Romans 9: --Paul Against
Predestination
Chapter 1: Most who lived before the law
ignored the teachings of God and felt so predestinated that they
ignored Him and made idols "in their own image." Chapter 2: All are warned that they are not
"predestinated" (beyond being lost) but will be judged by the same
standards they use against others. God did not select the Jews to
place them beyond His judgment. Chapter 3: The only advantage the Jews had was
"the oracles of God." That is, the only spiritual weapon anyone has
is the inspired Word. However, the Word was reinterpreted to mean
that it permitted them to continue in paganism and force God to give
them more grace. The primary evil of all people was "what came
out of their mouth." However, all people could be cured of "false
religion" by "stopping their mouth" so that they could listen while
"the law speaks." Chapter 4: Paul shows that Abraham closed his
ears to the pagan form of "religious Babel." As a result he could
hear God speaking to him. His faithful obedience to the word of God
made him the model of faithfulness for all generations. Chapter 5: The pagan religions--including
Judaism as it then existed--produced extreme mental agitation and the
demand to "see miraculous signs." These were most often "seen" during
charismatic festivals driven by wine and music. Amos and Isaiah
proved that their religious festivals had been modified by adding
elements of Canaanite Baalism. Adam, as the "one man," set the stage for false
religions (as the source of spiritual death). However, by refusing to
listen to the religious leaders of His day, Jesus performed the one
righteous act which could free all people from self-seeking
(idolatry) and turn them to right living. In this He was the second
Adam. Chapter 6: A religion of the senses left
everyone dead and powerless. They were virtual slaves in their old
religion. Through turning to Christ by obeying "that standard of
teaching," one could become the slave to right living. This involves
being "baptized into Christ" even as the body is baptized in
water. Chapter 7: The Jews were lost in the sense of
an adulterous wife who had "died to" the law of her husband. From the
prophets we understand that Israel was called a prostitute going all
the way back to Egypt. This "adultery" continued when Israel abandoned
the Word and right living and adopted the religion of the various
"gods" including Tammuz. The "worship service" condemned by Amos has
been identified as the marzeah which was a "feast with and for the
dead." Being "in connection" with Christ freed one from these
destructive practices. "Out of the
Canaanites' belief in local gods with restricted spheres of influence
arose a tendency to minimize the extent of God's claims and to bind
Him by necessity to the people of a given area. God and His people
came increasingly to be felt to exist for each other and to be
mutually dependent. As certain of the false prophets expressed it,
'Is not Yahweh among us? None evil can come upon us!" (Micah 3:11).
Again, while Israel might reject the pagan's belief in the masseva,
or pillar, they could and did transfer the masseva-concept to the
ark. With God thus 'contained,' they fell prey to the delusion of
being able to control God's power for their own ends." (Theo. of OT,
p. 105). Chapter 8: A new and different manifestation of
the "law" is made possible by a new "spirit." This is not the old
"spirit of slavery" as spiritual adultery; it was the "spirit of
sonship" which gave one free access to the Father without having to
"drum him up" from the dead, the business trip, or 'relieving
himself' (See Elijah versus Baal). Paul introduces the subject of God's
foreknowledge and predestination. Because the Jews believed that
"Father Abraham stands beside the gates of hell and prevents any Jew
from entering" Paul seems to end his thoughts, inserts chapters 9-11
as a "synagogue sermon," and then picks up in chapter 12 with his
thoughts. In summary, the Jews believed in
"predestination." But now they find that Paul says that they can be
lost and the Gentiles can be saved. What went wrong? Perhaps God
failed. Or perhaps the Word failed. No, Paul says, you failed. Paul
then uses some "predestination" texts from the Old Testament to show
that God's "path" whichl the Jews were supposed to walk would
predestinate them to the destination He picked. However, they made
another choice, picked another "path" and were then destined to reach
the destination they picked.
Chapter 9: The old signs did not prove that
Jews were predestinated. In fact, they followed the "signs" which
caused them to ignore the Word. According to Amos they died of
"hunger and thirst for the Word." However, the word did not fail just
because God extended His offer to anyone He choose--He did not have
to consult the Jews. He honored none for their self-righteousness
because even Israel had been "chosen" as an act of mercy to "an
adulterous people." They were no better than Pharaoh upon whom God
showed mercy. This chapter is a direct address to modern
Calvinism which demands "signs" as proof that one is selected while
denying that the "gospel is the power of God to salvation to those
who believe." If the Gentile could believe, then they could be saved
without "pursuing" it through Judaism. The Gentiles were not immune from
the tragic error in a budding Gnosticism of which it is said--
According to the
Gnostic myth, through some tragic failure a spark of the divine was planted in some (but not all)
persons and the memory of its divine origin erased. Humankind
continued in its ignorant stupor until the high God had mercy and
sent Christ to remind man of his true origin. Salvation, therefore,
came through knowledge (gnosis) but this gnosis was more than just
intellectual awareness of the divine origin of one's true self.
Knowing for the Gnostic went beyond mental recall; it meant active
reunion with one's divine source through all kinds of ecstatic
experience--dreams, visions, speaking in tongues, etc. In this return
to the divine source, one is liberated from the bodily prison
(Roetzel, Calvin J., The Letters of Paul, John Knox Press, Atlanta,
p. 83) The Gentiles were not condemned for seeking
intellectual knowledge. Rather, Paul condemned the charismatic need
to have God prove Himself-- In all types of
Gnosticism the highest goal of the spiritual life is the obtaining of
divine substance for oneself. The Christian faith distinguishes
itself from this seemingly devout but actually selfish piety by
locating the focus of Christian life not in the accumulating of
spirituality or spirit for oneself, but more mundanely, in giving
oneself to the neighbor. In Gnosticism the goal of spiritual life is
the emptying of oneself in order to be filled with divine
substance--it is vertical; in the Christian faith the goal is the
emptying of oneself for the human neighbor--it is horizontal. This
difference of directions in energy determines the difference in types
of evidence. Special 'spiritual experience' (gnosis 'puffs up,' but
Christian love 'builds up' (1 Cor. 8:1b)." (Bruner, p. 275)
This makes Paul's appeal to the Scripture and
to "offering the body as a living sacrifice" very important to
understand. Chapter 10: Comparing the charisma of Paganism
with being "in Christ," Paul calls their attention to the
"charismatic rituals" at Mount Sinai. There, the Israelites performed
the common worship of trying to "summon their god from across the
sea" even while God was writing the Covenant Words on stone.
The bull (Apis representing Osiris) worship
involved the same "out of your mind" experiences demanded by many
religions. This was a religious festival involving singing,
instruments, and dancing. This rejection of the Covenant minimized
the word and even make Bible study evil. The Jews were without excuse
because God's "voice has gone out to all the earth." Therefore, the new way to "call God" is to
hear, believe, repent, confess and "call on His name" which is done
at the time and place of baptism. Chapter 11: When the Jews were involved with
their paganism, God "sent them a strong delusion that they believe a
lie and be damned." The charismatic rituals are described by most of
the prophets and it was primarily their "religious festivals" to
which they had added Canaanite music which was the "snare" which
caught them. God "rescued" a few worthy of death people to vindicate
His name but He did not predestinate them to heaven or hell. Their
failure had some good effects when God turned more forcefully to the
Gentiles to find a new group who would carry out His commission to be
a blessing to all people or nations. In time, some of the Jews could
be "grafted" back into the "Vine" but on the same terms as the
Gentiles.
Chapter 12: The Christian "sacrifice" demands
that the body (life) be offered to others as a "living sacrifice."
The new worship is "spiritual" or "rational worship." Being "in
spirit and in truth," according to Jesus, is to follow His teachings
which rescued the mind from pagan charismatic rituals. This enables
believers to "live in harmony" with others. Therefore, the rescue by
God can only be proven by treating others in a way which was contrary
to the paganism which the Jews had adopted. Chapter 13: The "moral law" is still in effect
because it was not a "Jew" law or a "ritual" law. The eternal ten
commandments were summed up in honoring God with "self" and treating
others as you treat the self. This would result in the Old Testament
demand which was centered in righteousness and justice. It has been
noted that the Ten Commandments include "duty to God" on the vertical
plane and "duty to others" on the horizontal plane. The exception is
that "the seventh day" has been defined as "the one of the Sabbath"
which is the Lord's day. The demand is to "cast off the works of
darkness" which were the charismatic practices of paganism which had
taken over many of the Jews. Chapter 14: The "religious festival" was,
according to God, "dedicating the food to God but eating it
yourselves." The Gentile also "fed their god" by "eating the meat
themselves." As a result, those who now had "food restrictions" or
other untaught beliefs are neither good nor bad but they are weak.
These people must be accepted but they must not be allowed to bring
their "disputations" into the church. This does not permit everyone
to do their own thing because Paul restricts one from putting
"stumbling blocks" in the path of others. Nothing is to be added
which does not contribute to "mutual upbuilding." This cannot permit
practices which have always been divisive. The "kingdom" is defined as opposite that of
paganism and much of Judaism had been. Chapter 15: The pagan "gods" were said to have
created humans to "do their work." One could work for them primarily
in the rituals: singing, dancing, playing music, and feeding them
food and wine--even if the "brethren" starved to death (See Amos)
physically and spiritually because of ignorance of the Word.
