Jesus quoted the same passage from prophecy in Matthew 13:14, 15 as Paul did in Acts 28:25-27, concerning the hardness of Israel. But when Jesus spoke on earth to Israel and Jesus spoke from heaven through Paul, he had different purposes in mind for the same passage.
Quoting from Isaiah 6:10, Jesus intended to inform his true disciples that whoever accepted him to be who he said he was, would be identified as the true children of God; that the promised kingdom would be reserved for a "little flock" who brought forth fruit according to his will, and not for the disobedient. He spoke nothing of Israel's hardness becoming the salvation of the Gentiles. To reiterate, neither Jesus nor Isaiah disclosed the mystery of what would happen through the hardening of Israel. But Paul did. Jesus taught that the hardening of Israel would amount to the salvation of the remnant of Israel: the revelation of the mystery of the kingdom. But Paul taught that the hardening of Israel would amount to the salvation of the Gentiles: the revelation of the dispensation of the grace of God. The former mystery was one found in and concerning the prophecies; the latter is applying prophecy to reveal the Gentile mystery. The former was intended to give hope to those faithful Israelites who believed on Christ as Messiah; the latter was intended to give hope to the hopeless Gentiles. Christ said from Isaiah what he did, in order to give clarity to the prophecies which spoke of unbelieving Israel; and to identify those who believed on him as the true people of God. Everything hinged on the question, "Who do you say that I am?"
But hidden in the words of select prophesies, unbeknownst to anyone but God when he spoke them, was mystery truth which would later find similar but different application than the meaning intended for its original audience and context. This is how Paul could say to the Gentiles of Israel's promises, "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved" (2 Corinthians 7:1). But God has by no means joined the Gentiles to himself by any covenants today; nor has he taken them and joined them to the house of Israel. All blessings received today are in the body of Christ, the household of faith.
It is solely by the mystery purpose of the work accomplished at the cross that all men are drawn near, on an equal plane. But there is mystery truth for the body of Christ hidden in prophecies pertaining to the children of Israel. The prophecies do not speak of the body of Christ, they speak of and toward Israel. No one studying the Old Testament writings would ever be able to arrive on the fact that there would be a body of Christ, or that salvation would come to the Gentiles through Israel's fall. Yet, with the revelation of the mystery given to Paul, God chose to use him to draw out hidden truths from prophecies that would support this new teaching.
The mystery of the nations is an equation that has two simple elements: The falling of Israel equals the rising of the Gentiles.
Although nothing prior to Paul was recorded of the fact that salvation would be sent to the Gentiles through the fall of Israel, Paul used what was stated in prophecy--Israel's fall and the Gentiles' kingdom salvation--as a foundation upon which to build the truth of the mystery. For the Jews, once Jesus arrived on the scene as flesh and blood, whether a Jew was right before God or at fault, hinged solely upon who he believed Jesus was. This is why Peter quoted Moses, saying, "For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people" (Acts 3:22, 23). So those who rejected his identity were known by their fruits, in that, not believing who he was, they refused to obey what he said to do. This was fallen Israel, who did not "bring forth fruits meet for repentance".
Returning to the beginning of this study, Paul and Barnabas stated, "For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth" (Acts 13:47). According to Isaiah 49:6, the prophesy that is quoted here, the "thee" has the entire nation of Israel in mind, and by no means referred to one or two men. For in Isaiah 60:3, he says, "And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising." This is the end goal of Israel: that with the glory of the Lord shining unhindered upon her, the rest of the world will come to that brightness. This will come to pass when Israel is glorified in the millennial kingdom to come, but has by no means yet occurred. Not until Israel shone the light God gave her would she be a light to the world. But, in her darkness, she had no good works to prove God was with her.
Why then would Paul quote such a verse? In this we see only one of the many instances where Paul used prophecies concerning Israel, to make known the mystery for the Gentiles, just as it is recorded in Romans 16:26. He says that the mystery has been revealed, and "by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith." That is, since there are a great many parallels between what God has planned for Israel, and what he secretly planned for the Gentiles, it was "according to the commandment of the everlasting God" that passages intended for Israel be used for the Gentiles. This by no means indicates that the truths of the mystery were found in prophecy. For as I have said, essentially Paul took the liberty of violating the context of Isaiah's prophecy, in order to apply it to his office to the Gentiles. Since there is much agreement in what God has planned for the Jews and what he has planned for the Gentiles, there is application in many areas.
