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Romans Chapter 9 9:1 I am telling the truth > All the things that I am speaking to you about are without dispute, they are not based on my own wishes and thoughts that I have derived out of wishful thinking. They are to be taken as what it is that do, if I had the power to do it. Also, they are the basis for that whom Christ is and are the foundation of truth by which all are faith is based. Apart from which we would have no claim to the truth or eternal life. in Christ > So I offer to you this vow, so that you may feel confident in my teaching, that thru my very own oath, before Christ as my witness, that I speak the truth as Christ has taught me. (I am not lying!), > So what I am saying to you is, that I have not made up some divisive lie to only pretend, that I know some-thing. So that you all will follow after me, what I know is not a fabrication of my own, it is of Christ and so then it is trustworthy for you to adhere your life too. for my conscience > You see I too must live in the light and revealing of my own truth, and I have no desire to be double minded about that which I have put my faith in also. So I examine what I am teaching you against my own sense of right and wrong, for I have a moral guide, a compass within me also of my guilt and innocence. If I try to embellish that which is of Christ glory, as though to glorify myself to my own benefit, apart from Christ, then I only wound myself also. Because I also must live in this temple that I build out of my teachings, as an example to you. assures me > So out of this kind of self examination, I am very confident, in that which I am revealing to you as the doctrine of Christ, is of Christ, thru me. Therefore I have rest in my conscience, that I have made open to you the truth, just as I have been taught of Christ himself. in the Holy Spirit- > You see it is by the power of Gods Holy Spirit, that I have authority upon which to set these absolutes, in the church for everyone to follow. It is the Holy Spirit that breathes in me and changes the course of my thinking. If I by anyway of my own imagination, misuse your trust in me to teach you these doctrines. Then it is the Holy Spirit that immediately intercedes in me, to set me upon the right path, for your benefit and mine. Because I cannot prosper from a lie, when it is the truth that is the glory of Christ, of which I seek an end to for myself also. It does me no good to send you down one path, while I follow another. Because your destination, is my destination, I am bound to you thru the Holy Spirit and the body of Christ himself. So as the Holy Spirit bears witness in me of these things, you will find the same Holy Spirit in you, confirming what it is that I teach you. 9:2 I have great sorrow > And that is why I am now and always will be depressed over those with whom I share a heritage with. The burden is most unbearable to me, I feel responsible for them and if you’ll bear with me in this just a little, and let me unload on you some of this burden I feel. Because I feel so alone in my desire for them, I would sure appreciate your understanding of it in me. and unceasing anguish > The pain I feel for them is unrelenting and all I do is worry for them. I feel like my family is about to be slaughtered by an enemy and all I can do is watch it happen. It does not arise out of a singular event though, it is like having that as the same nightmare every night, that just won’t let me find any rest from it gnawing at me. in my heart. > This deep emotion that I have for them, is more real to me than anything for which I have had to bear before in my life. It is a constant gnawing at my heart, for which I am powerless to contain my sorrow over them. As I am sure you could understand, the deep rooted feelings that I have for them, in that, if the shoe were on the other foot, you would be in, as a heart wrenched condition as I am. 9:3 For I could wish > What I desire for my own people is not possible, but if I could only in my own person be some benefit to them. If it were up to me I would make any sacrifice of myself for their benefit, just so they could know the glory of my King Jesus. You see I understand, that as I take to myself the image of Christ, that I also will receive as a payment or reward of that, the mind of Christ also. So what it is that Jesus would do, I should also do myself, as that desire in me. So what did Jesus desire and do? He became cursed in the eye’s of his heavenly Father, in order to save and reach us with the message of salvation. that I myself > In like-mindedness, I would even forfeit my own position in the church of Christ, if I could demonstrate to them in one grand display. What it is that they are rejecting in our Lord and savior. If for in my loss they could be saved, then in my zeal for them, I would gladly trade my dignity, for their rescue and my body for their security. were accursed- > This is a hard saying for the flesh to accept, but it is not hard for those with the Spirit of Christ. But, it is only a wish, because my sacrifice is meaningless, accept as a living sacrifice and martyr to glorify God, otherwise my sacrifice, is not worthy to do anything of value. If I could be made into a separate island though, to which I would be abandoned as a result of this passion I feel for them. So that they to would be made aware of that which they are becoming, I would gladly make such a sacrifice for them. cut off > I would gladly accept banishment, as that which would be necessary to accomplish for them, that which they are ignorant of. I would make that same decision, that Christ did for me, not because I have worth, but Christ has taught me, that it is the greatest of all sacrifices, that one is able to give up his life, as an offering to be made for loved ones. from Christ- > And if the body of Christ never new my name and no legend ever of spoke of what it was I did to save them, then I would accept it as a proper and fitting reward, for having led them to the truth, to which they are now blind. I would gladly be an outcast among the church to obtain such a treasure of knowledge, that they have come to know my Lord. Which is what it is that I make in the point of all this, as I appeal to you, that you also be an outcast of the world, that you might save those of your own heritage also. I am no savior, so to dwell in the impossible, gains me nothing, but I can, as you can, give my body over to the gospel message and the glory of Christ. for the sake > That is the true nature of what it is that I am proclaiming to you here, that you do whatever is worthwhile to save you own people. Do not dwell in the fantasies of what you cannot do, it might make a good point, but accomplishes nothing in the end. As I said, if I could, I would, but that is not what I am trying to do, is it? Why? Because it makes my point, but does nothing to save them, it is grandiose it my Christ like-mindedness, which is okay, because I want to be Christ like, but is powerless to save even one soul. of my people, > I would gladly make the ultimate sacrifice for my own flesh and blood, they after all, are my family, my ancestry from which I was birthed, how could I not weep for them. We all fight for our own people and their survival, so what I am saying to you, is not so strange a saying, just not a practical one, in any case, only Christ can redeem. my fellow > But I will always share with them, my comradely and love for that which we birthed together as one people. We share a bond that is inseparable in human form, in that, we gave birth to one another. countrymen, > Their forefathers are mine also, and we grew up in the same yards with one another and cared for each other in both time of war and peace. I have among them grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins and brothers and sisters, even my mother and father. As a nation, we had our identity in each other, the cause of our people was united in each others determination, to survive as a people. 9:4 who are Israelites. What are they to you, that you should give them a second thought or spend any time being concerned over them, as I am? What is your relationship to them, that I find it necessary to burden you also with my
burden? > First, all that we have, is the their rightful heritage in the kingdom of God. It is because of this right, that they in proper order of procession, should come to God before you do. This is by Gods choosing and therefore, they are and should be preeminent in the minds of those who came after them, as to how you honor them in your attitudes and prayers. If you believe in authority and its place, you should know that they have God given authority. the adoption as sons, > Because they were the first ones that God called his own people, as a set apart people. They were the first, that were formed as a whole segment of a population, in which he would declare them as his children. To exist for his purpose in their nationality, as title bearers, that calls them "the chosen people", and they bear this title by right. It is theirs alone and no other nation may claim that as a right, as they hold high the banner of God, that goes before them as a nation. the glory, > Second, to them was Gods glory and righteousness made known. They were the first as a nationality, to be shown and led in a visual display, what was the awesome brilliance of Gods glory. They saw it before them on a daily basis as a whole, they were as one people, witnesses to Gods glory, one and all. This was their national mantle, that was never given to any other nation, nor has it yet been given to another nation, it belongs to the Jews. the covenants, > Third, all the promises that came to them, were made in order to make Gods glory known throughout the earth. These divine promises were given to their forefathers, as a benefit to them as a nationality. Once again God did this for his purpose, so that thru them, all nations could see Gods glory. God made his agreements with them as a people, as a whole, as an offspring of Abraham. the giving > Fourth, God thru Moses led them to freedom from slavery in Egypt, into the wilderness. Where there, after questioning them many times as to their willingness to be faithful to him, as obedient children. God established with them, what their lifestyle would be like and the manner after which they should conduct themselves. of the law, > God gave them the Ten Commandments, that they should by right of their nationality, be stewards over the Tablets that Moses brought down to them from Mount Sinai. These were theirs to look after and to promote throughout the lands of the earth. They taught the Holy character of God and how God thought, compared to the thinking of man. They also demonstrated Gods sovereign authority over man and that God does not yield that authority over to any creature. These were after all commands, not suggestions or friendly advice. They were never a take it or leave proposition, they were an order, from God--to man. the temple worship, > Fifth, God thru them, allowed a temple to be established on earth, that was a symbolic replica, of his throne in Heaven. Thru which, all of them could make sacrifices in, for the coming atonement of sins and their make offerings to God. To return to him, the honor of his glory, their thankfulness, in their faith, in honor of his final provision for mans salvation. and the promises. > Sixth, that our hope of salvation itself was made first known to them. That thru them, all nations would receive the gift of salvation, that was not promised thru any other people, except the Jewish people. So what we now posses as a church, was provided thru them as a nation, to which we should remain consciously aware at all times. 9:5 To them belong the patriarchs, > So all of their forefathers were the standard bearers and heroes of faith, that we now look to as a reference for whom we should emulate. As what a Holy God will do in those, who put their faith in him and how God stands ready to intervene, on our behalf also. They were the pioneers, that held their faith in the face of death and rejection, and this without the power of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, that we now have. and from them, > Then finally, out of these faithful ones, who didn’t even know what the whole plan of salvation was at that time. They remained faithful to believe that God was able to do, what they did not even understand, not to mention what was at stake and what it would take to achieve their salvation. by human descent, > Even in their furthest imagination, they could never had realized, what God would have to so wholly invest of himself, in the effort to take back his coming judgement against mankind and satisfy his wrath, that fiercely wanted to destroy the sin of man, that was constantly before him. That out of this very humanity that he was at war with, he himself would have to descend down into its midst, as one of their own kind, in order to save them. came the Christ, > Because out of their own people, was born the one who was able to conquer both sin and death, in his own power and ability to do so. He was the only one ever born who was fully viable from birth, able to live without nurturing and care, but yet lived as we do for our sake. Having needs and subject to labors, that he might be as us, yet without any sin. So that he might die, not for what he had done wrong, but for what we had done wrong, and in that, redeem us from our sins. who is > This one person who came down to earth, is the same one who created the earth and all of its inhabitants. His kingdom is not fashioned after the earthly likes of mankind, which to him means nothing. Nor does he desire the acknowledgement of man as that of substance for oneself to be enamored too. He sees no honor among thieves, that he should attain approval among them. God over all, > Because this redeemer, was not mere flesh and blood, born as