However, the new "religion" is to bear one
another's burdens. Paul speaks of "singing to the Gentiles" which in
various places is "teaching the unbeliever about God." This is very
close to Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 which demand that we
"fill up with the word of Christ" and then "with one voice" "teach
and admonish" with only the revealed Word of God. Paul has been
hindered from a "pleasure" trip because he was carrying out this
Great Commission of "singing to the Gentiles" which can only occur
"where they have not been told." Paul outlaws those who had been troubling
Corinth because their old paganism gave them the "office" of
spiritual mediator between them and their god. He dismisses this by
saying: "you are filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one
another." Yet, they still needed "teaching" which refuted the "direct
operation" belief of the troublers who really had no spiritual
gifts. Chapter 16: Paul commends various people
including Phoebe. She could not have been a "deaconess" because there
was no Greek word available for Paul to describe her as an official
female deacon. Rather, she is called a "succorer" or "protectress"
who, in the Greek world, was a government agent who looked out for
strangers traveling in a region. She was "welcome wagon, brother's
keeper and meals on wheels." Notice that those who Paul honors are
not honored for their office but for their "hard work." Andronicus and Junias were not "female, later-day apostles." Rather, they were
well known "among the apostles" for their good work. The feminine
ending in some translations does not prove that they were
women. He warned against the false teachers who fooled
the foolish by their "charismatic methods" and were dividing the
church. To solve this eternal problem he reminded them that all of
the "secrets" were now available to anyone who could read "the
prophetic writings" which were now "disclosed" for everyone.
Introduction to Chapter Nine Chapter Nine will explain some of the
"predestination" examples to prove to the Jews that they were not
predestinated beyond being lost. Calvinistic predestination demands that if God
has not operated upon you supernaturally to save you and prove it
without even hearing the Words of God. Most people are stable enough
that they do not naturally fall into a charismatic fit. This means
that the local church would never be very large. Therefore, at Cane
Ridge and elsewhere, the manufacturing of "signs" has been a cottage
industry. When one has been manipulated into this sign the danger is
that further growth is impossible and those not "saved" are treated
as second class citizens. Predestination demands signs The Jews looked for "signs" and the Greeks
sought "wisdom" to prove that they had some god connection. However,
both of these are the demand for supernatural show and tell.
The Gospel, now as
then, has to encounter the demand of those who ask for signs. Do we not see the craving for
sign--for the display, that is, of supernatural power to
crush and silence all
doubt resulting in the
superstitious corruptions of Christianity? For what is superstition but an
appeal from wisdom to power, an effort to silence the reason by the
terrors of the senses?... Superstition is still the Nemesis, not of
faith, but of unbelief. And every such superstition
necessarily grows always grosser and darker as it grows older. For
the desire of the
teacher for power,
combining with the desire of the taught for certainty, must tend always to efforts at making the sign,
which is to secure both, still more awful and convincing, by still
greater and more awful attestations. A fresh miracle must be provided
to silence each fresh heresy, a new prodigy to confirm each new
dogma." (Hastings, Commentary on 1 Cor., p. 7). Modern Gnosticism--Calvinism Paul's warning is very important because there
is a periodic loss of faith with the demand that God "send us a sign"
that we are saved. Liberal theology is the shaker-and-mover in these
efforts because it has convinced itself that God is incompetent to
speak for Himself through the Word. This most destructive doctrine can be seen to
develop in several stages. First, it was stated by Calvin in his
Institutes: According to the
Gnostic myth, through some tragic failure a spark of the divine was
planted in some (but not all) persons and the memory of its divine
origin erased. Humankind continued in its ignorant stupor until the
high God had mercy and sent Christ to remind man of his true origin.
Salvation, therefore, came through knowledge (gnosis) but this gnosis
was more than just intellectual awareness of the divine origin of
one's true self. Knowing for the Gnostic went beyond mental recall;
it meant active reunion with one's divine source through all kinds of
ecstatic experience--dreams, visions, speaking in tongues, etc. In
this return to the divine source, one is liberated from the bodily
prison (Roetzel, Calvin J., The Letters of Paul, John Knox Press,
Atlanta, p. 83) Not all men are created with
similar destiny but eternal life is foreordained for some, and
eternal damnation for others. Every man, therefore, being created for
one or the other of these ends, we say, is predestined either to life
or death." (Insti. 111, Ch. 23). By the decree of God for the
manifestation of His glory, some men and angels are predestinated
into everlasting life, and others foreordained into everlasting
death. These angels and men, thus predestinated and foreordained, are
particularly and unchangeably designed; and their number is so
certain and definite that it cannot be either increased or
diminished." (Confession of Faith, pp 23-24). The original evil force of Calvinism (new and
old) was felt in the Great Awakening in New Jersey in the 1720's and
in 1734-1735 in Northhampton, Massachusetts under Jonathan Edwards.
It is noted that "masses" of people with no intellectual driving
force of their own do in these meetings what the preacher wants them
to do-- A 'gathered' church
meant that each of the members, as a prerequisite for admission, must be able to narrate an experience
of the new birth without which no one could enter the kingdom...
Among many of the unregenerate they would find those prepared to
listen to them, for such knowledge of Christian belief as had been
spread abroad bred convictions or at least an uneasiness which would
respond to the preacher who pled with the unconverted and urged them
to repent and turn in faith to God." (Latourette, p. 957-958).
This is why these "experiences" were taken as
proof of revival even if they had no lasting effect on lives.
However, this revivalism was a paradox because Calvinism guaranteed
regeneration only to the predestinated people. The doctrine of election, out of the Augustine
heritage which was dominant in the churches of the Reformed tradition
and which except for those influenced by Arminianism was generally
accepted in New England and the Presbyterian churches, would seem to
have discouraged any appeal to the unregenerate. If one were among
the elect, so the belief ran, God's grace would prove irresistible
and would reach all those whom He had chosen for salvation. If, on
the other hand, one were not among the elect no amount of preaching
would change the status. Yet it was mainly in the...called Calvinism
and its doctrine of election that the Great awakening began and made
its chief appeal." (Latourette, p. 958). This explains why Thomas Campbell got into his
first difficulty by offering communion to those who were not proven
to be "regenerate" or "revived" and could "flash" the token given by the
clergy. You cannot be "predestinated" unless you can
prove it
to an "examining
committee" who examines your
"experience" and certifies that you have been selected and cannot be
rejected. However, people ignored Jesus' method of revival and
righteousness and justice as proof and demanded signs which are
identical to Babylonian, Hittitite, Canaanite and every other form of
pagan religion. One of the devices was to establish the need of
a deep inward experience--you are not likely to commit such outrages
unless some "authority figure" demands it of you. This was promoted
during private prayer meetings and fulfilled in the emotional
atmosphere of the mass-meeting. Much excitement and
many emotional disturbances accompanied the revival. Although the
expressions were different, one is reminded of the Flagellants whom
we have met in Roman Catholic circles. There were screaming,
laughing, trances, visions, and convulsions. Some of the preachers
and lay exhorters deliberately stimulated these phenomena. "
(Latourette, p. 960). Latourette shows that the Flagellants came out
of a popular movement outside of the monasteries. He points out that
the singing guilds which began in Italy in the twelfth century,
became organized in the thirteenth century along with musical
instruments (1250AD). These "musical worship teams" often created a
planned charismatic response-- They went in
procession through towns, or met in the evenings on piazzas or before
some shrine to sing hymns of penitence and adoration. In 1259 "By a kind of contagion
men, women, and children bewailed their sins and many of them marched
through the streets, naked but for loin cloths, crying to God for
mercy, and scourging themselves until the blood ran. (Latourette, p.
448). This group became unpopular but arose again
later and emphasized popular songs. This belief exists in several
forms but one is-- The basic and
fundamental doctrine of this organization shall be the Bible standard
of FULL salvation, which is repentance, baptism in water by immersion
in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, AND
the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the initial sign of speaking in
tongues as the Spirit gives them utterance." (United Pentecostal
Manual, p. 22). These groups found that the tongues, dancing,
singing, handling snakes and drinking poison (without being able to
spell the words) could only be stimulated by music. Not Many Speak in Tongues No man ever spoke in tongues
outside of the presence or touch of an apostle. We don't know that
after the sign they ever spoke in tongues again. No woman is recorded to have spoken in
tongues even in an apostles's presence. In First Corinthians ten, Paul reminded them of
Israel's failures in the wilderness and when Paul prohibits women
from speaking in the short assembly to honor God's Word scholars see
him pointing to Miriam who aroused the women to sing, play
instruments and dance while Moses recited the song to the men. Later,
she is not condemned as performing the charismatic prophesying along
with the elders as a judgmental sign against the complainers. Rather,
she was judged for pretending to get a direct message from
God. Paul will say that the songs in Corinth should
be revealed doctrinal truth (1 Cor. 14:6) but Miriam here and later
claimed that she as a prophetess had the right to speak for God.