The mystery God introduced through Paul's preaching interrupted the prophetic timetable and promises God had with Israel. Therefore it is obvious that there would be no congruence between the two teachings. Again, there are similarities such as our mutual promise of a kingdom: yet, for the Jews it is on earth, and for the Gentiles it is in heaven. Accordingly then, Paul would have been free to quote a prophesy given to Israel concerning her earthly kingdom promise, as one for the Gentiles in their heavenly kingdom in the body of Christ, even though the prophetic promise deals with a different time frame, restoration of the earth, not heaven, etc. As long as the words of prophesy agree with the words of the mystery, they may be applied to this present dispensation, regardless of their context. Some principles of God's word are "trans-dispensational", extending throughout all ages.
We could say, in a sense, Christ set Paul to be the individual embodiment of all that he wanted for Israel. Instead of waiting for the restoration of Israel to move toward the Gentiles with the salvation she possessed, God decided to make Paul that vessel, with the preaching of "in Christ". This being so, we see things in their proper perspective. Gentiles will yet come to the brightness of Israel when Israel is brightened by the glory of Christ's second advent. But now, through the apostle to the Gentiles, the Gentiles do not have to pass through Israel to come to God as recipients of salvation. "For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father" (Ephesians 2:18). God's oracles, which he once committed to the Jews (Romans 3:1, 2), are also now to the Gentiles (Colossians 1:25-27). What is going on today, as far as the will of God is concerned, is not prophecy being fulfilled: it's the fulfillment of the mystery.
Then there is the consideration of the two olive trees.
We can glean from the eleventh chapter of Romans that Israel has been set aside at this present time. At the period when Romans was written, there were living apostles and disciples who were yet looking forward to the reception of the promised land (although I believe it soon became clear to them that the kingdom would not be given to the them in their lifetime; nevertheless, they continued to go to the Circumcision [Jews] as recorded in Galatians 2:9). During that time, Paul was also using his position as an apostle of the Gentiles, incorporating signs and wonders (something not indicative of a messenger of God today), to provoke the Jews to jealousy and save some (Romans 11:13, 14; 15:16-19). Paul using his office specifically for the salvation of Jews shows that God still was not finished with them, even though the nation was falling. Likewise, when Paul said he preached the gospel of Christ "to the Jew first", this was because, according to Paul and Barnabas, it was "necessary" to deliver this message to the Jews while they were "on the way out" so to speak, in order to snatch some of them out of their unbelief with the gospel of grace, and also to keep them without excuse until they were set aside entirely.
Ultimately, the reason it was "necessary", I believe has a few explanations:
First, it was simply because out of Israel's seed came Christ (Romans 9:5), and the gospel of grace pertained to him. The salvation Christ came to deliver was Jewish salvation until Paul revealed it to be of the Gentiles as well (Romans 15:8; 1 Timothy 2:6). And, indeed, remission of sins through his blood is the New Covenant which he gave to Israel; it is the blessing we attain to as Gentiles, without a covenant, simply by the reconciliation purpose God had in mind while he was working in Christ at the cross.
It is clear that Peter, James and John continued to minister to the Jews even after learning of Paul's distinct ministry on account of the record we have in the book of Galatians. They did not perceive the grace given to Paul and throw up their hands, saying, "Well, God's done with Israel." A gradual diminishing is certainly evident.
Second, the book of Romans being written during the time of Israel's decline, I believe, makes "to the Jew first" necessary, as time was very short--that principle would be short-lived. Yes there are Jews today. But they are not covenant Israel with all the promises, the special favor, the law of commandments and all other intrinsic blessings. God still had compassion for that Israel, as he always had and has; and to see covenant Israel falling, doubtlessly grieved him, even with the glorious mystery purpose at hand. Just as Jesus said, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" (Matthew 23:37). So, God sought to war against their unbelief, the cause of their lapse, by provoking them to jealousy by Paul's ministry; perhaps, then, some would believe. Then, when the casting away was complete, Jews and Gentiles would be regarded the same.
Third, Paul in the body of Christ, as well as many to whom he delivered the gospel of grace, were covenant Jews (see Acts 13:43). Now, when I say "covenant Jews" I mean the nation as a whole, as distinguished by their circumcision, including those who were actually right with
God and those who were not, individually. Being circumcised according to the flesh did not save; it kept an Israelite in the company of the people whom God was with and to whom he spoke exclusively. But only circumcision according to the heart and spirit saved (Romans 2:28, 29); and so, in bringing the whole nation near, God's ultimate goal was to see each individual believe him. God's salvation, his favor, blanketed the entire nation of Israel to the exclusion of all others, covering even those within who did not believe him. God always wanted to continue to preserve a remnant of Israel; even in the time of the mystery, the time of the body of Christ when Israel is set aside. And so he has. And how blessed the election for the remnant in the body of Christ! For it was "no more of works" (Romans 11:6)!