mortal men are, only to return back to the dust of the earth. Christ was the one true living God of all creation, the one thru whom all life was created, that was created. Gods imagination and artistry, was made real thru the power of creation, which was done in the spoken words of Christ himself. blessed forever! Amen. > And for this, all my voice within me wants to glorify my God and be grateful in my thanksgiving to him. For having done so much, for so little a people, who have rejected his very deity, as to who the Christ is, as he stood before them in flesh and blood, wanting to relive them of all their sins. I can only be thankful to such a righteous God, that was ever so faithful to those who by their very nature, were faithless towards him. Let his praises be so loud among us, that his praise will last forever more and never become quiet within us. 9:6 It is not as though > It is the manner in which we look at the scripture, without preconceived ideas, that reveals it true meaning. For instance, just look at how Israel was looking for a conquering Messiah and therefore did not recognize his coming as a suffering lamb. We need to be clear then on what God meant, when he claimed all of Israel would be saved. So that we do not misuse his word or become misguided as they did also. the word of God > Because they applied Gods promise to the flesh, in that, he would save those who were born after the flesh of Abraham. And in so doing, they did not look to things that were beyond their temporal existence, they could not see, that which God was speaking of. They were looking for physical restoration, while God was speaking of spiritual life and salvation, in the midst of a physical existence. Gods word then must be taken then, from his eternal perspective and not out temporal state. They internalized it as they themselves being special, instead of the fact that they were being loved, by someone special, that would have gave reason to their occasion, to take glory in God. His glory, not theirs. had failed. > With that in mind then, we learn that God has done what it is he set out to do, not save a physical nation, but a spiritual people whose hearts are in service to him. Not their bodies that he has rejected, it is their spiritual status that is in focus here, not their physical heritage alone. So Gods promise is true and its mans revision of that promise, that one must hold in contempt as having failed. Gods honor was not driven from him in this, in that he could not attain, that which he set out to do. So that he had to alter that which had he to do to save Abraham’s seed, that is not at all what happened here. Because that was not the promise, God never made a promise to the faithless and wicked of heart among any nation or people, only to the faithful in him, did he swear himself too. For > Look here with me at the promise, and understand the premise under which, it was made. Then you will see that it was not a wide open promise from God to save even them who wanted nothing to do with him, despite their Jewish heritage. So that we know that each saved person, is saved, one-on-one with God. Being raised Jewish or being raised in the church, for that matter, means nothing to God. If you have an empty heart for him, especially as you exist surrounded by his blessings that a part of the faithful. They may be blessings from God, but they are not yours in any fashion, if you do not know him in your heart. not all those > For instance, not everyone that makes a argument or stakes a claim of ownership, has a valid claim. Many would rather produce forgeries than seek the labor of valid efforts of faith, that result in legal justification of their deeds. Some hold to false promises and try to alter the meaning of contracts, to say that they are entitled to benefits under the written letter of the agreement, but deny their having any responsibility to their part of the spiritual conditions, that were bound in the meaning of the contract. They would rather practice deceit, then the true faith that was made available to them. Thereby trying to circumvent the authors original intent, after having ignored that intent, their whole life. Then claiming exemption to the rejection of their claim, based on their misconception of the meaning behind the authors intent, because they choose not to seek the truth of what he meant. In other words, they are claiming ignorance of the law, as an excuse. They make an ambiguous claim to some broad statement of a contract, Such as, "God is love" or "all the Jews will be saved" but then try to ignore what the contract says about what his love means, or what a true Jews is. who are descended > So then, just because someone makes a claim, does not make it a valid claim. It must be a claim that the author of the law, will recognize as having his seal of approval applied to it. It must be a life lived and covered by the original intent, so that the power of ownership, is then made permanent as having met the spiritual perspective, that author of the promise was speaking too. from Israel > And from that we know, that having a physical heritage, as that of a descendant of Israel, and then from that being able to claim, that you have a legal right, to that which was promised to Israel, is a claim, that must be tested for its spiritual validity. are truly Israel, > Because the promise was not a blank check based on the proof of being a physical descendant, but a spiritual right to those of a spiritual dependency, on the power of God to save the faithful. Which are those who believe in the spiritual promise and not the physical legality. Which to them who are depending on the flesh, is just a convenience to sin in the flesh and then expecting an immunity to prosecution status due to their physical heritage. Which is false, only those of the spiritual promise, have a claim to the promise from God. God does not believe in situational ethics, only in absolute truth, in which are all his ethics based in. 9:7 nor are all the children > So what all this comes down to then is that God never intended for everyone that claimed to be his children, did he accept as truly his, nor did he mean that to be. Some only claimed that, but had no signs of it in their lives. In fact, even though they were as the fruit of the tree that they feel from, it was not rooted in the same soil, that produced faith-filled fruit. But rather that of an alien crop, rejected by God, that God would not harvest. But would allow to perish on the ground, it was a poison fruit, unfit for his kingdom, because its roots were not based in the faithful soil. Their lineage then, tough it was traceable back to Abraham, was from the wrong son of Abraham. Abraham’s true descendants; > So when Abraham bore children, God had a specific people that would come out of him, that would share in the blessings of God. Not the entire race of his offspring would have availability to this blessing and God would disavow any family ties to those of that same household. Even disown any promise to them due to their faithless heritage of his promise to Abraham. Even in our own families, we see children who are faithful to their parents and others who are disobedient and disloyal to the family. In those homes the father will promote the faithful and establish their future, while rejecting the disloyal and withholding their inheritance. So God does the same to the faithless, of his lineage through Abraham. rather > On the other hand though, God secured and promoted those to whom he meant the promise to be. God alone is able to make the way clear, for those whom he chooses to work thru and allow them to bear fruit after his name. He alone has the choice of accession, that those of his calling may advance to the place of his blessing. "through Isaac > One of those that he did this thru was Isaac, he was the choice in which God would promote his blessing thru. But he was only one of Abraham’s offspring and the only that would receive the blessings of God, to rest God offered no blessing. For them to join the blessing of God, they would have to renounce their own heritage and family, and join the faithful line of Isaac. As do we, who choose to become Christians, must renounce our allegiance to mans ideology and join Christ and his family. will your > God did not allow for random access of mans thinking to come into play concerning the way of mans relationship to God, or the way of salvation and blessings. God defined everything and every way, that he would interact with man and allow man to have access to him. All of mans ideas or philosophies of God, are then meaningless to God. God does not rewrite that which he has ordered just to accommodate those who would choose their own way to God, it is Gods way, or no way at all. descendants be traced." > So when we look at the physical lineage from which the Messiah would come out of, it is result of the lineage of Isaac forward. From their, God continued his selection of the family tree, that the Messiah would come out of, as a blessing to Abraham’s offspring. Those include the heroes of our faith, that we all now look to since the time of Abraham. But not those who denied the way of God in their hearts and were mere physical descendants of Abraham, but not of Isaac’s lineage. 9:8 This means it is not the children > No one who is born, who is able to claim Abraham as their forefather, is automatically saved, no matter what they think was promised to them. It was always a conditional promise hinged on their willingness trust and obey God. God was faithful to the faithful, who believed in the Spirit of God, not the temple religion of sacrifice, that some Jews saw as their claim to salvation. They thought, as some Christians do, that because they were born into a religious family, that, that was all they needed, but they thought wrong. of the flesh > Those who sacrificed flesh as their means of salvation, were the very ones, that God rejected due to their carnal thinking. In that, they thought that those dead animals were a covering for their sins. While the whole time, they disregarded any true faith in the Spirit of Gods coming Christ, to purify them from their sins. They were seeking only a covering to sin, not a coming rescue from sin. They were not looking forward to the coming Messiah to save them from sin, they were looking forward to sinning and getting away with it without the consequence of it, but they were wrong. who are > So it is the condition of their hearts, that causes God to reject and look away from their flesh. Not the status of their flesh in their family lineage, that results in God ignoring the wickedness of their hearts and forgiving their sins. They will be found guilty of their sins, because of the state of their hearts towards God, and will find no relief from that, due to the history of their family ties, to those who in the past were the faithful of God. the children of God; > So these people who only want justification in their acts, so that they can live in their sins without public retribution. They put on a show of religion in their outward rituals, while internally, they curse the laws of God, that they profess to be a part of. These are the ones that God rejects from his calling of salvation and never promised salvation thru the Messiah, would be for them also. rather, > On the other hand, God did remain faithful to those who sought God internally thru the Spirit of his truth and the faithfulness of their calling. To them the blessing came thru Christ and is still active today, saving all of those who never even heard of or ever came in contact with, a Jewish descendant. the children of promise > So only those who came after the faithfulness of Abraham, does God call into salvation. They are the ones that he gave power to believe in the coming Messiah, who would redeem them from this body of ours, that wars against God. They are the ones entitled to the promise of salvation, regardless of their sins which they will commit. God is saving their spiritual soul, with indifference of that which is the history of their flesh, so long as their hearts join with Abraham in his history of faith. are counted > It is these people of faith, that God said would be so great a number, that we could not count them. But God who is able to know all things, knows each of us by name and has written it down against the day of judgement. That he has called us into his kingdom, thru the mercy of his will to elect us for that calling. So that any who call on the name of Jesus to be saved, will be numbered among the faithful of Abraham’s descendants as saved. as descendants. > So we are the true lineage of Abraham, because we all follow after the seed of faith, that is the true inheritance, that was left for mankind to follow. Those who are Jews in the flesh or from another seed of Abraham than Isaac, are no more sanctified by their physical heritage then any other race on earth. But God made certain, that some of them were of the lineage, from which Christ would come out of for Abraham’s sake, which he said he would do. That is the promise of salvation in the flesh, the lineage or line of accession by which salvation would come out of Abraham and Isaac, not the complete saving of those in that lineage. 