However, a Presbyterian writer called their attention to the
wilderness experience and especially to Amos and warned against any
artificial means of stimulating the church-- In the first
place, it will be
noticed from the account of the triumphant rejoicing on the shore of
the Red Sea that the men sang only: 'Then sang Moses and the children
of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake saying.'" (Girardeau,
George, p. 33) Miriam was not condemned for repeating what had
already been revealed by Moses, but later when she claimed to be
inspired, God judged her. Now, she "leads the women out" and
Girardeau says-- In the second
place, it was Miriam
and the women who used instruments of music on the occasion: 'And
Miriam, the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her
hand; and all the women went after her with timbrels and with
dances." (Girardeau, p. 33). God said that some of the people got messages
in "dark speeches" always as a warning but Moses was to reveal the
Word and God choose to speak to him face-to-face. Therefore, in
chapter eleven Paul demanded that the women not "prophesy" in the
pagan sense of prophetesses who "threw off the veil" in order to
"attract men." In chapter twelve the pagan awakening rituals
might be continuing in Corinth and it was possible that someone could
be "cursing Jesus" and the wise Corinthians would not know. They all
wanted to speak in tongues as a Calvinistic-like need to be validated
by God but not all had the gift. In chapter thirteen he compared these
charismatic exercises to one who would use the trumpet and sound
retreat when the army was on the verge of victory. These instruments
were never musical but were to send clear signals in case of
danger. In chapter fourteen, he calls us back to Isaiah
28 where the speaking in tongues was the sign that the enemy was at
the door and Judah could not grasp the danger of the promise of
greener pastures for everyone. Now, in Romans Nine, Paul will warn against the
beliefs in predestination which demanded supernatural signs and
caused one to ignore or ridicule the Word of God as the Jews had
before God sent the arrogant Assyrians speaking unknown tongues. They
failed because they ignored the Word and not because they did not
have an overabundance of exciting religious festivals and even pagan
arousal or resurrection ceremonies. Therefore, it is logical that in Romans ten he
will warn them against the Israelites ascending and
descending
ritual at Mount Sinai exactly when God was giving them the Word in
written form. He will show (as John Locke might) that the only place
they could get their "message" was from hearing the God-sent
teachers. One "arouses" or "calls on God" at the time and place of
baptism and not at some revival ritual. However, in Romans eleven Paul will call us
back to David--who was not the model worship
leader but the prophet--who performed the charismatic ritual while
moving the ark to Jerusalem as a judgmental sign that they were
deserting God. In all of the "praise God with the harp" Psalms David
calls God's wrath down on the Gentiles but he was really "judging
himself as he judged others." We saw this in Romans 2:1 where David
judged himself by passing judgment on the "lamb stealer." Paul again calls us back to Acts 28, Isaiah 6
and Isaiah 29 and Deuteronomy 29:4 just before God gave His song of
judgment against Israel. They had been "disfellowshipped" by God and
sentenced to destruction. Therefore, Paul described the entirety of
the Jewish experience as one great charismatic ritual where the
people ignored the vision like they had ignored the scroll. God
"covered the heads" or seers (Isa 29:11 See 1 Cor. 11:1f) and "sealed
the eyes" or the prophets because they were stunned, amazed, blind,
drunk without wine and staggering without beer. They would speak from
the ground, mumble out of the dust, have a ghostlike voice from the
earth, and a whispering voice from the dust. as it is written:
"God gave them a spirit
of stupor, eyes so that
they could not see and ears so that they could not hear, to this very
day." -- Rom 11:8 And David says:
"May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a
retribution for them. -- Rom 11:9 May their eyes be
darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever." -- Rom
11:10 From this same charismatic sign of a threat
around them, which the Jews met by charismatic worship which ignored
the Word, Paul will in Romans chapter nine call us back to the potter
and the clay-- The Lord says: "These
people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only
of rules taught by men. -- Isa 29:13 Therefore once more
I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of
the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will
vanish." -- Isa 29:14 You turn things
upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall
what is formed say to him who formed it, "He did not make me"? Can
the pot say of the potter, "He knows nothing"? -- Isa 29:16
In that day the deaf will
hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind
will see. -- Isa 29:18 Once more the
humble will rejoice in the LORD; the
needy will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
-- Isa 29:19 The ruthless will vanish, the mockers
will disappear, and all who have an eye for evil will be cut down--
Isa 29:20 The Demand for Arousers The Jews rejected the notion that lives could
be changed by teaching the Bible. It was simply necessary to live the
legalistic lives ordained for everyone. For this reason they often
lost the Bible and turned to charismatic religious festivals to
"feel" spiritual. In the same way, Calvin taught that hearing the
Word might have been the original method Jesus used to create faith.
However, once "predestination" is in force one receives faith as a
supernatural sign that one is among the chosen-- But they do not
consider, that when the apostle makes hearing the source of faith, he
only describes the ordinary economy and dispensation of the
Lord, which he
generally observes in the calling of his people; but does not
prescribe a perpetual rule for him, precluding his employment of
any other method; which he has certainly employed in the calling of
many, to whom he has given the true knowledge of himself in an
internal manner, by the illumination of his Spirit, without the
intervention of any preaching. (Calvin's Institutes, Westminister
Press, Vol. II, p. 622). Perhaps this is why many cannot find any
meaning to Scripture and demand the "leap"-- God can never be
found along any way of thought; for indeed this idea of God bursts
through and destroys all the fundamental categories of thought; the
absolutely antithetical character of the basic logical principles of
contradiction and identity. To want to think this God for oneself would mean
insanity." (Brunner,
Emil, Revelation and Reason, pp 46f.) John Locke is the "bugbear" of modern
charismatics because (while rejecting inspiration as a protest
against Calvinism) he claimed that "we have nothing in our minds
which has not been put there through one of the human senses." Those
who believe they might be inspired, however, feel that these
God-ordained senses are not adequate. Jesus said that "My words are
spirit and life" and the apostles felt that what they knew needed to
be recorded. The Qualifications of the
Arousers Speaking in tongues is held to be the absolute
sign that one is saved. However, because people rarely speak in
tongues out on the frontier, there arose a style of preaching which
largely ignored the Word and concentrated on trying to "meet the
needs." To understand early forms of preaching you have
to understand Jewish and Calvinistic "experiences." The pagan's hired
"arousers" or "awakeners" who were often foreign women who could
"sing the magical incantation or play music to arouse the worshipper
to make them feel that god was aroused." The Jews adopted this
practice, many of the Psalms are "arousal" hymns, and during the
Inter-Testament period an attempt was made to prevent their being
sung. The Baptists had a
peculiar appeal to the masses. Their preachers, usually with very
slight education, knew their audiences and how to address them in
language (with a musical cadence) which would hold their attention
and bring conviction. They tended to be highly emotional."
(Latourette, p. 1037). The Result of Arousal Revivalism
During both the first and second "awakening"
while the emotional high of the moment--like a drug high--was seen as
proof of super-spirituality, when the drug wore off, observers could
say with Paul to the Corinthians, "your meetings do more harm than
good." It is not surprising that after the "exercises"
are over and the "booty has been divided up" the jealousy and
conflict has not benefited one bit from the revival Divisions in the
churches accompanied and followed the Great Awakening. The more
ardent preachers of the revival had sharp words for those ministers
whom they deemed unconverted. Whitefield occasionally spoke
caustically of those who did not follow him. Others were even more
vehement. On the other side were many, both clergy and laity, who
were alienated by the emotional excesses, were angered by the
denunciations of the more ardent itinerant preachers... 'New lights'
'Old lights' in Presbyterian and Congregational churches often
separated into distinct units. (Latourette, p. 960). The Second Great Awakening First, we should note that no "wing" of the
restoration movement has ever been "Calvinistic" nor has it ever been
"Charismatic." Some of the "restorers" were, in fact,
"disfellowshipped" from the Presbyterian churches because they
rejected their doctrines. Barton W. Stone as a self-supported
Presbyterian circuit preacher of Calvinism had witnessed some of the
"charismatic exercises" and set up a joint meeting with several
churches at Cane Ridge in hopes of reproducing the effects. This
involved several competing preachers with the expectation that
something might happen and-- As the revival
interest grew, and as the meeting became larger and longer,
unexpected and bizarre manifestations, called 'exercises,' began to
occur. They were considered visible manifestations of the direct
action of the Holy Spirit... The commonest were the 'falling
exercise' and the 'jerks.' The names are sufficiently explanatory.
The barking exercise sometimes accompanied the jerks, and the dancing
exercise grew out of them. There was also the running exercise. It
was reported that those who came to scoff were not immune to these
seizures. However, it was only the devout who ever experienced the
laughing exercise. (Winfred E. Garrison and Alfred T. DeGroot, The
Disciples of Christ, St. Louis: The Bethany Press, 1948, p.
99). This was very important to
people who were primarily Calvinistic. It proved that they had been
supernaturally selected by God as one of
the predestinated people. Therefore, when the excitement died down; when
they couldn't get past Duncan's Tavern on the way to the fields and
forests; and when they didn't feel very "spiritual" the next Sunday,
they felt that they had been deluded and turned in disgust from any
form of church. The evidence is that these experiences often
result from men in competition trying to attract the largest
"audience"-- Lewis argued from
the usual role of women in possession performances that this was due
to their exclusion from authority in male-dominated society--i.e.,
spirit possession as a sex-war. Unfortunately, there are many
societies where males are both dominant and possessed. Wilson, in
replying to Lewis, attributes the phenomenon to conflict, tension and
jealousy between members of the same sex. (Montgomery, p.
159). This movement did not form the basis for
Churches of Christ. Rather, some went back into Calvinism, even
leaders deserted their families and joined the Shakers just down the
road, and the movement became the basis for Mormonism. Of one
"exercise" it is said-- Hundreds fell to
the ground senseless, the most elegantly dressed women in Kentucky
lying in the mud alongside rugged trappers. Some were seized with the
'jerks,' their heads and limbs snapping back and forth and their
bodies grotesquely distorted. Those who caught the 'barks' would
crawl on all fours, growling and snapping like the camp dogs,
fighting over garbage heaped behind tents... One preacher wrote to
another: 'thousands of tongues with the sound of hallelujah seemed to
run through infinite space; while hundreds of people lay prostrate on
the ground crying for mercy. Oh! My dear brother, had you been there
to have seen the convulsed limbs, the apparently lifeless bodies, you
have been constrained to cry out as I was obliged to do, the gods are
among the people." (Fawn M. Brodie, No Man Knows My History (New
York: A.A. Knopf, 1945), p. 14). Writers noted that this was Calvinistic which
denied that "you" could hear the word and believe it if God had not
predestinated you. Because the "exercises" had no Biblical basis in
the preaching, restoration leaders repudiated them-- The reason the
delusions made little progress among the disciples save only at
Kirtland where the way for it was paved by the common stock principle
(communism), is to be found in the cardinal principle everywhere
taught and accepted among them that faith is founded upon testimony.
(Hayden, Quoted by Jividen, p. 85). When Sidney Rigdon had no success in getting
Restoration churches to adopt the practice he joined with early
Mormons who took over the church at Kirtland, Ohio-- Many would have
fits of speaking in all of the Indian dialects which none could
understand. Again at the dead hour of the night, young men might be
seen running over the fields and hills in pursuit, as they said, of
balls of fire, lights, etc.) (Jividen, Glossolalia, p. 84).