Prior to Paul's salvation, the nation of Israel was in view. However, following the salvation of Paul, the Jews only held precedence in that the gospel of grace was sent first to them, but obviously not exclusively. Paul had liberty to go to whomever he wished at that time (for he says, "From Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ" [Romans 15:19]). But in his early ministry, he had agreement with the Holy Spirit within his conscience that the Jews should receive the truth (Romans 9:1-3). In addition to this, Paul states the benefits of being a Jew in Romans 3:1, 2 and Romans 9:4, 5, of which he makes no mention in his later epistles. For all of those things which were benefits at one time and which made Israel unique and precious, Paul says in Ephesians 2:12-16, God did away with at the cross, in order to make Jews and Gentiles one--equals with one no longer favored over the other.
The entire list in Romans 9:4, the "adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises" has been unraveled, in that these blessings are no longer Israel-exclusive. Gentiles are adopted by faith (Romans 8:15; Galatians 3:26); we were destined for glory upon believing the gospel which was sent to us (1 Corinthians 2:7; 2 Thessalonians 2:14); we are partakers of the spiritual aspects of the New Covenant (2 Corinthians 3:6; Romans 15:27); we are given the law of the Spirit of life and the law of Christ (Romans 8:2; Galatians 6:2); we are given the service of God in a new form, not of the letter, but of the Spirit (Romans 7:6; Philippians 3:3); and we are blessed with the promise of life which is reserved for us in Christ (Ephesians 3:6; 2 Timothy 1:1). God will turn to Israel again on account of "the fathers" and on account of Christ who came from their flesh (Romans 9:5). It is for their sake and for Christ's that Israel remains "beloved" despite her history of disobedience and present unbelief (Romans 11:28-31; Acts 13:23).
God always intended to bless all nations, according to the promise he gave to Abraham, "In thy seed shall all nations be blessed."
But "in thy seed" has been applied in two different ways since then. Throughout the entire history of Israel, she has been that seed. Peter said, "Ye men of Israel...Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed" (Acts 3:12, 25). This was because, in times past, God identified the seed of Abraham by the ordinance of circumcision (Genesis 17:9-14) which those who believed him would perform in order to continue in the covenant blessings God promised to those who obeyed. This limited who could be a part of that seed. But with that ordinance done away and the formation of the "one new man", the body of Christ, Paul used the revelation of the mystery to redefine the identity of the "seed". The "seed" today is Christ. "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ" (Galatians 3:16). Therefore, we have the truth of "in Christ shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." Is this not so entirely different from how it was with Israel? For with Israel, her being the seed meant that in her, all nations of the earth would be blessed! But now has Christ become that seed, cutting out the necessity of joining to Israel for God's favor.
I conclude then, that "to the Jew first" has no bearing on the plan of God today. When the full revelation of the mystery came in, and Israel was out, the principle was rendered obsolete. In fact, to give special favor to "Israel" today (which is not God's Israel, only a reprobate nation of Jews), is against the plan of God, not for it. For "there is neither Jew, nor Gentile" in Christ. This being so, we are to have equal respect toward all men, seeing not their flesh or the works of their flesh, but instead looking at the spirit. This makes Israel-specific ministries today contrary to the will of God. In addition, having some reverence for the so-called "Holy Land" over any other place in the world is also foolish; because the land east of the Mediterranean Sea is not recognized today as "Zion". But we should not hate the Jews, nor should we think that we as Gentiles have permanently replaced them. Paul says, "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" (Romans 11:25). The Gentiles will be cut off and Israel shall be saved at some point in the near future. Therefore, we should not be "wise in our own conceits".
But ultimately, since Christ died for everyone without distinction, how we look at mankind should be the same. While the old program with Israel supported distinctions, because of the mystery of the cross-work of Christ, the old is gone and the new has come.
For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:14-17
This concludes Part 2
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Me First! (Part 1)
What follows is a two-part series regarding the issues surrounding the principle of "Jew first" in the Bible.
I'd like to consider why the Jew was first; Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles--why did he say "to the Jew first"? What did Paul mean when he said, "To the Jew first" concerning the gospel he preached? Is that still applicable today? That is, should the Jews of today be given precedence when we share the gospel? That seems to be what Romans 1:16 teaches. I will examine these things further in the following paragraphs.
In the Acts record it is clear that, even after the stoning of Stephen and the salvation of Saul (who came to be called "Paul"), God was not finished with the Jews. For Paul went first into every synagogue to attempt to prove that Jesus was the Christ. What's more, not only the "gospel of God" (the revelation of Christ from prophecy, which Peter also preached) was upon Paul's lips, but he testified the "gospel of Christ" (the revelation of the righteousness of God by faith, first made known by Paul) as being "to the Jew first".