9:9 For this is what the promise > So the promise itself was an act of Gods will, to save some for his own glory, that he might redeem them for his own pleasure. This was done thru the providence of God, in that it was not contingent on the deeds of men. It was the decision of God to make this happen, as to the lineage out from which Christ would come. Without the input or prior selection of it occurring, by way of any control man might have. God made it all happen without mans help. declared: > So God made this into a formal declaration before Abraham, so that he would know, that it was God who was able to perform, that which he chose to do. That God is sovereign over the flesh of men and women, and that his mercy was greater then the sins of man, to save them from their sins. "About a year from now > So God told Abraham, that when it was time, they would be able to see for themselves the physical manifestation of Gods power. In that, God would demonstrate his authority over the flesh and was able to command the flesh to do his will. God first told him years ago, that this would one day happen and know he was telling him, that the time was now right for him to fulfill that promise. I will return > God also stated clearly to him that he would revisit him after that time period was over, so Abraham new that God was now interacting with him. That God was paying special attention to his circumstances and to his former promise. Abraham was learning the exercise of patience and trusting in God, which he would need in the future to sustain him, in Gods demands on him. and Sarah will have a son." > Because God was now going to have Sarah conceive a son, that was a promised child for the single purpose, of doing Gods will thru mankind. God was going to demonstrate his control over mans flesh to bring about his desire, to save man thru a specific chain of events, that would occur thru a certain breed of Abraham’s children, and this was to make Gods glory evident to all creation. 9:10 Not only that, but when Rebekah had conceived > So Rebekah, the wife of Abraham’s son Isaac, became pregnant and God began the process of election and provision. So mankind might one day be delivered from their sins. This God would do for every generation, thru to the birth of Christ, without man having any say-so, in who was chosen for Christ to come out of. children by one man, > God who is ultimately responsible for the preexistence of man, in that, he new us even before creation itself. Ordered two children to be born from an act of conception, so that she would have non-identical twins. But God would choose the procession, out from which child of the two, would flow the lineage of Christ. our ancestor Isaac- > This he did thru the natural course of procreation with Isaac the son of Abraham as the natural father of them. This was not a divine seed, but a selection of natural birthing, that God make the right of natural accession. So that each succeeding generation would carry with them, the spiritual birthmark of Gods intervention, to be identified and recorded for historical record. 9:11 even before they were born > The process by which God would make his salvation possible, would be made prior to life itself having come about in the lineage of the Jewish nation. Although there are things in which God does want to reason with us in our lives and have an intercourse of action and reaction with us, in order to train us in the ways of his righteousness, this was not one of them. The process of selecting those of the lineage of Christ, came from God to man, as he saw fit to predestined it to occur. or had done anything good > God was not making in his choosing of this lineage, a declaration of one people having an innate since of righteousness, by which his choice was made. There was no intrinsic or inborn royalty to their bloodline, that would make Christ possible thru a royal line of succession. But just the opposite was true, in that, it was that which came out of this succession of sinful people, who would have an innate bloodline of royalty, and that inborn righteousness, would then purify the entire race from which it came. The end process then, being the greater and the beginning having no glory or significance of its own. Just the avenue of Gods mercy, which would then flow up river against the current, to reach mankind and make their sinful bloodline a royal bloodline. It came from Christ’s righteousness of his blood, which would be against the natural order of sinful nature, which is what God was purposing to do. Instead of sin becoming pure over time to produce Christ, Christ happened suddenly and without warning or sin providing a way for Christ. But that Christ appeared at an opportune time to defeat sin, according to Gods control of his lineage and appearance. or bad > Also, that which came from his decision, was not the result of sin having corrupted the lineage of one people over another. So that they who were chosen, had no right to look down their noses at another race, as though they were a lesser people and thus boast of their goodness. The choosing process was not, that of one people having a sin nature greater then others, resulting in them being unfit for Christ to come out of. Their sinfulness before God was the same and irrespective or had no basis in the final outcome. (so that God’s purpose > But rather, the entire process was so that God could demonstrate his power of sovereign control, over the outcome of mankind’s destiny. To show that the deeds of the flesh could not prevent or enhance that which he would do. His purpose was to show his glory to a creation that could not even perceive his holiness. In order to do that, he would interfere with mans own choices and enforce his will upon them. And that was an act of mercy, in the same way a parent forces their will upon their children, in order to protect them from accidental injury, from the dangers of life, that they do not even perceive. in election > And in this process, only God would have voting power as to whom these benefits and responsibilities would come to. They would be arbitrary based on the discretion of his will, not their willingness to go along with it. But elective, as an ordination of duty, just as if a parent tells one of the older children in their family, "you’re baby sitting tonight", then they have been drafted into elective service. To which they will be held accountable to perform that task as ordered. God has even greater authority in his selection process, although in the case of salvation, those being chosen are being chosen to be the babies to be watched over. For the coming Messiah to have his authority over, just as the spiritual gifts he then gives, is also an election process. would stand, > God in doing this, wanted to make it totally clear, what the foundation was for every saved person in all of creation. He wanted the precedent to be an obvious conclusion, not an obscure fact. This is not a minor doctrine, that is culturally dependent on some accepted or rejected behavior. But a crucial statement of faith, it is the framework thru which God is able to construct a viable working body of Christ. It is the pillar of our salvation, which everyone who knows Christ, should be able to clearly see, no matter their circumstance or condition. not by works > So that the evidence of our salvation, was not dependent upon what we thought, said or did in any form whatsoever. God did not evaluate our worthiness or our innate worth in his process of electing us into salvation or the lineage from which Christ would come. Those things which we might do or have done, were not part of the equation, so to speak, they were outside the box or the parameters of his consideration. but by his calling)- > Instead, God had his own definitions, by which he chose those who would be his people and receive his mercy. Now, what that definition is, we are not told, it is a providential act of God. To which he only told us, it was necessary and not of our concern and probably not of our capability to understand it. But as I will elaborate more on this, it was in some fashion dependant on Gods emotions towards those whom he elected. That much we are told clearly, God had and displayed definite feelings of emotion over the elect and he did not conceal them or try to keep them from our knowing about them. 9:12 it was said to her, "The older > God told her of his intention of making the oldest of her two children, Esau, as someone who was out of step with his plan. That he would have no future concerning a heritage in the lineage of Christ, he would be considered an outsider so far as God was concerned. will serve the younger," > In fact he declared to her, that Esau would have to become subservient to Jacob, so that Jacob could rise up in status and become the leader of his family. Even though it was not his by right, and as is always the case, God can validate or invalidate any law or doctrine that man trust in. Just as he made invalid the laws of Moses, by instituting the effects of his grace when he tore in two, the veil in the temple separating man from God. Mans doctrines are all temporal, when they are concerning the institutions of mans functions in relation to Gods sovereignty. Even those he institutes against us are at his discretion, so far as the ways of man are on earth are concerned. They are nothing more then another form of vessel, of use to God and not a necessary part of his righteous attributes or existence. What serves Gods purpose in one generation, may not serve his purpose in another. If one generation is their for the purpose of scholarly work, the institutions that God surrounds them with and to which they would show great allegiance. Would serve no purpose to another generation, who were to be martyred soon after professing Christ. But one does not invalidate the other from our perspective, they are their only to serve Gods purpose. 9:13 just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, > God reveals to us something in these scriptures, that we would otherwise, could not have known about. That he had very deeply rooted emotions towards those he loved and that because of this love, he intended to interfere with their lives, thereby sustaining them and keep them near to his presence, for his current and future glory. That he would do work thru them, that was impossible with out his interference in their lives, and that the source of this intervening, was his love for them. Now we know that everyone who is born, that God already knew them before they were born and as a result of that, God accepted some and rejected others. What that basis is we are not told, but we are told what it was not, it was not based on their works or deeds, that they might do while on earth. But was more likely based on their personality and who God thought that they were at the heart of them. This is a cause of acceptance and rejection among people on earth and because we were created in his image, it may be the same judgment, that God used in his election process. But that is a mere observation and not a known fact, in that we are not told how God chooses some over others, only that there is emotion involved in his selection process. but Esau I hated." > The same case follows for those whom God hated, in that, we are told that God hated Esau. So we know that God rejected him because he hated him, we are not told what that hatred was based upon, only that it was part of his decision process that led to Esau, not being part of Gods election process, to provide the lineage that Christ would come out of. But just as love can be both and action and an emotion, such is also true about hatred. When God sustained the lineage of Christ it was not always a heart felt emotion, it was often a labor of love, an act of longsuffering to gain in the end, the emotional love, that would exist in eternity. So the same is true with his hatred of those he rejects. It is sometimes an anger within him that burns against them and other times, the mere rejection itself, where he turns a deaf ear to their whines, that he lets them wallow in their own sins. The fact that we do not know all the details of Gods deliberate process, to save some and not others, as to what are the facts that cause him to save as select few. Does not deter him from doing so, he is God, and that makes it right, as he is under no obligation to explain himself to his creation. Even if we do not know why, God has and will ultimately prove himself reliable in his word, to those whom he calls into salvation and leads them to eternal life with him. He will also prove his word reliable to those whom he hates and rejects them from his call to salvation. They will be led away to eternal destruction, but not before they also must confess that Jesus truly is Lord. Now some will imply that the love-hate here is a metaphor used only to describe the opposing opinions of God in this election. To show the very distinct and opposite views God has concerning good and evil. Words of demonstration or a portrayal of his commitment to Jacob over Esau, and God was making this metaphor to show his love for goodness and his hatred of evil. That these were mere human symbols to show this, or a parable to explain good against evil and their opposing effect on God. That there was not true hatred or love towards either, I am less attached to that idea because of the overall text and prefer to accept that God has his own criteria in election. That we as humans would not understand, either due to our finite abilities or our sin nature, or that God simply need not explain himself to us in every detail, it is enough after all, that he saved us at all and to that, we should be grateful. 9:14 What shall we say then? > Having spoke in this way, what should we draw from this lesson of the scripture? How does this apply to us, in a personal application, that would allow us to further glorify our God with our life? Adapting our personality to be more like his, and less like those he rejects. What
should our attitude be concerning all that God is doing with his creation and the way he