At Kirtland, Ohio, the place of
the first temple, Brigham Young received the gift of tongues several
weeks after his baptism while praying with some friends: 'The Spirit
came on me, and I spoke in tongues, and we thought only of the day of
Pentecost.' The Saints anxiously awaited the arrival and the verdict
of their Prophet, Joseph Smith. When he came, he informed Young that
his gift of tongues was the pure Adamic language.' Shortly
thereafter, Smith himself received the gift. (Hamilton, p.
87). Barton W. Stone is periodically claimed to be
the true "founder" of churches of Christ; and this form of
charismatic "exercise" is claimed to be our "roots" which we have
rejected and need to "replant" in order to experience a revival.
However, Stone did not promote the experience and Campbell praised
him many years later while utterly condemning the Cane Ridge episode
as some form of insanity. He could not approve of Stone if Stone
promoted charismatic religion. In 1831 Stone wrote favorably of the
"exercises" (Randall, Max Ward, The Great Awakenings and the
Restoration Movement, College Press, p. 386) but in 1833 he tested it
by its fruits by writing-- We have seen this
state of things continue but a short time, and then disappear for
years. We have seen many of these converts soon dwindle, sicken and
die, and become more hardened against the fear of God, than they were
before--many of them becoming infidels, by thinking that all
professors of religion are like themselves deluded by strong passion
and imagination."... All must acknowledge that some good results from
such revivals; but all must acknowledge that great evil also rose out
of them. Those, who were under strong affections, believed they were
born of God, and who made a public confession of faith, and fell from
it, are of all people in the most pitiable situation, seldom do they
ever after embrace religion--these by their example, discourage
others, and fill their minds with prejudices against religion.
(Stone, Barton Warren, The Christian Messenger, Vol. VII, No. 7,
July, 1833, pages 210-212--See Randall p. 390, for the complete
letter). Stone rejected every principle of Calvinism and
by rejecting predestination there simply was no need for the "second
work of grace" seen in some form of supernatural sign that God had
chosen you. Like Campbell, Stone believed that one could read the
Scripture and come to a saving faith, be baptized and be saved. No
person was automatically included and no believer was excluded by
God. Stone did not look at Cane Ridge and say "have a revival
experience." Rather, he looked at the Bible and with his
five-fingered hand pointed out: "Hear, believe, repent, confess and
be baptized." Calvinism in extreme forms of
Neo-Pentecostalism sweeps over the churches from time to time
tempting people to want to adopt music as the primary tool used to
bring on charismatic practices including speaking in tongues.
Campbell rejected the fanaticism but felt that
the people of Kentucky were so evil at that time that the revivalism
paved the way for his more rational preaching. However, he
said: The machinery of
modern revivals is not divine, but human. It is certainly divisive.
They are undoubtedly deceived who repose the slightest confidence in
it. The spirit of the crusades is in it--the spirit of fanaticism is
in it--the spirit of delusion is in it. The Spirit of God is not in
it, else he was not in the Apostles; for he taught them no such
schemes--no such means of catching men. This is a bait which was
never put by Christ's fishermen on the evangelical hook. (Alexander
Campbell, quoted by Randall, p. 373) These "exercises" have always been confused
with "Revivalism." Such artificial methods often have the goal of
"attracting sheep from other folds" so that the bills can be paid. Of
these phenomenon in general Campbell warned against them as a method
of true "revival"-- But in the rage of
sectarian proselytism, 'the Holy Ghost' is an admirable contrivance.
Every qualm of conscience, every new motion of the heart, every
strange feelings or thrill--all doubts, fears, despondencies,
horrors, remorse, etc., are the work of this Holy Ghost. The Holy
Spirit is equivalent to the spirit of holiness, and its fruits are
goodness, gentleness, purity, peace, joy, etc. But not so the fruits
of this evangelical Holy Ghost. To it is ascribed all the anguish,
horror of conscience, lamentations and grief, which precede that calm
called regeneration, so often witnessed in our greatest revivals.
(Millennial Harbinger 1831:212). Later, Campbell wrote to dispute that the
church is the product of Cane Ridge-- When then shall we
think of that religion which is the mere offspring of excited
feelings--of sympathy with tones, and attitudes, and gestures--of the
noise, and tumults, and shoutings of enthusiasm--of the machinery of
the mourning bench, the anxious seat, the boisterous interlocutory
prayers, intercessions, and exhortations to 'get religion on the
spot' etc., with which all are conversant who frequent revival
meetings in seasons of great excitement. (Millenial Harbinger.
1840:167) The brief brush with the "holiness movement" by
Restoration churches was really a "brush off" and there was never any
serious ecstatic manifestation in churches which depended upon
Scripture for sole authority. In 1853 W. K. Pendelton wrote of these earlier
events: Simply that it was
a peculiar form of nervous disease, that was both epidemic and
contagious. It came suddenly, as the destruction and the pestilence,
both at noonday and in darkness--seized upon all classes and
conditions, good and bad, old and young, male and female, bond and
free, saint and sinner; affected them all with the same
characteristic symptoms of bodily derangement--tarried for a season
and then disappeared. Its effect on the mind, so far as it was
peculiar, was simply excitement. No new truths were communicated,--no
old errors corrected--nor miraculous utterances given; but simply an
excitement, despondent or hopeful, gloomy or joyful, clear or
confused, according to the convictions of the mind at the time of the
attack and influence of circumstances during its continuance. (quoted
by Randall, p. 373). There is a reviving and perhaps "sweeping" urge
to restore Levite-like "clergy worship teams" where worship is
"performed for you." This urge for mental excitement was always
confused by the pagans and Jews with "a spiritual experience" which
had the reviving power to make you holy. Therefore, there could be no better time to see
that the Jews' feelings of superiority were always caused by exciting
worship which resulted in ignoring the Word which meant ignoring God.
As a result, God destroyed all but a tiny remnant and the thousands
of trumpets and harps regulating the temple could not prevent God
from taking it down--for the third time--stone by stone. The Jews rejected the Word and replaced it with
pagan-like rituals which various prophets identify as revelry. Many
of the rituals sound very much like what happened at Cane Ridge where
people "whispered and muttered" and claimed to be getting a message
from their God. Now Paul has to tell them that they were pagans
(spiritual adulterers), have been rejected by God, the "tongues and
prophesying" at Pentecost was God's sign against them, and He has
turned to a new "restoration" effort (grafting in the
non-predestinated as the way of revival). However, it was the Jew's
failure and the word did not (will not even now) fail even if they
locked it up, cut it up and ignored it. Summary of Chapter Nine: Paul wrote to correct several misunderstandings
which arose from his earlier letters as they were interpreted to meet
the needs of some teachers who were not really believers. Two errors
needed special attention. The first was the belief that Paul taught
salvation by faith or grace only. This led to the natural result:
"Let us sin that grace may abound." To the Jew who put their total
trust in the law this seemed natural. The second false belief of the
Jews was predestination which taught that being a Jew guaranteed
salvation. Therefore, when Paul taught--"Circumcision is nothing and
uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God's commands is what counts" (1
Cor 7:19), he alienated both the "legalists" and the "anti-legalists"
by denying both views. It is possible that Paul either took a
parenthetic detour in chapters 9-11 or--as some scholars
believe--inserted a synagogue discourse to clarify his message. There
are three reasons for this belief: First, chapter eight ends with a
discussion of the moral demands of God and chapter twelve picks up
again with the same discussion. Secondly, Paul seems to give a
response to a comment from the synagogue audience (they didn't preach
but discoursed). He stated: "I am not a liar as you charge." Thirdly,
in chapter eleven he ends his discourse with a doxology and the Amen.
Therefore, chapters 9-11 is a "theodicy" or
"vindication of God." Whatever the case, the message of Paul does not
change. God--contrary to many false teachers--is perfectly capable of
revealing Himself through His Word so that sincere seekers can find
Him and His righteousness. And contrary to the "anti-legalists" He
contacts the human spirit with words which Jesus called spirit and
truth. First, Paul is
not a liar and is very sad to have to tell the Jews that they had all
of the advantages. They had all of the best players and were experts
in the "rule book." However, the game was now over and they have lost
because they played by their own rules. Being "picked" by the Cubs
does not make you immune from being fired. Second, their
failure was not God's failure or the law's failure. It was just a
fact that not everyone who descended from Abraham was ever chosen for
special privileges. "Family" did not count as much as "faith."
Third, God
never planned to spiritually bless the "natural" children of Abraham
(law, Jerusalem, temple) but the people of faith. Therefore, Paul
warns that you had to trace your lineage back to God and not
Abraham. Fourth, Sarah
was a type of faith or a spiritual law, city, temple or faith.
However, Hagar--chosen against God's will--was a type of Mount Sinai,
Jerusalem and slavery. Therefore, all of these elements were given as
punishment and not to save Israel. Fifth, Esau
was the "eldest" but not the most trustworthy son. Therefore, God
choose Jacob perhaps to show that He is not bound to their rules of
who inherits. "Seniority" does not count and now God has chosen the
"younger brother" or Gentiles. Sixth, it is
said that "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." However, Paul calls us
back to the prophecy to show that he was speaking of two nations.
Therefore, he was not talking of personal election to either heaven
or hell. Seventh,
personal election to salvation was not in the statement to Rebekah.
