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Essay The Elect, the Gentile, and the Church (The NASV) I
have written several articles that touch upon this subject; nevertheless, I want
to clarify some vital truths relative to it. There is one fact that is the
foundation of all that is relevant as to man’s salvation, and that is the
“promise,” promised by God to Abraham, whom The Apostle Paul called “the
father of those that believe” (Romans 4: 16b). Again, it is said, “Abraham
believed the Lord, (believed God), and He reckoned it to him as
righteousness,” Genesis 15: 6. And again is said, “And in your seed all the
nations of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 22: 18). In
Galatians 3: 6-8, Paul gives us this explanation: “Even so Abraham believed
God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. Therefore, be sure that it is those
who are of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing
that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to
Abraham, saying, all the nations shall be blessed in you.” And in verse 29 of
this chapter he says, “And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s
offspring, heirs according to ‘promise.’” There
is only one way to God, and that is by faith in the “promise,” promised to
Abraham that is now fulfilled in Jesus Christ. In other words, there will not be
a single person in heaven, Jew or Gentile, who was saved any other way. The
Apostle explains it this way “But it is not as though the Word of God has
failed. For they are not all Israel who are the descended from Israel (Jacob);
That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the
children of promise are regarded as descendants (Romans 9: 6, 8). It
is important to remember that The Apostle Paul was not writing these historical
truths to the Jews, but to the Gentiles, showing them how God through Israel has
brought to the world the message of eternal salvation. (Romans 11: 13) It is
true that Israel had an advantage in that they were given the eternal hope
(Promise) long before the Gentiles were; however, the message of the kingdom,
purposed by God, was to be shared with the people of the world (Genesis 12:3),
but in this Israel failed, not only to share the promise (message), but to a
large extent, they failed to believe the “promise.” Though, sad as it is,
only a “remnant” will be saved. (Romans 9: 27) [See Essay: “The Old Olive
Tree”] It
should be remembered that the nation of Israel, as a nation, ceased to exist
long years ago. (2 Kings 17: 18-23) and today are known as the lost tribes of
Israel (Though the Spiritual Kingdom called Israel is eternal); Judah, however,
was preserved as a nation until the fulfillment of the Promise, fulfilled in
Jesus Christ. (2 Kings 23: 27; 1 Chronicles 17: 11-14; Galatians 3: 28,29) There
was a time when I thought that all of Israel [and the Jews] were saved by
inheritance, simply because God had chosen them to fulfill His divine purposes.
I did not realize then that they were saved by faith in the “promise” given
unto Abraham, (fulfilled in Jesus Christ from the foundation of the world).
True, it is through their prophets that we have the scriptures. Even so, the
Apostle Paul in Romans 9:27 quoting Isaiah, “And Isaiah cries out concerning
Israel, ‘Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, it
is the remnant that will be saved.” The question is, Why? The Scripture
answers: “Because they did not pursue it (the promise) by faith, but as though
it were by works; they stumbled at the stumbling stone, ” (Romans 9:32). So,
they were not saved because they were Israelites, but only when they believed in
the “promise” given to Abraham, that was fulfilled in our Lord Jesus Christ. Now
a key example of OT prophecies
fulfilled in the NT times (Jeremiah 31: 33,34]. “But this is the covenant
which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord:
I will put my law in their minds, and on their hearts will I write it; and I
will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
This idea is repeated in Ezk. 36: 26” It is also repeated again in
Hebrews 10: 16-19. “This is the covenant that I will make with them (Israel)
after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws upon their hearts, and upon
their minds will I write them. And their sins and their lawless deeds I will
remember no more. Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer an offering (animal sacrifice) for sin. Since therefore,
brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus.”
(Read Hebrews 8: 10-13), The
Scriptures well documents the fact that all of God’s promises centered in
Jesus Christ. The coming of Christ in the first advent, and the subsequent
coming of the Holy Spirit, fulfilled at Pentecost, fulfills all the prophetic
hope promised to Israel. (See: The Old olive tree)
It must be forever understood that the New Testament is the fulfillment
of the Old, not the other way around. Great errors have been made because this
procedure was not followed). For example, Jesus confirms this truth in Luke 24:
27. “And beginning with Moses, and with all the prophets, He explains to them
the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.” Please read the following excerpt by F.F. Bruce: “In
Jesus the promise is confirmed, the covenant is renewed, the Prophecies
are fulfilled, the law is vindicated, and salvation is brought near,
sacred history has reached its climax, the perfect sacrifice has been
offered and accepted, the great priest over the household of God
has taken his seat at God’s right hand, the Prophet like Moses has
been raised up, the Son of David reigns, the kingdom of God has been
inaugurated, the Son of Man has received dominion from the Ancient
of Days, the Servant of the Lord, having been smitten to death
for his people’s transgression and borne the sins of many, has accomplished
the divine purpose, has seen light after the travail of his soul and is now
exalted and extolled and made very high.” [Dr.
F. F. Bruce, from his 1968 Payton Lectures in the Fuller Theological Seminary] Now,
what about the Gentiles? Paul says, “Therefore remember, that formerly you
were Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision, ...made by hands.
Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, excluded from the
commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the to covenant of promises; having no
hope, and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2: 11.12). How could a more
helpless picture exist, even if it were painted on a canvas? Israel with all the
advantages and the Gentiles lost and hopeless, and without God in this world. In
Ephesians 2: 12-18 Paul continues, “But now
[oh, but now] in Christ Jesus,
you who were afar off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself
is our peace, who has made both groups
(Jew and Gentile), into one, and
broken down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the
enmity which is the Law of commandments, contained in ordinances, that in
Himself He might make the two into one
new man, thus establishing peace,
(between the Jew and the Gentile) and
that He might reconcile them both (Jew
and Gentile) in one body to God
through the cross, by it having put to
death the enmity (that is the law of commandments) and He came and preached
peace to you who were far away, and
peace to them who are near; for through Him we both have
our access in one Spirit to the
Father.” Both Jew and Gentile stand on level ground in Christ Jesus as the
“Israel of God” (Romans 11: 25b, 26a) Until the fullness of the Gentiles
come in, and thus all Israel will be saved…”! No more wall separating us for
all eternity! Part
II, God’s Elective Purposes: It
is true that God purposed all things from before the foundation of the world,
and this purpose centered in the person of Jesus Christ. “For whom and by whom
are all things” according to John 1: 3. Our salvation was purposed “in
Him” from eternity, and there was no other way provided. Now, let us consider
God’s eternal purposes that are being fulfilled “in time.” Paul said in
Romans 10: 1, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for
their salvation. In 1 Corinthians 10: 33, he says, “Just as I also please
all men, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of the many, that they
might be saved.” And in 1 Corinthians 9: 22b he says, “I have become all
things to all men, that I may by all means
save some.” In Romans 11: 14 is an amazing statement. Paul says, speaking
of his ministry to the Gentiles and his concern for his people says, “If
somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them.” You
will notice that Paul gives several concerns about the fact that there is still
hope for the Jews, but only if they would believe the gospel. We
know that “it was in the fullness of time” that God fulfilled his promise to
Abraham, in the person of Jesus Christ, (though promised from eternity), and
that all things were made by Him and for Him; therefore, I will reflect upon
God’s eternal choices, and the in time
fulfillment: The question as to God’s “choosing some,” and, as it is said,
“passing over others,” was a most difficult problem for me to understand
until I recognized this truth; that through the gospel, as Paul has said, “I
might save some”). (Romans 11: 14) Again, Paul wrote: (1 Corinthians 1:21) “For since in the wisdom of God the world through
its wisdom did not come to know God,
God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save
those who believe.” In
an effort to explain my understanding of this subject, I ask this question:
“Did God arbitrarily, as God, choose some and reject others, or did God made
all of His choices relative to His eternal purposes ‘in Christ Jesus,” and
that man’s belief and, or unbelief, “in the promise” factors into God’s
purposes? In Romans 8: 29a says,
“For whom he foreknew He also predestined
to become conformed to the image of His
Son....” The question is, of what is Paul speaking, particularly?
Surely God foreknew all men, but is now speaking of those whom He
“foreknew,” and who would in faith receive Him as Savior. For it is said,
“Abraham believed God and it was
accounted unto him for righteousness.” Or as Paul said, “Just as He chose us
in
Him before the foundation of the world....” (Ephesians. 1: 4a); Yet,
in time he calls us trough the gospel. You
will notice that “predestination” is an in
time fulfillment; that is, “that we might be conformed to the image of His Son.” It has to do with that which
God purposed for us to “be’as His
people here and now in this old present world. We know that even though God
predestinated us to be conformed to the image of His Son; yet our conformity is
a growing process. It was not fixed, though we were predestine to be so. Secondly,
please understand that my point of emphasis is that God’s choices were not
made arbitrarily, but purposefully. And this purpose is centered in Jesus
Christ, and man’s response to Him. We might ask, Why has God rejected so many
across the years? In
John 3: 18b, speaking of the unbeliever, said, “...he is judged already....” Why is man judged already? He
answers: “because he believed not
in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
In John 6: 64b it is said, “For Jesus knew from
the beginning who they were who did
not believe, and who it was that betrayed Him.” So, why did God make the
eternal choice of those who would be in heaven, and those who would be in hell?
I believe it all centered in Jesus Christ,
and the in time response to the
Gospel; therefore, I believe that Jesus Christ is the focus of all God’s
choices: the creation of the world, mankind, salvation, and His eternal kingdom
in heaven, etc., and thus “in the fullness of time,” He has, and is,
fulfilling all His purposes in Christ Jesus. He has now (in the fullness of
time), called out His Church to proclaim the (mystery) message of the Kingdom. The Apostle
Paul wrote so much about God’s eternal purposes, says this: “I have become
all things to all men that I might by all means I might save
some” 1 Corinthians. 9: 22b. They
are waiting! They will not be saved unless they hear the Word. For “it pleased
God by the foolishness of preaching to save those that believe.” Salvation is
always received in response to faith, even from the time of Adam and Abraham
until the present. We know that God purposed, from the foundation of the world,
that Jesus Christ would suffer and die for our sins although this purpose was
not fulfilled until the “fullness of time.”
So I repeat again, man’s salvation was complete “in Christ” from
the foundation of the world, but it is now, in
time, that we are called by God’s Spirit, through the power and
proclamation of His Word, to receive this “so great salvation.” And so it
is, “The Spirit and the bride say come, and whosoever will, let him come...”
(Rev 22: 17). Time is an eternal
“now” with God, though we see through a glass darkly. |