treats us, even if we do not understand it? What must our response to God be? > Can we look at this and reach a conclusion that God is doing what he chooses regardless of what we think or feel about it. Is that a right of God, as God, to be God? Does not the position of God, not only entitle him, but cause him to bear the responsibility, of insuring that he act as a sovereign in all things, including justice according to the standards of God and not the lesser standards of man. So that the highest form of justice is upheld and not some negotiated justice, as is according to mans ways. injustice with God? > Does that absolute state of God, in someway make God inequitable, in his decisions concerning us. Does God have to pass his decisions thru us for our approval first, so that we can sign off on them, and if not, is that a betrayal of his word. Does God need our consent to do justice, concerning his promise in his word. Because that is what this is all about in this lesson, is God just in his dealings with man, in accordance to his promise and not mans perceptions of his promise. Absolutely not! > Let me state as emphatically as possible, that God is in no way breaking his own promise to Israel in whom he chooses or rejects. Gods right to elect some to serve him, is not just a sole privilege of God, but as God he would lacking his duty to not take the reign of leadership in this and forge the pathway, once he chose to redeem us and make an oath to Abraham as he did. That oath was to see things to completion and from that point on, God took upon him the provision of our salvation, being worked out thru the lineage of man, and this he did according to Abraham’s faith in God to make it so, not according to mans physical heritage. 9:15 For he says to Moses: > God often spoke to Moses and revealed to him his ways of dealing with mankind and how he determined his actions towards them. God did not see himself as one owing an explanation to man, as to why he would look to some with favor and others with rejection. He seen himself as the Creator and man as a created thing, this is where mans sin dilutes his own thinking, into believing that we are someone or something that must be given an explanation to. That we can hold God on account for his dealings with man, not believing in Gods Majesty, as a result of our own terminal condition due to sin, until it is to late and we die condemned before a Holy God. "I will have mercy > This is what God states concerning his sovereign position over mankind. So that Moses can relay to his people what their status and position is before God. So they will not have diluted their thoughts concerning Gods Majesty and what that means, to a created creature, to which God has total discretion over, or the Holy respect that they should give in reverence to God, which is due to this position. So God states that he is a God of mercy and that mercy will be bestow on mankind. He wants us to know, that he is not intending to leave us in a condition, where we are without hope, or in a state where we can not appeal for mercy to be granted us. God does have and always will have mercy in mind for us. on whom I have mercy, > What he is making emphatically clear thru this instruction to Moses, is that we as the created, cannot command the Creator, as to whom that mercy will be shown. God is the soul authority behind his mercy and it is his to dispense according to his purpose and plan, not according to our intentions or motives. Which are tainted by sin, there is no inherent right that man possesses, that entitles him to Gods mercy or once that mercy is granted, at what level it will be measured out to those whom receive it. It is gifted to us, not a debt of payment due to us, for having been created by him. Any responsibility God takes towards us, is that which he takes from a position of his grace, for his glory. Our benefit from it, is the compassion that he shows us, in and of itself. and I will have compassion > That is why God is so emotionally involved with our cause, it is a willing act on his part to save us. He is under no obligation whatsoever to do so, his anger and frustration with us and our attitudes can be a very real danger for anyone who stirs God up into wrath. But at the same time, Gods love can also be kindled in our favor and out of that which comes out of his compassion, can seem so overwhelming to us, that we are unable to even speak properly of our gratitude for it. Our human bodies simply cannot contain the fullness of Gods compassion. It is a release from the bondage of this physical condition, that is but a glimmer of Gods glory, which he is withholding for us in our final day of deliverance. on whom I have compassion." > But here once again, it is not by right that he bestows it or that we receive it. It is according to his plan, to glorify himself thru us and it is that which motivates his action behind it. In which we are always free to appeal for his compassion, but never in a position to demand it. God is this sole possessor of his compassion and it is he who defines his measure of it to us. God who is eternal, does not appeal to we who are but substance of the earth, as to how his compassion should be displayed. 9:16 So then, it does not depend > What God does do concerning his interaction with man is not a reaction to man. Christ did not come out of us, but down to us, apart from our own internal ambitions. It was not a sign or signal from us, that brought Christ down to us, but a sign in the heavens that told us he was here. It was not man who sought to raise Christ from the grave, but Christ who took up his own life out of death, where we had buried him. So man sought to stop our own salvation thru Christ, but it was God who enforced it upon us, so that we could receive it once he open our hearts, to what he had done for our benefit. on human desire > God is not searching out human emotions, looking to find worthy counterparts to whom he might attach himself and grow his glory thru. He does not seek out those who bore their hearts out so intently before him, with their longing to know him that he was irresistibly drawn to them, so that he might be complete thru them. The passions of man are of no useable worth to Gods vast array of glory, in fact man is a negative, in which God thru his glory, overcomes to make it a positive, for and thru his glory. or exertion, > It was not on the moral or physical labors of mankind, that God sought to establish himself on their foundation. Because their efforts were amassed in such an array, as to be so formidable a virtue. To which he might call out the worthiness of those labors, as deserving mercy and compassion. He declared nothing that man had or will do, as having accomplished anything, to which he could be glorified in. Nor was it based on what might be called, a minimal effort, to meet some minimum standard, to be granted eternal life. The fact is, that no measurement was taken, by which God would allow it as admissible evidence. Even for a slight consideration, in the tipping of the scales, so to speak, to determine our salvation. but on the mercy of God. > Rather everything that God did on our behalf, had its basis in his willingness to be merciful to us. It was the sole motivating factor, that causes God to intervene for the benefit of our salvation. Without that mitigating act of God, there would be no salvation for mankind. It is God acting independently from mankind, that was the key to mans salvation. If it were dependent on anything man thought, felt or did, mankind would be eternally lost from God. Because there is nothing inherently viable in mankind, either in worth or worthy of salvation. We are totally corrupt in every facet of our existence and God rejects either the slightest or the greatest part, of good works we might try to live in, as an acceptable virtue or offering for salvation. 9:17 For the scripture says to Pharaoh: > God spoke concerning the ruler of Egypt, he made on open statement concerning his actions he was taking against this ruler. So that there who be no misconception and that man would clearly see Gods sovereign control, over the course of men and that the events that would follow, were not of mans making. But of Gods choosing, that man was so powerless to resist their own sins or that they were able to resist the will of God. Man is not and never will be his "own Man", that is nothing more then a delusion of sin itself and any perceived power they have, is only at the behest of God. "For this very purpose > God new before hand, what he would do and what he wanted to accomplish, thru this ruler and to that end, he intended to create a blind alley, to force this leader into. So that he could not escape the presence of God or his will in resisting it. God would delay his judgment on him, so that he could drive him into this exit-less exile of sin, where the intent of God, would be demonstrated in a very public arena. Gods final judgment of him, would show the futility of mans sin and power structure, compared to Gods own Majesty. I have raised you up, > God would empower this ruler with the leeway, in which to fortify his power and position, so that it was impenetrable by all accounts known to man. He would give this ruler an iron fist of might, with so strong a hold on the Jews, that it would be impossible for them to be torn loose from his grasp. Whatever this ruler willed, that was within the power of man to do, would be done. This rulers glory among man, would be the pinnacle of attainable heights and a power grasp of unimaginable control, and the Jews would live without mercy under this ruler. that I may demonstrate > Then God, after having set the stage for this dramatic display of mans best effort, of supremacy among the earth’s inhabitance. Gods plan to sift mans rule over man, to show it as that of weakness and shallow posturing, when it comes in contact with his true glory. God wanted all of mankind to have a visual and recorded event, to which they could see a representation of Gods sovereign control, over the existence of man and his course in life and death. This epilog in history, was designed by God to teach man of his glory. my power in you, > That thru this, man would see the incomparable power of God, over the comparable and limited events of mans attempt, to be a god over his own destiny. That this is true in the inherent fallacies, that accompany any and all attempts of man to be his own destiny. God would show mans weakness, by allowing this ruler to prosper in all that he did. He would allow him access to greatness, as evidence of this rulers success in mans form of majesty. To the degree that man could be a god to himself, God gave this ruler power to fulfill this destiny. So that God could then display mans ultimate power play, as the weakness that it truly is, compared to his own power and glory. and that my name > Then thru this display, the name of God would become known, that it would be declared as the name of the only true God and that all other gods that man would conjure, up were mere false idols of worship. That thru this, God would dispel the false concepts of mans beliefs as the mirages of fantasy. That they were the attempts to take power from the people and rule them thru the fear of superstitions and the sword. But Gods name would stand as that of the one and only true God, whose power was above those of men. may be proclaimed > God wanted all the nations of the earth, to see and witness his display of power. He wanted the message to be told to every people that salvation was thru the God of the Jews, and that his Majesty was the only true power to known. He wanted the story to be repeated to every generation that followed, so that they could see the glory of God. in all the earth." > And because of this, all the people feared the God of the Jews. They understood to be against the Jews, was to be against their God and that they would not prevail against the power of his glory. That it was God, who gave rule to man or took it away. 9:18 So then, God has mercy > Our God has rivers of mercy, to which he wants to make known throughout all of mankind. These river run deep and wide, and are able to flood their banks to a degree that man cannot hold them back or even contain the wealth of them in their lives. But that is not to say, that we are entitled to them, but rather that God is making them available to us. on whom he chooses > So God has from his own will, chosen some to whom he willed to make known his mercy to. God determines the blessing that he gives, they are the sole possession of God and only he declares to whom they shall be given. It is in this process, that we learn, that it is not man that has prompted God to be merciful. But God who separated us out from the crowd, to be able to show his glory thru his mercy. to have mercy, > When God settles his mind that he will display his mercy to one person in particular, it is for a purpose that he has planned out ahead of time. It is not random, but focused attention from God on a particular need of man, to see Gods love and power. It is a demonstration, to his creation of Gods glory, which we are not able to perceive on our own. So God selects someone for this purpose, we are taught that God is faithful to those who demonstrate faithfulness to God and that blessing will come from that relationship. But that is not what at issue here, this is a selection process that is not as a result of a promise. But an instigated effort from God, to change the course of man, apart from any willful desire they might have. and he hardens > At the same time, God is clearly able to reject and let the rebellious nature of mans sins, drive man into a full state of war with God. So that he resists Gods authority and Majesty of the earth and all those who adhere to it. God is just as able to darken the heart of mans understanding of his Majesty, as he is able to enlighten those who he wishes to understand him. He is able make their utter disregard for his mercy, a curse unto itself. So that they are so far removed from the presence of Gods mercy, that their darkened minds, cannot even conceive its meaning and therefore, it is but foolishness to them, in any concept of thinking. To man, in their thinking of these situations, it calls for the action of man to resolve things, not the patience of faith in an invisible God. Which is a curse, that they should behave in such a manner. whom he chooses > It is God here also that decides who it is, that is declared unfit and destined to live in ignorance. They will plow their fields without the fruit of spiritual harvest and whatever they do reap in physical rewards. Will only in turn continue to spoil their existence and leave them in worse a state, then they were before. Whatever they accomplish, God will lay a curse upon it, until it finally consumes them, merely because he does not allow their labors to result in the spiritual rewards with him. to harden. > Their destiny is then unalterable, because they were rejected, they are doomed to failure. Their feelings of self pity will not be accepted by God, as repentance and will only further the contempt that God has for their status before him. God will display them as the corrupt people that they are and the sins by which they live, will finally overtake them. Setting them up for the dismal failure, of man to exist without the glory of God as it center. 