The prophecy simply speaks of who will serve whom. Eight,
personal predestination to salvation was not in the statement about
God hating Esau. Rather, Paul quoted Malachi who showed that God
hated the descendants of Esau because "you have not followed my ways
but have shown partiality in matters of the law." Ninth, It had
better be right for God to show mercy because He showed mercy to
Israel, the Egyptian prostitute, by rescuing them. However, because
in chapter ten Paul will call us back to Mount Sinai, we understand
that God showed mercy to Israel primarily by not going with them into
Canaan. This should refute their notion of superiority because God
was never their personal, national god--you could still find Him in
Egypt and not in the Ark of the Covenant. Tenth, to
complete his insult to put the Jews in place, Paul showed that God
showed mercy even to Pharaoh. However, God did not predestinate
Pharaoh to heaven or hell by showing mercy. Rather, God "showed
mercy" by keeping him alive for the moment. Eleventh, if
God has all of this power then "how can He blame us" for resisting
His will? Paul will say, however, that God did not set out to make
Israel into the miserable "cracked pot" preserved to "store up God's
wrath." Therefore, Paul calls us back to the many Old Testament
examples of The Potter and the Clay to show that God predestinates
every lump of dirty, lifeless clay to be a beautiful "Ming" vase
(pronounced 'vazz'). However, the clay might have a fault and God
changes His predestination and makes them into a pot for everyday
use. If this fails then God rejects them. However, God has the power
to even "unharden" and "uncrack" a broken vessel just as He can
"unadulterate" an adulterated marriage. The lesson to us is not to look for some
sign of predestination but to obey God. Twelfth, Paul
illustrates the power of God by changing the imagery back to the
"prostitute" who had been "divorced but taken back" by pointing to
Hosea. However, this new "wife" is not national Israel. Israel was
polluted beyond redemption as a nation. Therefore, God "takes one
from a city" or a tiny remnant of Jews. He even takes "Gentiles" from
out of paganism. That is, He takes those of whom the Jews said, "you
are not my people." Both Jews and Gentiles had no "connection to the
vine" but were "grafted in" by God in the next chapter. Thirteenth,
Israel was so totally destroyed that it was necessary for God to
personally "save a few bodies" from the death penalty but only to
prove that He and His Word prevail. Fourteenth,
the Gentiles did not "chase righteousness down" to find it any more
than the Jews. However, God put Himself squarely in the middle of the
street and "let Myself be found" by the non-seekers. These could not
have "pursued" God by the law and, therefore, it must have been by
faith. Fifteenth,
because there was no righteousness possible by the law because of
human weakness and the Jews did not pursue righteousness by faith,
then they have stumbled over the very stone (Jesus) which could have
been their foundation or resting place. The Jews always wanted a
"sign" but Jesus gave them the Word--which they could not hear any
longer. Sixteenth, the
"cornerstone" now became the "trap" which the Jews sprung and the
trap's stone fell on them and crushed them. The "charismatic Messiah"
who would smash the "unelect" did not "perform" and therefore their
only "foundation" was rejected. Seventeenth,
Therefore, the Jews cannot blame God for destroying the Jewish state,
the city of Jerusalem, the temple, and therefore the entire
sacrificial system of worship. These were signs of their rejection
and not signs of their superiority. The "signs" had served their
purpose and would be dismantled. "Hagar" is rejected and "Sarah's"
children are chosen. Therefore, in the next chapter Paul will return
the Jews to their spiritual adultery at Mount Sinai to warn the Roman
church against the forms of idolatry which they practiced in Egypt,
at Mount Sinai, and in Canaan. It is true--the Jews were predestinated for a
special purpose---- I speak the truth
in Christ--I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy
Spirit I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. -- Rom
9:1-2 For I could wish that I myself
were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my
brothers, those of my own race, -- Rom 9:3 the people of Israel. Theirs is
the adoption as sons;
theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple
worship and the promises. -- Rom 9:4 Theirs are the patriarchs, and
from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over
all, forever praised! Amen. -- Rom 9:5 Paul spent a lot of ink claiming that he was
not--as the false teachers charged--a liar. See Gal 1:20; 2 Cor 1:23;
11:31; 1 Tim 2:7. Only truth-speakers really care but this got Jesus
and Paul in a lot of trouble when they did not interpret the Old
Testament according to the Jewish notions. He is so sincere that he would give up his
eternal life it he could save the Jews. Why else would he work
without pay and put up with all of the danger and personal
abuse? The Jews were not predestinated to eternal
salvation. Rather they were "adopted" as children and not because of
their God-connection. They were shown great glory, received the
covenants, the law, the grand temple and great promises. As "orphans
adopted" by God they could have seen this as proof of God's love and
tolerance. Therefore, the Jews in Rome cannot trust their
national choice because the rejected these blessings However, that doesn't diminish God because His
promises are still good. It is not as though
God's word had
failed. For not all who
are descended from Israel are Israel. -- Rom 9:6 Nor because they are his descendants are
they all Abraham's children. On the contrary, "It is through Isaac
that your offspring will be reckoned." -- Rom 9:7 In other words, it is not the
natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of
the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring. -- Rom 9:8
For this was how the promise
was stated: "At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have
a son." -- Rom 9:9 1. The Power of God's Word is defended as that
which was worth defending even as Paul points out that the majority
of God's predestinated, elected, and decreed nation would fail as a
"collective" or "tribe." Therefore, he continues-- 2. God did not predestinate the nation of
Israel but Individuals of faith. In the contest between Canaanite Baalism and
God, of the three million who came out of Egypt only about 7,000 had
not bowed to and kissed Baal in charismatic "exercises." Later, only about 25,000 - 50,000 returned from
Babylonian captivity and most of these rejected the Word. Therefore, the "natural" children of Abraham
rejected God and were themselves rejected. However, God still had a
right to select Isaac to be a channel of blessing to all other Jews
and continue the tiny "remnant" until Messiah was born and the
"gospel promise" made to Abraham would be brought to mankind.
As a body Jesus refused to speak to the Jews in
direct language but spoke to them in parables (Matthew 13). However,
individual Jews believed Jesus, obeyed Him and became
Christians. 3. The promise was not a wage God owed the
nation. Otherwise God has no choice. Paul will often prove that the Jews and
Gentiles had no great value which made God want to honor them.
Rather, both had rejected the light of revelation and nature and
every single individual deserved death. Therefore, if God exercised
His justice every person would be destroyed. However, out of this total mess God had a right
to select certain people, give them the message, and send them out to
try to be the teacher and example for others. 4. Therefore, Paul gives two well-known
examples of God's free will and choice-- a. The argument from Sarah and
Hagar God made a promise that Isaac would be born
when "nature" clearly showed that Sarah could not have a child.
Therefore, those who were "natural Jews" had been "sifted out" of the
process and were just like Gentiles. b. To seek to be a natural--rather than
spiritual--Jew was not desirable. (1). God deliberately ignored the
laws of inheritance to prove that natural people have no inheritance
in His plan. The spiritual people will walk by God's covenant.
(2). In addition, the natural Jew is described
by the natural Law which was given to Israel after they ignored His
Word and engaged in musical idolatry at Sinai. In Galatians Paul will show the two channels of
mankind created when the descendants of Abraham disobeyed God. The
"allegory" of Sarah and Hagar was to illustrate the by-nature channel
and the by-promise channel-- Tell me, you who
want to be under the law, are you not aware (are you ignorant) of
what the law says? -- Gal 4:21 For it is written that Abraham
had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.
-- Gal 4:22 His son by the slave woman was
born in (1) the ordinary way; but his son by the free woman (b) was
born as the result of a promise. -- Gal 4:23 These things may be taken
figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is
from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is
Hagar. -- Gal 4:24 (a) Now
Hagar stands for Mount
Sinai in Arabia and
corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in
slavery with her children. -- Gal 4:25 (b) But the Jerusalem that is
above is free, and she is our mother. -- Gal 4:26 (c) And their dead bodies shall
lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called
Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. Re.11:8
The Jews who troubled Rome and Paul were
"natural Jews" who worried about their "law" and their "place."
However, the law had been fulfilled and the temple would be
destroyed. Paul showed that the entire period at Mount Sinai, in
Canaan, the kings, the law, Jerusalem and the temple (see Acts 7) was
not promise Judaism. Rather, it was nature Judaism. However, we hear a questioner from the back row
of the synagogue yell out: "There, you see, Isaac was chosen because
he was the child of a free woman. Therefore, God is still helpless:
He does what He is obligated to do or what He is predestinated to
do." It was natural that the son of the free woman
would rule even if God said that His choice was not dictated by
seniority. The Jews considered themselves selected, free and senior
but Paul tells them that God has rejected them as His first choice
but again not because He was forced. Neither Jacob nor Esau were predestinated to go
to heaven or hell. The Argument from Jacob and Esau
Next, Paul finds an example which was not based
on any cultural worth-- Not only that, but
Rebekah's children had one and the same
father, our father Isaac. -- Rom 9:10a Yet, before the twins were born
or had done anything good or bad--in order that God's purpose in
election might stand: not by works but by him who calls-- Rom
9:10b-11 she was told, "The older will
serve the younger." -- Rom 9:12 Just as it is written: "Jacob I
loved, but Esau I hated." -- Rom 9:13 Well, the Jews might argue, Hagar was a
slave and
God could not choose her to be the mother of the faithful. Their
culture could have told God that. Therefore, Paul reminds them of
another example which is not based on the free versus slave
relationship. Jacob and Esau had the very same father and the
very same mother. The only legal reason God would be powerless to do
His own will was that Esau was a few seconds older than Jacob.
However, God sent a message down through time
and space that neither child deserved to be the senior male of the
family. Therefore He exercised His own free will by choosing Jacob
even though neither had yet done good or evil. This proves that God had the right to choose
the Jews for certain tasks and He now has a right to choose the "new
Israelites" or "the spiritual children of Abraham" to carry His Word
to the entire world. The Gentiles are not automatically included in
the roll of the saved nor are the Jews condemned to hell. However, the Jews will once again see this as
predestination to either heaven or hell. Paul seems to say that have
no choice, and therefore God is "out of line" to blame us for His own
raw power. If God really hated Esau personally and decided to send
him to hell then they might have a point. Paul quotes from two sources to prove
that-- Personal Election to salvation is
not in the
statement to Rebekah (9:10b-11). The LORD said to
her, "Two nations
are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated;
one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve
the younger." -- Gen 25:23 God did not send the "nation" to hell. Rather,
one nation would be stronger than the other and, therefore, the
weaker will always serve the stronger. In addition-- --Personal salvation is not in Rom. 9:13 -- God did not
say that He hated Esau before he was born. Paul quoted Malachi who said-- I have loved you,"
says the LORD. "But you ask, 'How have you loved us?' "Was not Esau
Jacob's brother?" the LORD says. "Yet I have loved Jacob, but Esau I
have hated, and I have turned his mountains into a wasteland and left
his inheritance to the desert jackals." -- Mal 1:2-3 Malachi shows that God hated the "Esau" nation
because they rejected the Word-- True instruction
was in his (Levi) mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He
walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin. --
Mal 2:6 For the lips of a priest ought
to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek
instruction--because he is the messenger of the LORD Almighty.
