal life with God. We receive the promise that He will never leave us or forsake us, that He will help us through all the trials of life. What else do we need?

And as for everything else - all the things that we spend so much time coveting - God says, "Trust me. I will provide everything you truly need." Faith is always the answer to our discontent. Michael Horton writes: "It is not poverty or wealth that leads us to contentment and trust in the Lord, but the confidence that if God provided so richly for our salvation by choosing, redeeming, calling, adopting, and justifying us, and by sending His Spirit to cause us to grow up into Christ's likeness, then surely we can count on Him for the less essentian matters of daily existence." 1

Jesus said it even more plainly: "Seek first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matt. 6:33). The first thing, the main thing, the only thing that really matters is to trust in Jesus. He is enough for us. Really, he is.

God's Protective Covering

Behind the text of Romans 9:4 lies one of the most incredible miracles of the Bible. “They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple service, and the promises.” I want to single out one of the above possessions that belonged to Israel - the glory. This possession that belonged to Israel was something very special - a glory which all Jews understood. When Paul spoke here of “the glory”, these Jews would have immediately recognized the meaning and would have remembered how their forefathers had turned their backs on God in unbelief. The glory was a visible thing. It came upon Israel from the beginning of its march as a nation and stayed with them for many centuries until it was taken from them in judgment. One day in the future, however, it shall be theirs again.

This cloud, this shekinah, this “glory”, is the matter that is spoken of here in Romans as one of the precious possessions of Israel. The moment God’s people departed Egypt this protective covering was over them. We read “The Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to lead them on their way during the day and in a pillar of fire to give them light at night, so that they could travel day or night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night never left its place in front of the people” (Exodus 13:21,22). There is every evidence that this cloud spread out over the people like a covering canopy in order to protect them and to provide shelter for them. The stem of the cloud came down upon the tabernacle, and the cloud billowed out to form the protective covering for the people.

Guidance by the Cloud

“ On the day the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony, and it appeared like fire above the tabernacle from evening until morning. It remained that way continuously: the cloud would cover it, appearing like fire at night. Whenever the cloud was lifted up above the tent, the Israelites would set out; at the place where the cloud stopped, there the Israelites camped. At the Lord’s command the Israelites set out, and at the Lord’s command they camped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they camped. Even when the cloud stayed over the tabernacle many days, the Israelites carried out the Lord’s requirement and did not set out. Sometimes the cloud remained over the tabernacle for only a few days. They would camp at the Lord’s command and set out at the Lord’s command. Sometimes the cloud remained only from evening until morning; when the cloud lifted in the morning, they set out. Or if it remained a day and a night, they moved out when the cloud lifted. Whether it was two days, a month, or longer, the Israelites camped and did not set out as long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle. But when it was lifted, they set out. They camped at the Lord’s command, and they set out at the Lord’s command. They carried out the Lord’s requirement according to His command through Moses” (Numbers 9:15-23).

In Psalms 105:39 David tells us, “He spread a cloud as a covering and gave a fire to light up the night.” But have our minds really comprehended the meaning? The picture is an astounding one. We know from the book of numbers that there were 603, 550 men of arms, over twenty years of age. The total population cannot have been less than two and a half or three million people. The cloud, the “glory” would have been spread out over a considerable space to cover this vast group of people that traveled for forty years without food and water except that which was provided by God. The stem of the cloud of glory was down on the cover of the ark where the blood was applied. This place was called the mercy seat, the place of propitiation, or the place of atonement. This fact was given to Moses after Aaron’s two sons had been struck dead for approaching this place of glory - “ The Lord said to Moses: Tell your brother Aaron that he may not come whenever he wants into the holy place behind the veil in front of the mercy seat on the ark or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud above the mercy seat.” (Lev. 16:2)

Filling the House of God

When Solomon dedicated the temple, the glory was present and filled the house. “When the priests came out of the holy place….with them were 120 priests blowing trumpets. The trumpeters and singers joined together to praise and thank the Lord with one voice. They raised their voices, accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and musical instruments, in praise to the Lord: the Lord’s temple, was filled with a cloud” (2 Chron. 5:11,13). However, in the days of Ezekiel the glory of God was removed from Israel. Because of the iniquity of the people the Lord took the symbol of glory and removed it to heaven (see Ezekiel ch. 10 & 11).

Christ, Our Glory

I want you to understand how great the historical glory of God and the glory cloud was for one reason. With us, it is no visible cloud. By faith we know that glory in Christ, “For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness’—He has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ. Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us” (2 Cor. 4:6,7).

Think on that!

Rick