9:19 You will say to me then, > It does no good for you to try to find excuses then, to exempt yourself from your current condition with God. You won’t benefit at all, if your goal is to excuse your behavior, by saying that, due to God being supreme and setting up man to fail, he is causing the troubles of man. Your logic is not logic at all, you forget that he created you for a purpose and his good pleasure, not to serve your pleasures. You once again, begin with man at the center of you logic and therefore arrive at the wrong conclusions every time. "Why does he > It seems inherent in mans sin, to constantly challenge the place of God in their lives. They simply do not want God to be God, but rather, they try to use him as a convenience and only want to call on him to do their bidding, when it is convenient. When God rejects that as his position with man and enforces his position as God over man, we then act confused, as to why God is being God. We have trouble accepting Gods authority, to be God over us and his power to judge our actions when we act that way. Especially when he is giving us object lesson, concerning our futile and sinful state. It frustrates us to be so wrong, we don’t like it and right away we look for someone else to blame, instead of just proclaiming God to be right. still find fault? > By throwing out more questions, instead of believing in the answer that I have given you, which is the truth of God as sovereign God. You only delay your maturity in Christ, who God is conforming you to be like. The guilt of man is obvious to anyone who can think, the fact that God intervenes in the chaotic events of man, to show their futility or to show his glory. Should give us confidence in the fact that God does not let his creation spiral out of his control, not that it could, and this includes you at the personal level. Life may spiral out of mans control, which is what God causes to happen, but only to reinforce in the mind of man, that he is in control, not matter the course of man. For who > It is also obvious throughout history, that many confronted God and tried to oppose him in his mercy to them. Now Gods his rejection of them, whether thru their ignorance of what he was trying to prevent in their life that was evil, or thru their rebellion, that was caused from their denial of Gods sovereign control over them. There are many instances recorded about believers and unbelievers, such as Jacob and Abimiliek, where they resisted and met the will of God, and lost to his will. has ever resisted > They that tried, failed in every instance, there is no counterbalance to God. Those that take issue with him against his complete authority never prevail. Because there is no opposing force that defies God, all things and powers summed together, are a lesser weight then God and no distribution of power, spread out in multiple fronts, overwhelms his ability to stand alone against them. Nothing offsets Gods will, so as to bring him into a more balanced point of view, to mans way of thinking. Nothing sustains God in his position, it is God alone who sustains creation, not the other way around. his will?" > It is the very will of God that settles every issue of man, whether it comes in the form of increased value of life or the devaluing of life’s currency. There is no equal to Gods resolve to have his purpose done completely. After all, if it were not for Gods will in the first place, then man would never have been created. That is not meant though, that God does not value your relationship with him or that he doesn’t want you to learn righteousness of your own accord. Yes, he is God, but he is also your Father, who is interested in your reasoning with him. As Solomon has taught us, Gods will is right for you, even if you can’t in your human mind analyze the logic of it. 9:20 But who indeed are you- > Where did you acquire this self awareness of your greatness, did you speak and it was so? Where did you get the power to speak, did you think of speech and it was so? Where did you get the power to think, did you members with no power of thought, make you a brain? You see, there it is! It was not you, but God, who chose to do it, that makes it all possible. > What God said is true, we are only dust of the earth, that God made to come alive. That which makes us alive, is that which is of the only true higher power of God. We are but mechanical bodies, made alive due to his Spirit, that he breathed into us. Thru the substance of our bodies, God made us functional. But that only makes us alive, it’s the power of Gods Spirit that is our life. So where is our superior status or even equal for that matter? What makes us divine beings from what we are formed? How do we dare to assign ourselves such status, beyond the substance that we are, which
is simple dust, speaking back to God! > What makes us think, that we can just arrange God around our lifestyle, when it is God who made us self aware in the first place? We cannot argue our position with the one who made us, how can such disrespect be thought of as some attainable virtue? By this act, man, who puts the created on the same plain as God makes himself like the
devil, whom God will also cast out from him. Man cannot call for disarmament from God and
think God will sit down for negotiations, to settle a mutually acceptable solution for
peace and divided powers of control. God does not require the presence of man, it is man
who is not viable without God and God does not negotiate his Majesty with mortals. He who
is without limits, does take consul with that, which is limited in all that it knows. What
can you offer God in counsel, that he does not know? > The scripture is not quiet on this matter, so such a thought should not even occur to those who think themselves to question God. That which is made, is the lesser object and receives what it has from the superior one who makes it. The parent rules their child because they are the maker and they have the position of authority. They set boundaries, not just because they are more powerful, but because they are right. It is the fact, that they are right, that makes then the exercise of their power as the only course of action. The parent need not explain every decision they make to a child, that cannot or will not understand it. But will properly require obedience, you hear and understand this, then turn and act like this same obstinate child too God, who says, obey me now, one day you will understand. say to the molder, > He who has power of creation, also has the power of destination, for that which he creates. It is God who defined the shape of every man and woman. The earth is formed and shaped in many fashions, all for different functions, which are all part of his master design. The mountains were created to different heights, for variations of Gods glory. So were the valleys and the rivers, they are what they are for Gods glory. Not for their personal gain or so they can stand apart independent of the rest of creation. They exist for the creators pleasure, not for individual pursuits, they do not question the creator, but function as required of him. "Why > So where do we as Gods artistry, tell God that he made us in the wrong image, or for the wrong use. What makes us think that we are something that has the right of self-determination, when we were created for Gods purpose. The only power that exists is that which God defines, not that which we suppose we are. Yet we question the maker as though, we knew thru foreknowledge, our proper place in the portrait of his glory. As though a certain color of paint placed on the canvas, can place itself in another view, when it cannot even see the picture upon which it is placed. Its view of the picture is flat and in only one dimension, while Gods is visual in all dimensions. The brightest color my draw the most attention, but will not have the lasting depth of the supporting colors around it. This the master knows, while the colors know only themselves in limited part at that, they do not see that it is the darker colors, that make them stand out from the background. But God knows to show his glory, the dark will reflect his glory, to those whom he created. have you made me like this?" > So we are also like this palette of colors in the hand of God, and the way he uses us is for his visual pleasure. That is why we have no place of authority, as to question the use that he made us for. Christ new he was created in the form of man to die, and though he prayed for God to find another way to save us. He knew that it was in the Fathers hand, as to what should come to be. So to that end, he was not disobedient, but obeyed the will of God, even to his own death. So we also have no right to question the right of God, over his creation. Our one and only right choice is in the will of God, just as Christ was our example. 9:21 Has the potter He has not been placed there by someone to perform a task, but is the one who forms the
whole process himself. No one has ever even suggested a thought to him, because he is the
cause of all that is and determines what is formed shall take the shape of and what its
use is for. There is no one over him, so without him nothing would be created, so from
this position, what he forms, is for him to decide. > No one then can say, that he does not have the proper authority to shape what he wills of his making, into whatever form he desires. It is the rightful practice, even of what we do among ourselves, in our own creative process. We do not get permission from someone to turn what we properly possess, into to a product of special use. It is the inherent right of every potter, who is also the owner, to display his wares in the manner which suits him best, after all, he made them out of a formless pile of mud. to make > He takes that which is shapeless, without the cohesion and causes it to hold its shape, placing it before him in consideration of what to make of it. He knows that which he has need of and the best cause of what it should become. The mud does not of itself know the form of which it is, let alone what it should become. It is the power of the potter, who is in the rightful position to make this determination. from the same > We are all as that of the clay, of the same origin, there is nothing unique in one human from another. What makes us unique, is our use by God in our life, and in that, it is not thru self-determination that we achieve that. As we in that use, are not inherently greater that the one, of some other use. lump of clay > And what then is this pile of mud, do we claim rights for that which is nothing, and say, because it is now formed, it is above the potter who formed it. The fact that we as humans were given the ability to think, does not forfeit the power of the one who created us. He did not, nor does he submit to our discretion, that which he is, in the process of making us who we are. We did not acquire from him in our formation, the rule of the universe or the power of self creation. He did not acquiesce, so as to yield, surrender or share his authority in our creation. Nor move lower in position, due to our being made higher as a result of our creation by him. That which he was, still remains fixed and unmovable. It is we who are formed by God who is fixed, that are being changed and altered by the potters hands, and those alterations are all from the same pile of mud. one vessel > So when he shapes us into a useful instrument, for the purpose in which he intended us. That instrument is what it is and nothing more. Its outcome was predetermined for it by God, not by it in consultation with God. That in which God desires to reason with us, is part of his desire to acquire us, thru our acquiesce to him, into his son Jesus Christ, not by right, but by grace. It is part of his continuing desire, to shape us as in the beginning. for special use > Now some will be for a very special assignment, something of special order. Now just because it was shaped for this particular task, is it still not formed from the same clay, and still despite its individual use, is it not still, that which it is from. And is now that which it was formed to be, that is to say, even though it is has a very special shape, for a very limited use. It is come out of the same pile of original mud, that the potter started with, that is being used for some ordinary use, so that it is not itself, inherently greater. and another > So then also God creates other vessels, from that same pile of clay. They don’t look like the prior shape, that he just made for special use, nor are they intended too. They are there for different purpose entirely, though they may share many similarities with others and may be more general in nature for what they are formed. Each is individual by design and that again, is by the discretion of the one molding the clay. for ordinary use? > So this unit is not intended to carry vast amounts or to be fragile and beautiful in its craftsmanship. But to be the bases for the general use of the tasks