But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have
caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi,"
says the LORD Almighty. -- Mal 2:7-8 So I have caused you to be
despised and humiliated before all the people, because you have not
followed my ways but have shown partiality in matters of the law." --
Mal 2:9 Again, Paul points the Romans to this passage
to prove that the total failure under Law was not God's fault. The
fault was the dishonoring and tokenizing of the Word of God.
Therefore, the Jews cannot plead that God has personally
predestinated them for salvation and the Gentiles to be lost.
The Jews cannot charge that Paul teaches that
God hates them personally but makes choices on mercy and not
destructive hate. To Prove this Paul gives two examples of
undeserved mercy First,
Undeserved Mercy to the Israelites What then shall we
say? Is God unjust? Not at all! -- Rom 9:14 For he says to Moses, "I will
have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." -- Rom 9:15 It does not, therefore, depend
on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy. -- Rom 9:16
The charge Paul seems to hear from the
"synagogue floor" was that if Paul was right then God was unjust.
However, being just is one of the ways God is defined-- Now let the fear of
the LORD be upon you. Judge carefully, for with the LORD our God
there is no injustice or partiality or bribery." -- 2 Chr 19:7
In this event, God had mercy and compassion.
However, He never predestinates hate or hell. Paul points to the book of Exodus to show that
when Moses was on the mountain getting The Book of the Covenant as a
law of blessing, the people were down in the valley singing, playing
music, dancing naked, and saying that the bull of Apis had saved them
from Egypt--God's Covenant counts for nothing but our experiences
validate our religion. As a result of this idolatry, God sentenced all
of Israel to captivity and final destruction. In addition, He refused
to personally go with them into Canaan (Exo 33:3). He did promise to
send His presence with them. In this case, God showed mercy by not
personally going with Israel as a "personal God" into Canaan where He
knew they would destroy themselves. To be assured that God still honored him, Moses
asked to see God's glory. However, God showed only His Goodness as
Moses was hid in a cave. God said: "And the LORD said,
"I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will
proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on
whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will
have compassion. -- Exo 33:19 The subject of this passage, the "it", is NOT
personal ELECTION, it is God's MERCY and COMPASSION to all people. By
calling the "literate Jews" back to the Old Testament they would--if
any cared--be able to go back and understand that God did not owe
them anything except death. Therefore, their rescue from the desert
was based on pure mercy. Secondly, God
gave Undeserved Mercy to Pharaoh Paul really adds "insult to injury" by classing
the Jews with Pharaoh who was the "model of sin's power." They were
kept alive because of God's mercy just as was Pharaoh but neither had
a "ticket to heaven or hell" based on God's free choice. God never good people but He elevates certain
people to work His will. Notice that Paul clearly shows two, and only
two, reasons for God's promotion of Pharaoh-- For the Scripture
says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, (1) that I might display my
power in you and (2) that my name might be
proclaimed in all the earth." -- Rom 9:17 Therefore God has
mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to
harden. -- Rom 9:18 In Exodus 9:17 God told Pharaoh that he had
"set yourself against my people" which meant that he had set himself
against Yahweh. However, his superior position did not mean that he
was superior. Rather, his elevated position was so that God could (1)
preach or show him true power and (2) that as a result of the contest
God's name might spread ahead of that of any human leader--
"But I have raised
you up for this very purpose, (1) that I might show you my power and (2) that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. -- Exo 9:16 The RSV translates verse 16: "but for this
purpose have I let you
live." God did not create, rear and
preserve Pharaoh just to send him to hell. Rather, in His mercy He
gave him his role and allowed him to be a living example. This is our first "clue" to the pattern of the
potter which Paul will use to prove that God has a right to make a
choice and a right to change His mind. God gave Pharaoh many chances
to "repent" and follow His will but Pharaoh rejected all of these
choices. Finally, he was like a pot which hardened and cracked.
However, God hardened Pharaoh by showing him mercy which would be
rejected. But, they demand to know, If God has His Choice
and can bestow mercy on His own choice then how can He continue to
blame us? In chapter eleven Paul will say-- For I would not,
brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should
be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part is happened to
Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. Rom
11:25 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why
doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Rom 9:19 Nay but, O man, who art thou
that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that
formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Rom 9: 20 Hath not the potter power over the
clay, of the same lump
to make one vessel unto honour,
and another unto dishonour? Rom 9: 21 As he often does, Paul uses God's teaching from
Isaiah and Jeremiah to show that God does not predestinate certain
people to be saved and others to be lost. Isaiah makes the following
argument to prove that God can never be blamed for our
failure-- a. While God makes
beauty out of mud, He never takes a beautiful "vase" and makes it
into "mud." Rather, He first seeks to make a vase "for noble
purposes." If the clay resists His gentle pressure He then turns and
makes the clay into a "pot for common use." b. Even if the common pot
cracks He can still use it to store grain. c. If it refuses this small
service then the Potter (God here) uses it to "store up His
wrath." d. Only when the clay has
hardened, cracked, and become totally useless does the potter burn
it, break it into small pieces and throw it out to make a path to be
trodden upon. The Pattern of the Potter The entire context of the Roman letter is the
danger from idolatry which was the legalism. This "legalism" is seen throughout the Old
Testament where people reject God's Word and try to "invent" their
own worship because it makes them feel good and spiritual. By quoting
Isaiah Paul shows that the fact of "questioning the potter" was the
act of charismatic worship to replace righteousness and justice.
Jesus called this "vain worship"-- Wherefore the Lord
said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their
mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but
have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is
taught by the precept of men: Romans 9:13 Therefore, behold, I will
proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous
work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent
men shall be hid. Romans 9: 14 Woe unto them that
seek deep to hide their
counsel from the Lord,
and their works are in
the dark, and they say,
Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? Romans 9: 15 Surely your turning of things upside
down shall be esteemed
as the potters
clay: for shall the
work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing
framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding? Romans 9: 16 Is it not yet a very little
while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the
fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest? Romans 9: 17
And in that day shall the deaf
hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out
of obscurity, and out of darkness. Romans 9: 18 The meek also shall increase
their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the
Holy One of Israel. Romans 9: 19 For the terrible one is brought
to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for
iniquity are cut off: Romans 9: 20
Ezekiel drew Jerusalem on clay as God's way to
signal the siege--this was the "Word of God." Later, God showed that
to question Ezekiel was to question the Potter because he was
delivering the Word of God. Again the prophets always associate music
with ignoring God and "turning things upside down"-- "As for you, son of
man, your countrymen are talking together about you by the walls and
at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, 'Come and hear the
message that has come from the LORD.' -- Ezek 33:30 My people come to you, as they
usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do
not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion,
but their hearts are greedy for
unjust gain. -- Ezek 33:31 "Indeed, to them you are
nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and
plays an instrument well, for they hear your
words but do not put them into
practice. -- Ezek 33:32 Isaiah continues to show that God works with
the "cracked pot" even when the pot refuses to be molded to His
purposes-- For Jacob my
servants sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have
surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. Isa 45:4 Bachiyr
(g972) baw-kheer'; from 977; select: - choose, chosen one, elect.
O ye seed of Israel his servant, ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones. 1Chr.16:13 Bachar (g977) baw-khar'; a prim. root; prop.
to try, i. e. (by impl.) select: - acceptable, appoint, choose
(choice), excellent, join, be rather, require. For thou art an holy people
unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all
people that are upon the face of the earth. De.7:6 I am the Lord, and there is
none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not
known me: Isa 45: 5 That they may know from the
rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is
none
else. Isa 45: 6
Woe unto him that
striveth with his
Maker Let the
potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that
fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands? Isa 45: 9 Woe unto him that saith unto
his father, What
begettest thou? or to
the woman, What hast
thou brought forth? Isa
45: 10 Thus saith the Lord, the Holy
One of Israel, and his Maker,
Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work
of my hands command ye me. Isa 45: 11 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the
heavens, and all their host have I commanded. Isa 45: 12 I have raised him up in
righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my
city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward,
saith the Lord of hosts. Isa 45: 13 Paul, therefore, shows How Predestination Works
to prove that He is not Unjust-- God's First Step: THE word which came
to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, Jer 18:1 Arise, and go down to the
potters house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Jer 18:
2 Then I went down to the potters
house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. Jer 18: 3
God's Second Step: And the
vessel that he made of clay was
marred in the hand of the potter: so he made
it again another vessel, as SEEMED GOOD to the potter to make it. Jer
18:4 The CLAY did something while
the Potter was trying to make it into a "MING" vase. We can
understand this event by looking at other events: Shachath (h7843) shaw-khath'; a prim. root; to decay, i. e.
(caus.) ruin (lit. or fig.): - batter, cast off, corrupt (-er,
thing), destroy (- er, -uction), lose, mar, perish, spill, spoiler, *
utterly, waste (-r). These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his
generations, and Noah walked with God. Gen 6:9 And Noah begat
three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Gen 6:10 The earth also was
corrupt before God, and the earth was filled
with violence. Ge.6:11 And God looked upon the earth,
and, behold, it was corrupt; for ALL FLESH had corrupted his way upon the earth.