to be done, which is also the most used by God, for they labor at the little known and most frequently needed task of everyday life. They may be ordinary by design, but more useful by nature, the police officer who does nothing but stand at an intersection, day after day directing the traffic and keeping it moving, may be taken for granted. More so then the swat team officer who on rare occasion saves a life. But that ordinary traffic officer has much more impact on our daily life then does that special swat officer, who does not but on occasion come into play. 9:22 But what if God, > So we have established, that God has not yielded his authority to man. He who made man from the dust of the earth, still maintains the power of creation, over everyone born to this day. And the reasons behind those creations, are at the behest of his desires. So from that fact, lets elaborate to the final destiny of mankind and explore what God, in this sovereignty, is doing. Lets not sidestep the issue of eternal destiny, but establish it. Not from mans perspective, but from Gods sovereignty over his creation. willing to demonstrate > If in this, God wanting to make it clear to those he created. So that he decided to fashion a lesson and chose to make an example of, and for all those who witnessed life itself. That his providence over mankind was absolute, without the inclusion of mans intellect, and he ignored mans intellect as a guide to which he would consult to establish mans outcome. And his was the only consideration necessary to reach his conclusions, and that act was just in and of itself. If he then depicted thru man himself, what he would do to man by way of punishment, that is his choice. If God has a mind towards a certain way, so that it cause him to for a while to acquiesce the outcome of one group of creation over another. And in that process, it effects the timing and benefits of the one group, that is his choice and not open for debate among the group who are living according to his will. his wrath > And if in doing this he wanted to satisfy his anger, an anger that he would pour out on those who do not place their faith in him. That he would once and for all time, drive them from his presence and silence them from their blasphemies. This an act then of his providential will, which is one that requires no explanation to man. That it essence, is what we are discussing here, that being, it is Gods handling of creation, and that is up to him, how he goes about doing just that. The way he deals with all of us, is up to him, not us, it solidifies his providence in the eyes of creation and he make it so thru example. and to make known > God in doing this, was certifying that he was in charge and that creation was operating under his decree. Or in other words, God was doing what it was that he wanted to do with us, totally for his purpose alone, even though it effected all of creation in the process. God wanted it established in the minds of man, who was in charge, without question. A human way of putting his power in to perspective in relation to man is; just try to tell a tornado or hurricane, no, you would rather it not happen right now. It would not take your opinion of it into consideration, and so God is of that same self-determination with his providence over creation. He is not obligated to notify us of his decisions or what he is doing. his power, > In so doing, proving to these that his will is what will be done, despite their own arrogance and denial of Majesty over all creation. And in wanting to put an end to vile deeds and words, and so if he then decided to slay them all, that would be just for him to do also. has endured > But instead, if he chose to hold off on destroying them and chose instead, to put up with their obstinate attitudes and turn the other cheek for now. He would let them run their full course of evil and let its final destiny take its toll in them. Showing tolerance against those he would just as soon destroy. Letting man see that he was willing to strive with man for his better glory, and in so doing reveal the true nature of his glory and mans sinfulness. with much patience > But in God exercising this act of tolerance, we should not assume that it was a light thing for God to put off. That his tolerance of sin was a simple matter or something he just brushed aside and that the growth that it would lead to, in mans sin was a thing of no consequence to God. It was no small matter that stayed his execution of mans judgment, sin is a stench in the nostrils of God and the wickedness of man is a despiteful presence before him. Yet God chose to put up with mans ways until a time that was more well suited for the revealing of his glory, before his creation. the objects > God does not view these mortal beings bent on wickedness with mercy, nor does he consider their pains and frustrations as that of any meaning. To God they are but a nuisance to be eventually dealt with in a permanent manner. He does not view them as ones to whom he will have mercy, but as inanimate objects, and that of a repugnant nature. The waste that is left over and in need of being discarded, their feelings and wants are irrelevant to him, because they are vile beings who hate his position of God. of wrath > What is relevant to God concerning them, is his pent up anger that burns against them. They have shown a blatant disregard for his sovereignty over his creation and a willingness to fight against God for the dominance of his creation. This has only led to the stoking of the fire that God would like to pour out on them, but he has chosen to delay that judgement, though it is only being put off for now and will one day become known to them in its full fury. prepared for destruction? > So that day will come, and nothing will prevent it, this is a temporal delay of time in order that God may establish his glory and have mercy on those, who will confess his name and become willing partners in the promise of his glory. But to those who resist him, a day of reckoning has been scheduled against them and nothing will prevent that day from its sure arrival. Everyone that God created, who has been marked for this destruction, will see it come upon them and once it arrives. It will not be delayed again, their creation status, due to their hearts, was rejected by God as being unredeemable and reprobate beyond conversion. Even though his mercy was in full view of their understanding. Basically, where is the crime in God being God, over his creation, regardless whether or not they get it, as to what he is doing? 9:23 And what if he is willing > Knowing then as we now do, that Gods is just in his rejection and hardening those who are against him, so that they might become even greater fools. Then it is only obvious, that he is also justified in his bringing blessings to those, that he chose for salvation, based on his own process of who might be saved by his mercy. And that if he desires to propagate that, in the face of those who deny him, they have only themselves to blame. For if God loves his children, that are truly his children, no one can accuse him of injustice. When he does this while abandoning those who are not his, to their own fate. Because it is they themselves who have denied his blessings or are not wanting any part to do with God in the first place. to make known > So God wants it to be public knowledge, that it is he himself that is responsible for both the blessings and the cursing of man. But here is something of a point that man should behold with focused thought; The blessings are at a great price to God, and the cursing at great cost to man. Now the blessings, they are done with much forethought and with deliberate conscience towards those who will receive it. For them, God will make special arrangements, while paying much attention to every detail. He wants it to be obvious to all those that are his, that he is there for them and consciously involved in their lives. the wealth of his glory > What God has stored away for them, is beyond the calculations of man to bear or have the minds to imagine. The sheer vastness of Gods glory is beyond the thinking process of man, to even realize what are the riches of God. So God pieces is out to them in bite size morsels, so they can learn to digest it properly into their thought process and become accustom to its taste. This in time causes them to crave after the things of God and reject the flavors of sin, as being bitter to the soul. Then God being in love with his own, continues in these blessings more and more, till we become fully mature in him and his ways. In that, he might then find joy in our righteous deeds, that he has delivered into us and take pleasure in our creation as he originally intended. on the objects > So these ones are objects of great concern to God, he takes us into his deliberate thinking as our every day wears on. We are not brushed aside as useless vessels to him, but as the precious prize that he has carefully won and a joy to his memory for what he has done thru us. Not from our worth has he done this, but at his own power and expense he brought us into his kingdom. As a lost people who new not of his glory, he took us in as orphans from the street and gave us his name. And then made us a family after the character of his benevolence or loving kindness to do so, and now calls us his children and heirs to his kingdom with Christ. of mercy > Now this was done without any merit on mans occasions, but came out of God as water comes to dry land. Land that had no moisture or power to create life in it, found it without effort or ability on its part, as God caused it to rain on it to cause life. It did not deserve the rain, it just needed it, and it was in that fashion that God came and visited man. Just as he did in the garden and found him in need, and from that he crafted our own salvation. Not because we deserved it, because we needed it and that is how God saved everyone, not one merit, but by way of his compassion, based on our need, not even on our want of it, but strictly on our need of it. that he has prepared > So I don’t want you to think that God was caught off guard in this in any way, God was ready in the beginning to do this for us. Unlike angels who are created eternal from the beginning, needing no substance to keep them alive in their state that they were created in. Man was created dependent from the beginning on the physical nourishment, that the earth, that God created could provide for us. So man was dependent from the beginning on God, for every provision that he needed, and this by his design. He wanted us to rely on him for what we needed and he was willing in his compassion, to do for us what was needed, as part of our creation, as evidenced by his own sacrifice on the cross to save us. beforehand for glory- > So God new all along that he would have to choose for us our own salvation, his electing to save us was a premeditated act of mercy. A position to which he arrived at before ever having creating us in the first place. Then after doing that, he would glorify us thru his son, that we might become part of his own family. Fulfilling our interdependency on him, so that his own righteousness would become part of us, thru his son. That one day we might be changed from this body, that is corrupt, into a glorified body, which is incapable of corruption or sin. 9:24 even us, whom he > God examines the hearts of all people, to see if they are willing to except the truth of not only who he is, but if they themselves will yield to his sovereignty as God. God is seeking out those that he can offer his grace and power too. So that they are able to believe in him with a saving faith, caused by his grace to them. When he finds people such as these, regardless of what their heritage is or what they have done, he offers to them salvation by grace and calls them into repentance. has called, > We are those whom God separated out from the crowd of sinners and gave us the power of insight, into the will of God and the faith by which we might believe in that which he is. So his call is his invitation only, to come join him, it is not hypnotism or manipulation. It is though a revelation to our minds and souls, that allows us to respond in a way that prior to his call to us, we would not have sought or initiated on our own, which would have left us eternally lost. What God does in essence, is provide us with a moral compass to find him. Then once we find him, he provides us with the clarity of thought to be able to see in our minds eye. Enough about him, as to make a choice concerning good and evil, and that destiny with which we wish to follow after. It requires that we are able to acknowledge both and with whom do they both pertain as their core nature. In this then we learn, that it is God who is only good, and mankind that is only evil. not only > Then having this understanding, we also are able to learn that God is not a respecter of any one sect of people, based on their heritage alone. Men like to lump people into groups and categories, then discriminate against the least powerful of them. But God does not look at the outside of man to determine his integrity, he looks at his heart, to see if they will respond to his glory, and that is the determining factor for him. from the Jews > Now this he did for us, not for the sole possession of the Jewish people. They are part of his design, but are not the sole institution behind it. That which God did thru the Jews was meant, as an avenue to all those on the earth, but they were called to his glory also, but most did not respond. but also > What God wanted the Jews to do with the knowledge that they had of him, they did not do. Because God wanted them to lead every one of the other nations to him, thru them, but they kept it all to themselves instead. from the Gentiles? > But much is left to be done and that will be done by the calling out of the Gentiles, to have their place in the family of God. They also will function with other Jewish people, to become the body of Christ, just as God would have it, they too will be called the chosen people. 9:25 As he also says in Hosea: "I will call those > Though these people may be strangers in the knowledge of my instructions, that are given unto the Jewish people, that does not make them forbidden to me. I will draw them out of darkness and into the light of my knowledge, just a I explained the truth to the Jewish people, I will also explain the truth of myself to them. who were not > Before my taking action, these non-Jews were ignorant of the nature of my holiness and were unaware of salvation, that would come out of the Jews. But that will all change, they will be informed by me, so that they know all that the Jewish people knew of me, and though they were not vessels of honor before. I will put them to use as the honorable vessels and the more glorious vessels of the Jewish people, I will set aside in my anger against them and refuse their original use, for which they were created. my people, > These people were strange in they’re ways to me and foreigners to my Holy attributes. They lived ignorantly in sin and did not know my name or recognize my voice. They had no history of faithful patriarchs before them, who I used as examples to shape their paths and to teach them my truths. They were a blank slate, of where and who they were as a people to me. ‘My people,’ > But that was then and this is now, they will begin in me, a fresh new place before me and it will be a people free of historical tradition, that I took no pleasure in. They will become crafted by me, into those who know me and have fellowship with me. They will proclaim me to all the nations of the earth, what are the truths of my salvation. and I will call her > It is I, who will make the effort to reach these people, out of my own power to do so. I will establish these people, as that of a bride for myself, I will announce our engagement to the world in public view, so that all may know my intention. Those who show her disrespect, will answer to me for their mistreatment of her, for she is mine forever, and I will call her after my name. who was unloved, > For though she was not cherished before and went uncared for prior to my claiming her as my bride, by those who called themselves my people. She was left out of the celebrations of my glory, as they were done without an invitation for her to attend. Because of this mistreatment of her by those were meant to show her mercy, but did not, I have taken pity on her desolation and sought to define her destiny in me, apart from the Jews whom I had left to do so on my behalf. Because they failed me, I will not fail her as my bride, who was set aside by them. I will now set the Jews aside who said they were my people, but were a people unto themselves, instead of a people unto me. ‘My beloved.’" > And this new bride will take me as her own and share me with the nations, as I it want to be. She will find my love for her, as that which is pleasurable and was greatly desiring her companionship, from the beginning. All of my expressions for her will tell her that she is lovely in my sight now, and that her God has passions for her, as a husband does his wife. That the intimate fellowship between a husband and his wife are not outside the mind of God. But they exist, because they are at the core of what he created in us, and this intimate fellowship, though spiritual and not physical, is what he desires with us. 9:26 "And in the very place where it was said to them, > This was a place where they were shunned by God and the Jewish people. They were given the label of Gentiles and sinners, a lower part of the people on earth. They were spoken of with disdain and reviled for the wickedness, that they practiced without remorse, repentance or sacrifice to God. These were the heathens in the Jewish minds and judged as a worthless people, an unclean or evil people compared to themselves. ‘You are not my people,’ > And it was rightly so in these times, that these were a rejected people by God. God had not chosen them, nor did he count them among his blessings that he gave to man. They were outcast before God and disobedient to his commandments. They had no inheritance into eternal life thru him. there > Then suddenly, all that changed, God turned to these poor and wretched people; he took mercy of their condition. Where their ignorance was abhorrent to God and the Jewish people. God moved away from an established state religion, that was thru the Jews, who were distinct and of a particular descendant. And toward a diverse people of many faces and nationalities, all of whom who have no insight or historical claim to God. they will be called > And from that point on, God will give them a name, that before was not theirs. This new name will be after his own name, he will separate out from them, one by one, a people who will be known for something, that was previously foreign to them. Something that they were considered ignorant of, they will now become known as the ones, who have the most expertise on their relationship to God. It will be shown thru them by God, that he makes a people his own, not them. ‘sons of the living God.’" > And from that, it will be said that those who come to Christ, no matter where their origin is, as to where there heritage was with God prior to coming to Christ. They are now "blood of his blood", true offspring of God, that have the rights of passage into eternal life with God. 9:27 And Isaiah cries out on behalf of Israel, > Isaiah was trying to intercede with them on behalf of God, warning them of their pending doom. He was pleading with them for their own lives and he was quick to point out, that time was running out for them. "Though the number > There is a great many of these Israelites who are coming under this pending judgment, but that large number will not be a deterrent to what God will do. The vastness of the suffering, that will come upon them is a result of their own sins. There is no strength in numbers here, it is God who made them so great a number, by way of his blessings, but the blessings are about to turn to a curse. of the children > That which they received as a result being his children, is now being cut off. Their inheritance is being denied them and they are going to be cut off from roots, that gave them part in Gods kingdom. They will be as bastards among the people, with no father over them to claim them as his, or defend them from the evils of man or the devil. of Israel > All of these are physical descendants of Israel, but not after the faith of Abraham. They are merely taking for granted, that which they have received from their forefathers, who followed after the faith Abraham. are as the sand of the sea, > The number of them are so vast that you cannot count them, they spread out across the land as far as the eye can see. We do not have a number that goes that high in this day and age(the time of Isaiah) to actually describe this many people, so it is better to just compare them to a infinite number to make the point. only the remnant will be saved, > Out of this vast amount of people though, those that will be left to carry on will easily be able to be counted. A small tribe as it were to carry the faith of Abraham, because it is better to start over, then to bring all those polluted souls along with them. Because through their evil influences, they would corrupt the new tribe also and keep them from being truly committed to God. 9:28 for the Lord will execute > God will proceed with what he set his mind to do, no delaying tactics will prevent it from happening, nor will the resistance of man slow it down, in its forward advancement. Gods ability to do what he has chosen to do, is not swayed by the deeds of men or evil attempts to thwart his judgment. Gods will supercedes all resistance to his will. his sentence > That which God has handed down to come upon man, will be carried out to the very letter, of what he has pronounced to be their due reward for their sins. It is a just judgment and a sweeping enforcement by God, that is a result of mans judgment for disobedience in sin. on the earth > The place of this condemnation is in the living lives of those on this earth, this is not a delayed judgment, that will occur in the afterlife. But a current result of present sin, a sin that changes the destiny of the people where they live and the conditions by which they live. It will be played out in the lives of that which they are doing now, not just to there offspring. completely and quickly." > There will be no partially executed judgment here, by which some may find a way out thru some back door exit. That which will come upon the guilty will be processed in every detail and nothing will be overlooked when it begins. When it does begin, it will be a swift judgment that will roll over the land like a bursting damn on a village below. Wiping it clean of the life that once flourished it its great protection, it is now destroyed by that which gave it life in its presence. That will be the final and end result of their sins in the lives of this current generation that is alive right now. 9:29 Just as Isaiah predicted, > Isaiah words were those of a prophet who knew the outcome before it happened. He wasn’t just laying out some optional possibilities of what might happen, because of their sins. Leaving the door open for them to escape this situation with false piety and religion. But what was an absolute end of their current condition, one that could have ended in extinction for their race. "If the Lord of armies had not left us descendants, > If he would have made the choice to make the Jewish people an extinct race, then that would have been it for the Jews as a nationality. But he didn’t and that is important for us to take note of, or else we might reach a false conclusion in our treatment of the Jewish people, as to what God is doing and will do through them. we would have become like Sodom, > But God chose not to make them into a tale of a people who were vanquished from earth, as the only bit of knowledge, that is told to us of their prior existence. As a city like Sodom, who was completely killed off by God for their sinful behavior. and we would have resembled > We would have been discussed, as a picture of all that was wrong with mankind, without any legacy of having come out of our sins. But due to the true faith of a few who would not give way to the evils of man, due to their fear of the living God. That they new to trust in, which was greater then their fear of men of their nation, who wanted them to dwell within their depraved lives as they did. Gomorrah." > But God wanted better then the story of a has been people, who were wiped of the face of the earth. That are coupled to a story of total defeat without any chance of rescue from their sins or hope for their future generations. God had no use for a wicked people such as Gomorrah, to which he had no covenant of rescue. But the Jews had a covenant of promise, that they would be saved. But not all of them would carry on the name that God give them as, "the chosen people".
Israel’s Rejection Culpable 9:30 What shall we say then?- that the Gentiles > That which brought the Gentiles to this place of responding to Gods mercy, as their only hope of salvation. Was their position of having an outside view, of what was formerly only of the Jews, as an internal sacred rite. That which before they could see as from a distance, but not be apart of, not because they were rejected by God, but because they were rejected by the Jews. But now they have an invitation and a calling directly from God, thru the Jewish teachers that are that true remnant of God. who did not > Gentiles had formerly no interest in the things of God and were not taught and trained from childhood, as the Jews were in the oracles of God. They instead pursued without restraint, the things of the world and the pleasures that sin could give them only in this present age that they live in. It is not that some may have not been curious of the Jewish God, but they were denied access to God by the Jews, who shunned them as dogs, instead of taking salvation to them, as their only hope of redemption. pursue righteousness > The Gentiles had no innate desire or passion within them to discover the righteous attributes of God and apply them to their lives. They did not set time aside to consider and meditate on Gods will for their lives and for the most part did not care. Gods holiness was not an issue for them to run after and make a find of it, as though searching for some hidden treasure. They saw no value in finding out the things that were solely the possession of God. Most were oblivious to even the idea, that such a Holy God was available to them. obtained it, > Yet despite this lack of interest, God reached out to them who had nothing and gave it all for them, so that he might win them for his glory. He made that which was not even on their agenda, front and center to their focus and they were receiving it, with open arms, all that God was offering them. Those who before could only observe from outside the fences, now had the only gate of access, flung open to them. As a result of that sudden revelation to them, they rushed in to fill the vacuum, that was caused by the absence of the Jews trust in Christ, for salvation. that is, > So what kind of fruit did this produce in them, were they because of this, suddenly justified because they were not Jews? Was it their willingness to take what was being consider a leftover from the Jews, that which the Jews were discarding as unfit for their taking in? As the Jews only sought the best of what they thought to be righteousness, and
according to their thinking, Christ was inadequate for holiness. So in precise terms, how
do we define what and how the Gentiles having obtained righteousness-- had obtained it.