Ge.6:12 And God said unto Noah, The end
of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence
THROUGH THEM; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
Ge.6:13 And, behold, I, even I, do
bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein
is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in
the earth shall die. Ge.6:17 so he made it again another
vessel, as SEEMED GOOD to the potter to make it. Jer 18:4b
Good is: Yashar (g3474) yaw-shar'; a prim. root; to be
straight or even; fig. to be (causat. to make)
right, pleasant,
prosperous: - direct,
fit, seem good (meet), / please (well), be (esteem, go) right (on),
bring (look, make, take the) straight (way), be upright (-ly).
In all thy ways
acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Pr.3:6 God's Third Step: Jeremiah continued to show that the choice of how one
reacts to God's effort is initially in one's own hands. The issue
stems from Israel's willingness to disobey God and think that God
cannot SEE them or understand what they were doing. Then the word of
the Lord came to me, saying, Jer 18:5 O house of Israel,
cannot I do with you as
this potter? saith the
Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potters hand, so are ye in mine
hand, O house of Israel. Jer 18:6 At what instant I
shall speak concerning a nation,
and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it;
Jer 18:7 Because of their sin God
determines to destroy them. However, His predestinated decision is
CONDITIONAL: If that nation,
against whom I have pronounced, turn
from their evil, I will
repent of the
evil that I
thought to do unto
them. Jer 18:8
In the same way, when God
predetermines to build or plants a kingsom it is
CONDITIONAL: And at what instant
I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to
build and to plant
it; Jer 18:9
If it do evil in my
sight, that it
obey not my
voice, then I will
repent of the
good, wherewith I said
I would benefit them. Jer 18:10 Now therefore go
to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
saying, Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I frame evil against you, and
devise a device against
you: Jer 18:11a
Frame is: Yacar (h3335) yaw-tsar'; prob. identical with
3334 (through the squeezing into shape); ([comp. 3331]); to mould
into a form; espec. as a potter; fig. to determine (i. e. form a resolution): - * earthen, fashion, form, frame, make (-r),
potter, purpose. When God PURPOSES it is a
PRE-PURPOSE. However, his predestinated plan for people is
CONDITIONED on which "fork" in the road they take. return ye now
every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good. Jer 18:11 God's Final Natural Step: To teach the lesson, Jeremiah was told to take
along those who had caused Israel to fail--the elders and
priests--and go to the potter and buy a clay jar. After accusing them
of the same evils their ancestors had committed in the wilderness,
Jeremiah is told-- THUS saith the
Lord, Go and get a
potters earthen bottle,
and take of the ancients of the people, and of the ancients of the priests; Jer 19:1 And go forth unto
the valley of the son of
Hinnom, which is by the
entry of the east gate, and proclaim there the words that I shall
tell thee, Jer 19:2 And say, Hear ye the word of
the Lord, O kings of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem; Thus saith
the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring evil upon
this place, the which whosoever heareth, his ears shall tingle. Jer 19:3 Because they have
forsaken me, and have estranged this place, and have burned incense in it
unto other
gods, whom neither they
nor their fathers have known, nor the kings of Judah, and have filled
this place with the blood of innocents; Jer 19:4 They have built also the high
places of Baal, to burn
their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind: Jer
19:5 Then shalt thou break the bottle in the
sight of the men that
go with thee, Jer 19:10 And shalt say unto
them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Even so will I break this people
and this city, as one breaketh a potters vessel, that cannot be
made whole again: and they shall bury them in
Tophet, till there be no place to bury.
Jer 19:11 Thus will I do unto this place,
saith the Lord, and to the inhabitants thereof, and even make this
city as Tophet: Jer 19:12 And the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses upon whose
roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have
poured out drink offerings unto other gods. Jer 19:13 Then came Jeremiah from Tophet,
whither the Lord had sent him to prophesy; and he stood in the court
of the Lords house, and said to all the people, Jer 19:14
Thus saith the Lord of hosts,
the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon this city and upon all
her towns all the evil that I have pronounced against it,
because they
have hardened their necks, that they might not hear my
words. Jer 19:15 The Changed Predestination for the
Pot If choice and mercy do not work then the "jar"
stores up its own doom-- What if God,
willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known,
endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: Rom 9:22 And that he might make known
the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Rom 9:23
Even us, whom he hath
called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? Rom 9:24 Kletos
(g2822) klay-tos; from the same as 2821; invited, i.e. appointed, or (spec.) a saint: - called.
JUDE, the servant of Jesus
Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the
Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: Ju.1:1
These shall make war with the
Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and
King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and
faithful. Re.17:14 Earlier, Paul proved that the people had a
choice in becoming "the objects of His wrath"-- THEREFORE thou art
inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou
judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest
the same things. Rom 2:1 But we are sure
that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. Rom 2:2 And thinkest thou this, O man,
that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou
shalt escape the judgment of God? Rom 2:3 Or despisest thou
the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God
leadeth thee to
repentance? Rom 2:4
But, after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and
revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Rom 2:5 Who will render to
every man according to his deeds: Rom 2:6 To them who by patient
continuance in well doing seek
for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life: Rom 2:7 But unto them that
are contentious, and do
not obey the truth, but
obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Rom 2:8 Tribulation and anguish, upon
every soul of man that doeth evil; of the Jew first, and also of the
Gentile; Rom 2:9 But glory, honour, and peace,
to every man that worketh good; to the Jew first, and also to the
Gentile: Rom 2:10 For there is
no respect of persons
with God. Rom
2:11 If God predestinated some to
hell He would show respect of persons. As such, He would be guilty of
every precept of the Law of Moses: Prosopolepsia (g4382) pros-o-pol-ape- see'-ah; from 4381;
partiality, i.e. favoritism: - respect of persons. Knowing that
whatsoever good thing
any man doeth, the
same shall he
receive of the Lord,
whether he be bond or free. Eph 6:8 And, ye masters, do the same
things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that
your Master also is in
heaven; neither is
there respect of persons
with him. Ep.6:9
MY brethren, have not the faith
of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
James 2:1 If ye fulfil the royal law
according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,
ye do well: James 2:8 But if ye have respect to
persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as
transgressors. James 2:9 Prosopolepteo (g4380) pros-o- pol-ape-teh'-o; from 4381; to favor
an individual, i.e. show partiality: - have respect to persons.
For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without
law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the
law; Rom 2:12 (For not the hearers of the law
are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. Rom
2:13 For when the Gentiles, which
have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law,
these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Rom 2:14
As many means "as
many." Hosos (g3745) hos'-os; by redupl. from 3739; as (much, great, long, etc.) as: - all
(that), as (long, many, much) (as), how great (many, much), [in-]
asmuch as, so many as, that (ever), the more, those things, what
(great, - soever), wheresoever, wherewithsoever, which * while, who
(- soever). Now we know that
what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the
law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become
guilty before God. Ro.3:19 Then Peter opened his mouth,
and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: Ac.10:34 Prosopoleptes (g4381) pros-o-pol- ape'-tace; from 4383 and 2983;
an accepter of a face (individual), i.e. (spec.) one exhibiting
partiality: - respecter of persons. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be
judged by the
law; Rom 2:12
(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the
doers of the law shall be justified. Rom 2:13
For when the Gentiles, which
have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law,
these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Rom 2:14 Peter warned his readers that Paul's writings
in connection with predestination and faith were hard to understand
and easily perverted-- Nevertheless we,
according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth,
wherein dwelleth righteousness. 2 Pet 3:13 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that
ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in
peace, without spot, and blameless. 2 Pet 3:14 And account that the
longsuffering of our
Lord is salvation; even
as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto
him hath written unto you; 2 Pet 3:15 As also in all his epistles,
speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be
understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they
do also the other scriptures, unto their own 2 Pet 3:16 Therefore, in His foreknowledge God had
Peter contradict predestination-- Ye therefore,
beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also,
being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own
stedfastness. 2 Pet 3:17 But grow in grace, and in the
knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both
now and for ever. Amen. 2 Pet 3:18 In Isaiah and Jeremiah the predestination (Plan
or advice) of the Jews did not succeed because the Jews rejected the
Word of God and substituted their rituals with music and both a sign
and a cause of the failure of the Word. Now, to cap-off the prophecy Peter warns future
generations that they, too, can fall from a secure position (this
sound like a contradiction) by ignoring the Word which God
gave. The "impossible" Revival of the Smashed pot
is not national In Isaiah 5 Israel is seen as a vineyard
planted and tended by God Himself. However, because they imitated the
musical worship of Baalism they could not hear God's Word and fell.
As a result, the vineyard first became useless. Then, a few clusters
grew on the cursed vines but even the cluster was bad. However, some
individuals might be saved but even they were bad. Finally, perhaps
God might save just a tiny bit of juice from the whole lot. This was
the remnant which God would save by His grace. Again (as always) the people failed in their
predestinated role as God's "vineyard" by changing their religious
festivals into musical celebrations. As a result, as Amos warned,
they hungered and thirsted for the Word until they died or went into
captivity. The Psalmist wants God to change His predestination but it
will only come when God sends the son of man to send revival. Psalm
80 is somewhat parallel to Isaiah 5 in showing that God "planted"
Israel as a "vine" but they refused to produce fruit because of their
mixing of secular wine and music with their religious festivals. He
wrote (in part)-- "Let your hand rest
on the man at your right hand, the son of man you have raised up for
yourself. -- Psa 80:17 Then we will not turn away from
you; revive
us, and we will
call on your name.
-- Psa 80:18 It is too late to ask God what He has
already done! When the son of man came He did not attend the
"musical rituals" at the Feast of Tabernacles. He denounced the Jews
as "children playing musical games" while plotting to kill Him. And
he ejected the funeral mourners while He was reviving the dead
girl--she was not dead in the pagan sense which called on the
mourners to appease her so that she knew that she was loved and would
not return and do them harm. When Jesus revived this dead girl He did what
He did to create the universe: He spoke the words and revival came.