What was the mechanism, that gave them what the Jews were trying to accomplish, only thru
the efforts of their flesh. > The kind of righteousness that the Gentiles have, is not one that is done thru the rewards of good works. Though one thru human effort may benefit from the acts of righteousness, it does not alter the root disease of the flesh which is sin. It treats only the symptoms and not the disease, and so long as the disease is present in the body, it remains unfit for the presence of Gods Spirit, to take up residence. What was needed was an external inoculation, from one whose blood was able to purify, that which is polluted. So that Gods Spirit could dwell in that presence and not the unholy blood of sin. that is by faith, > And that mechanism that I spoke of, was delivered to us thru faith in Christ’s atoning blood and its ability to cleanse us and purify us for Gods fellowship. Which makes us righteous thru the benefit of faith in him, not a reward of human effort. This benefit that God bestowed on us, was thru an act of mercy, that came out of God to us. Which he did while we were not even looking or expecting it, he did it behind our backs, so to speak, even though it all occurred right before our eyes. 9:31 but Israel even though pursuing > As any manmade devise, they fed off it, like an addiction to personal success. Even as men of greed sought after material wealth, they chased it not in a passionate, one on one relationship to God. But as ones thinking that they could attain to perfection in their own strength and in their own labors. Agreeing in their minds what truth was, but not living in the personal relationship to God and abiding in his truth. Had they sought God honestly in their hearts, they would have known that Christ was their savior, as did the Apostles and early Jewish believers. a law of righteousness > Because the law required perfection in the flesh and the law could not convert sinful flesh into Holy flesh. It could only reveal, like an x-ray, the cancerous like virus of sin itself. The law which was like a light of Gods righteous attributes, shinning into every individuals life, and creating record. Not of perfect adherence to Gods attributes, that were shown to them as a lighted path. But instead, the law in revealing the true nature of their intentions, in trying to keep the law. Condemned them by proving them wrong and became as recorded evidence of their sin, more then sufficient to condemn them. did not attain it. > So in this law, that they thought themselves to be perfect in, in the end, was what made salvation unattainable to them. Instead of proving them worthy of God, it only showed how much higher was Gods righteousness, then even the best efforts of those who tried to become Holy, as a people unto themselves. 9:32 Why not? Because they pursued > It’s not that they did not have a passion for what they said concerning the law. It was that their intentions, were based on social status, clout and keeping up with the Jones to save face in public. That is where they drew their energy from to be zealous about their religion, but it was their religion. One which they had altered, from what they had received, from God thru their forefathers. it not by faith > What they lacked, was in the process of living thru the law, which was good. As they did not do it thru the power of trusting in faith, on Gods mercy to rescue them, according to the necessity of the fact, that only God could accomplish justification for them, which was something that only he could provide. Because they could not see this necessity in their state of sin. They did not see their need for rescue, when Christ appeared to act as their savior. For one to live by faith, they must first be able to see that which they are striving for, is unattainable to them. And also requires a willingness to request help from an intercessor, for them to achieve the goal. Otherwise, as we are taught, the healthy do not need a doctor, but it is the sick who understand and trust the doctors ability to heal. But they saw themselves as the healthy, when in truth they were all fatally ill. but > While all during this time in spent energy, they labored at something to which their would be no eternal benefit. They were no more justified before God, then those who lived as heathens do, who are absent of Gods desire, to produce in them, a calling unto salvation, which only he could do. (as if it were possible) > Yet it seems to us now, almost inconceivable, that they could have even believed that such a thing was attainable in the first place. How could they be so absent minded of their own teaching and great patriarchs that led them their. But don’t be too quick to judge, you’re only one sin away from that state of mind yourself. Sin will constantly remind you, that you are self-sufficient and can do it all yourself without anyone’s help. by works. > The base desire, that they kept employing in their lives, was that they could somehow in and of their own accord, attain God thru their own acts of righteousness. None of which they drew from him in their strength to do so. To God, it is and was always a shallow effort, to which he sees no lasting virtue of eternal value to it. There again, they try to seek within the finite mind of man, the infinite mind of God. But the two do not correspond to each other, either in the process of thought, or in the Spirit of communication. Gods ways of thinking are a an enigma to us, while our thoughts and actions, are little more then unintelligible grunts and groans to him. Which we use to try and describe to God what we think is Infiniti. To which he replies, your time is to short, to conceive it meaning on your own, ever. They stumbled > So all of this tripped them up, they tied to race on ahead of other peoples and nationalities. So that they in their self knowledge might gain the prize first, but God had not cleared the way for them to race on ahead. So in their pursuit, as they rushed to come out ahead of mankind, their own efforts became an obstacle to them. That had them loosing the race, because they did not wait on the Lord to provide a clear road ahead for them to run on. While God was in the construction phase of providing salvation to man, they were trying to live in the house, that was still in the planning stages with no foundation, walls and ceiling for shelter. over the stumbling stone, > Then of course, we now know that the stumbling stone was the rock of salvation which is Jesus Christ. So when the right time came upon them, to intersect them--with their savior. He became an impediment to that which they were trying to acquire. He made their own perceived righteousness irrelevant, because they were not desiring a savior, but success and acknowledgment of praise for that which they thought themselves to be, apart from God. They in their self-sufficiency, were unable to cross beyond themselves in humility, and take hold of Gods salvation, due to the pride that self-righteousness had developed in them. That did not want to be saved from their sin, they wanted God to acknowledge them as being worthy in their own righteousness, which they were not. 9:33 just as it is written, "Look, I am laying in Zion > I have a master plan, that is necessary for your salvation, and it will be the beginning of a new relationship between God and man. It will come to fruition in the Holy place of Zion, the very place where you would expect God to reveal himself to man, just as he has in the past. There God is putting in place the structure, that will begin the building of a completely new race of people. Not ones of a certain nationality, but a spiritual race, made up of all the people of earth. a stone > This will be their savior which they do not want, it will be Christ Jesus their Messiah. Whom they will not acknowledge and accredit as the true Messiah, for they wanted a warrior, that would lead them, as the master race. that will cause > This will cause those who thought they could see but were blind, to react against the Messiah. Instead of rejoicing with the Messiah at his coming, they will resist his call to humility. Which accuses who they have become and the hierarchy of their religious society. Because he will call for them to abase themselves as he does and to serve the people, rather then be a people of status, who tax the people thru receiving false offerings to God. people to stumble > This action by God, trips up the mechanism they have built to acquire and hold their position in society. These people also will reject the position of being servants, in order to be the messengers to the world, of Gods salvation. Because they believed in what they were taught, that when the Messiah came, he would conquer all the nations and make Jerusalem the center of power in the world. They did not first see their need for salvation thru a suffering Messiah, because they thought they had become a salvation unto themselves. and a rock > But they will find Christ as an immovable object, which is in their way, and in which, it is more vast in dimension then they can circumvent. Because Christ is infinite in all directions, whether in height, depth, width; light or darkness; in measures of weight or value of sacrifice. Christ spans out endlessly in all directions, invades all spectrums of light, and the weight of his position, is more then all creation. There is no comparable value, that resembles that which he did on the cross. that will make them > What happens to them then, is intentional and is by design, destined to wear them out and confuse their efforts as being futile. It will force them to come face to face with the failure of their methods of salvation and question the leaders who misled them down this captive state of self-righteousness. God is challenging the very core values of their religious state and structure that they have elaborately built up over time and demonstrating to them, the uselessness of their labors. fall, > This being the case, all that they have built up, will collapse in the face of Christ and come to ruin, as that which was and is unattainable in the efforts of the human flesh. They will live in the rubble of their false intentions, as a punishment for having not lived after the faith of their forefathers. Then just as in the time of Nehemiah, they will live with the fear and insecurity, of having the walls of defense broken down and laying in ruin, according to the way they were living. God will leave them in this state of vulnerability, until he once again is ready to renew them as a whole people to his glory. yet the one > At the same time though, God is not blocking them who come after the faith of the forefathers and desire the strength of God to work in and thru them. These people God will keep alive thru his power to serve him, they will be a select people before him and will be the ones that God uses to take his message forward. who believes > These are the ones who trust not in themselves, but in God and what he is able to do for their salvation. When they come upon Christ and see him intervening and interfering in their life, they do not see him as an impediment to where they are going, but what it is that they were looking for. They recognize who he is as the answer and they do not question him, as being the one in their way, they see him as the way. in him > Then they will begin to experience the power of Christ in their life, a renewed mind and a spirit that leads them into right thinking. God demonstrating in their daily lives, that he will take them from the place of weakness, that trusting in the flesh produced in them. To the place of strength of power, that the Spirit yields in them. Not as a struggle of perfecting the flesh, but a new Spirit created perfect in that instant, that they came to Christ. For the purpose of them to fellowship with God in, and it is in that new spiritual body, that they will overcome death in, thru Christ. will not > The old body was harsh and demanding to your obedience of its sinful nature. It was fraught with denial and delusions, about that which it is able to do. But not so with the new creation, that was made alive in you thru Christ. It is not subject to failure over time or sickness of any kind, it does need rest or grow weary in the presence of Gods holiness. It does not struggle against sin, because just as Christ is, it is sinless thru his perfection. You only need to learn to live thru it and not live for the desires of the flesh, which will continue to desire its corruption. be put to shame." > Which in this, you will not become the victim but the victor. You will not live as the ones who are subjects to your bodies fears and trembling. You won’t worry what others think, because as it is in humility, a humble man--can not be humiliated. Only those around him, are living in fear, due to his state that humility. Because they see it, as a lessor state before man and not a higher state before God. For they are afraid to be ashamed, their pride is Lord over them and they are subjects to its fear. But they that are in Christ, have no need of the fear that drives man to sin, for they have the Spirit of love. Which is that which conquers all fear and overcomes it in victory, and then love produces faith, which then leaves fear abandoned all by itself. |
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