This was the nature which Christ brought with Him from God--
The Word became
flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the
glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace
and truth. -- John 1:14 "The Spirit gives life; the
flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit
and they are life. -- John 6:63 Jesus knew about the "dead vine" of Judaism
caused by their rejection of God and His Word. Therefore, He became
the new vine. He showed the contrast with Isaiah 5 by saying that
even as God Incarnate He would do exactly what God commanded Him.
Only in this way can He become the true vine to keep the Word as
"spirit power" coming from God-- "but the world must
learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has
commanded me. "Come now; let us leave. -- John 14:31 "I am the true vine, and my
Father is the gardener. -- John 15:1 He cuts off every branch in me
that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he
prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. -- John 15:2
Dead vines, cracked pots and adulteresses! No
fine people there to force God to predestinate anyone to
heaven. In the potter analogy, the pot was hardened,
cracked, and beyond any use as far as the human potter was concerned.
However, God still has a way of saving those who have predestinated
themselves to be lost. Paul, therefore, points us back to Hosea and
divorce to prove his point how He takes the place of the failed
people-- As he says in
Hosea: "I will call them 'my people' who are not my people; and I
will call her 'my loved one' who is not my loved one," -- Rom 9:25
and, "It will happen that in
the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,'
they will be called 'sons of
the living God.'" -- Rom 9:26 Moses "permitted" divorce because the
"hardness
of the Jews heart" allowed them to treat a wife as disposable
property which subjected her to death. To declare her innocence and
freedom to remarry, he demanded that the man give her a certificate
which, according to Josephus, was a "certificate of innocence."
However, to limit their wild practices, Moses declared that if the
"put away" wife married another then the divorcing man could never
take her back as a wife. The "permission" therefore carried along a
powerful restriction. In the same way, Jesus said that the Jews could
not make-and-break the marriage relationship to suit their fancy. To
limit their "freedom" Jesus says that if you break the bond and she
remarries, the old marriage has been adulterated and cannot be
restored. By analogy, once you put "acid" into a cup of coffee it is
no longer called coffee: it is called acid and you can never drink it
again--it has been adulterated. The prophets understood this and said--
"If a man divorces
his wife and she leaves him and marries another man, should he return
to her again? Would not the land be completely defiled? But you have
lived as a prostitute with many lovers--would you now return to me?"
declares the LORD. -- Jer 3:1 Paul uses this passage because the meaning of
adultery is that a marriage bond is broken and must not--cannot--be
restored by human power. In the same way the dead vine and the
cracked pot cannot be restored. In time, when Israel had totally rejected even
supernatural tolerance as shown in Hosea, and after the nation became
a spiritual whore, God "divorced" them and "sent them away." However,
because He was God he had the power to do what no Jew was to do. That
is, He had the power to restore the people as His "wife." I will plant her
for myself in the land; I will show my love to the one I called 'Not
my loved one. ' I will say to those called 'Not my people, ' 'You are
my people'; and they will say,
'You are my God.'" -- Hosea 2:23 As a result, all of Israel was a "broken pot"
which could not be mended, a "dead vine" with no chance for revival,
or they were a "divorced wife" which could not be taken back again.
There was none so righteous that they had a legal claim on God's
grace. Therefore, they were all predestinated to be lost based on
their own merit. However, Paul continued to show that "dead
vines" will be cut off so that the tiny branches still attached to
Jesus as the vine can be fruitful. These branches are the tiny
remnant which God saved out of grace. All of those millions of
natural descendants of Abraham were lost but the prophet cried and
Paul quotes-- Isaiah cries out
concerning Israel: "Though the number of the Israelites be like the
sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved. -- Rom 9:27
For the Lord will carry out his
sentence on earth with speed and finality." -- Rom 9:28 It is just as Isaiah said
previously: "Unless the Lord Almighty had left us descendants, we
would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah." --
Rom 9:29 Cracked pots, dead vines, adulterated wives and
now "Sodomites" and the whole "city" is in worthy of being destroyed.
These "deviates" were the "superior" people of the earth demanding
that not even God Himself can overcome Abraham and keep them out of
heaven even if they are Sodomites. However, God is not helpless! God created and
God can tear down. No person who has ever lived can show his "ticket"
out of Sodom to be spared. And God would speedily carry out his
sentence on earth with speed and finality. A million Jews would die
very shortly, their nature city and temple would be torn down
stone-by-stone, the nature music and burning animals would cease and
the Jewish nature state would come to an end. However, a tiny remnant of Jews and Gentiles
were warned, fled the city and the claim is that not one Christian
died in Jerusalem. Therefore, Paul again connects with Isaiah who
said-- Though your people,
O Israel, be like the sand by the sea, only a remnant will return.
Destruction has been decreed, overwhelming and righteous. -- Isa
10:22 A few Jews tried to earn God's approval by
going to Temple on the Sabbath but most of them turned to Canaanite
Baalism. Most Gentiles tried to find God through the musical rituals
of "Ishtar mourning for Tammuz" and the "sun rise services." However,
neither Jew or Gentile "found" God on their own. Only when God has
stood squarely in the middle of the street and "allowed Himself to be
found" would a tiny group survive. Now, Paul uses the fact established in earlier
chapters that neither Jew nor Gentile had succeeded in their search
for religion. Therefore, the few Gentiles who found salvation in
Christ are God's true remnant according to the promise made to
Abraham. What then shall we
say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue
righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; --
Rom 9:30 but Israel, who pursued a law
of righteousness, has not attained it. -- Rom 9:31 Why not? Because they
pursued it not by
faith but as if it were
by works. They stumbled over the "stumbling stone." -- Rom 9:32
As it is written: "See, I lay
in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will
never be put to shame." -- Rom 9:33 Faith always came from "hearing and hearing
from the Word of God." The Jews could just believe and obey the Word
of God and He would accept that as keeping the whole law. Keeping
God's commandments was not considered the "works" which Paul
condemned. Rather, from his statements from the prophets we know that
"works" was trying to do something which pleased themselves while
"devoting" it to God. Amos shows the clearest case of trying to
"marry" paganism to the law. The Jews in imitation of the Canaanites
believed that God was "far away" or perhaps even dead. Therefore,
they had musical arousers who tried to "call God into His temple" to
meet their needs so that they could then go out and do whatever they
wanted to do. However, Paul again alienates the Jews by showing that
you don't have to go up to Jerusalem to the temple and buy a lame
lamb--you can find God in the vineyards of Greece-- From one man he made every nation of men, that
they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined
the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.
-- Acts 17:26 God did this so that
men would seek
him and perhaps reach
out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.
-- Acts 17:27 In the Hebrew the two verbs are the nifal
tolerativum: 'I let myself be found (gave myself to be found), let
myself become manifest." (Lenski, Rom. 10:20). Paul continues to call us to Isaiah who warned
that the Jews failed by their Cane-Ridge like rituals. They claimed
that they were "seeking God" but they were "pursuing their own
imaginations." They were "out of their minds" and this and other
clues clearly show that they were involved with the musical attempt
to find God on their own terms while ignoring the Scripture which was
always the source of revival-- I revealed myself
to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not
seek me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, 'Here am
I, here am I.' -- Isa 65:1 All day long I have held out
my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good,
pursuing their own imaginations-- -- Isa 65:2 a people who continually
provoke me to my very face, offering sacrifices in gardens and
burning incense on altars of brick; -- Isa 65:3 who sit among the graves and
spend their nights keeping secret vigil; who eat the flesh of pigs,
and whose pots hold broth of unclean meat; -- Isa 65:4 The cracked pot could not mend itself, the dead
vine could not come alive and the adulterous wife could not return.
Therefore, God "went looking" to find the remnant not smart enough to
know that you can "reach out and touch Him" by giving cups of cold
water. However, the thought that Jesus could mend the
pot, become the new vine, and die in the place of the adulterous wife
could not be accepted because Jesus was "just that carpenter's son"
and "we don't know who his father is." He had never "called up the
gods" nor had he joined in at the "talent fair" at the Feast of
Tabernacles to become "a man of note." The brothers of Jesus had
warned Him that He had better get "on the program!" The final analogy is that the walls and temples
always fell down because the Jews couldn't build a wall that could
not be torn down. It was not the "wall of fire as salvation" provided
by God Himself. To make the new "temple" stand firm you began with a
cornerstone or capstone which would tie the "living stones" together
so that it could not be torn down. However, if you refused to be "molded into" the
new temple or wall the cornerstone would trip you up or fall on you
and smash you like an animal trap. Peter calls us back to the Old
Testament when he warned-- For in Scripture it
says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." -- 1 Pet
2:6 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those
who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the
capstone, " -- 1 Pet 2:7 and, "A stone that causes men
to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because
they disobey the
message--which is also
what they were destined for. -- 1 Pet 2:8 He also knew about Isaiah who wrote--
and he will be a sanctuary; but for both
houses of Israel he will be a stone that
causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. And for the people
of Jerusalem he will be a trap
and a snare.
-- Isa 8:14 The "experiences" of the Jews led them to
believe that they were predestinated and could not be lost. This, in
turn, led Calvin and others to believe that Christians are
predestinated and cannot be lost. The charismatic "experience" once
validated puts one in a "secure position" from which one cannot fall.
This false belief always "did more harm than good." Therefore, because they were ignorant of their
own Bible, Paul calls them back to their prophets to show that
initially no person was worthy of salvation. However, God extended
His grace to the Jews in order that they become a "nation of priests"
to minister His Word to all "nations" which would include
Gentiles. Even when they failed God always gave them a
second and third chance until they were "hardened" beyond being
"worked with." Even then, God has the power to take such utterly
dead, hardened, cracked, and adulterated people back if they will
permit Jesus to make them alive, soften their harts, mend the cracks,
and purify the defilement.