The gospel of Christ being spoken first to the Jews is in agreement with the words of Acts 13:46 when Paul and Barnabas declared, "It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you", speaking to the men of Israel. This "word of God" is referring to the good news he and Barnabas delivered the previous Sabbath, when Paul said, "through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses" (Acts 13:38, 39). That is the "gospel of Christ". In fact, Paul's purpose for "magnifying his office" as apostle of the Gentiles was to provoke the Jews to jealousy (Romans 11:13, 14).
Despite being first, however, the Jewish audience begins to diminish more and more as the Gentile audience increases. This is detailed by the events in the book of Acts, but clarified in the book of Romans. "Now if the fall of them (Israel) be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?" (Romans 11:12). It is clear that this seemingly gradual "diminishing" became the full-fledged fall that Paul speaks of in Romans because of Paul's final declaration in Acts where he said, "Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and they will hear it" (Acts 28:28). THE salvation of God, that was once "of the Jews" (John 4:22), had now passed to the rest of the world. No longer would Israel nationally be regarded as God's people; and it will continue this way "until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in" (Romans 11:25).
Why the interruption, then? If one carefully studies the earthly ministry of Christ in the accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, he should be able to realize that at the beginning of the book of Acts, everything was proceeding according to plan! Jesus spent almost all of his ministry on earth, expounding upon what had already been recorded in prophecy, explaining to the Jews who would follow him about the tribulation that must come and the kingdom that would follow. Those who would be true Israelites would be identified by their belief in Christ as the true Messiah, King of Israel. And so, the Holy Spirit's ministry in the beginning of the Acts record shows the preaching of Jesus Christ as the anointed of God, and the command for Israel's repentance in accordance with what was written in Leviticus:
If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me; and that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity: then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land. Leviticus 26:40-42
National repentance was expected of them for the inheritance of the kingdom. It always had been. But it will not be until the greatest trial the world has ever known that the remnant of Jews will repent and come into the kingdom promised to them. This is recorded in Zechariah, where it says:
And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God. Zechariah 13:8, 9
God knew this, of course; but he offered them the kingdom anyway, and despite widespread unbelief, many were saved.
Thus the mystery enters.
It was a split in the timetable, with an interjection of a hidden plan; a gap created just as Israel was being gathered out of the nations, receiving the Spirit, and being offered repentance for the advent of the kingdom; on the brink of Jacob's Trouble. And that gap will end soon, ushering in the dreaded tribulation that will bring true Israel out, shining as the sun. But we have the insertion of something unprophesied.
In the ninth chapter of Romans, Paul answers the question, "Why favor the Jews to the rejection of the Gentiles?" In times past, God made the decision to bring an elect nation out of Jacob, with whom he would dwell, while leaving Esau to himself. Out of Jacob came Israel, and out of Esau came the Gentiles. Not as though there were no other nations (Gentiles) beside those which came from Esau, but that Jacob was the first to be identified as "Israel", and out of the same womb came his brother, who did not believe as Jacob did. Thus we have the definitive distinction made between the elect nation of Israel, and the rest of the world, made clear by just two men: Jacob and Esau. The line through whom the nation of Israel would come, began with Abraham, passed through Isaac (as opposed to Ishmael), and rested upon Jacob, who was called "Israel" (as opposed to Esau). But Paul explains that God had mercy in mind when he elected one nation to be above the rest:
Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 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: and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? Romans 9:21-24
God had something in mind--"mercy unto glory"--reserved for the Gentiles. Paul calls this in Colossians 1:27, "the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles." God withheld the "vessels of wrath" which will come upon the world in the tribulation period, so that, prior to this judgment which he delayed, mercy could be shown to the world. He is entirely fair to all men, in that, secretly, while Israel was given prominence above all nations and the Gentiles were far off, she would for a time be cast off so that salvation could come to the Gentiles. No one comprehended this, but it was in the mind of God before the foundation of the world.
What about prophecy then?
It is true that Gentile salvation had its place in what was spoken before in prophecy, and it is also true that it was written that Israel would be cast off. But the mystery totally confounds the context of such things. For, according to prophecy, Gentile salvation would come through the nation of Israel, not without her. And while a Gentile could join the company of Israel at any time and enjoy her salvation, the salvation of Gentiles in great number was the salvation reserved for the earthly kingdom of the Jews. In accordance with prophesy, it could never have been said that salvation was "of the Gentiles" (i.e. "sent to them"); the salvation to which the believing Jews are to look is found in the New Covenant God made with Israel, which is to be enacted at the foundation of the millennial kingdom of Christ--all of this future, not having yet occurred. Equally, even with the threats of Israel's destruction, it was certain that she would not be cast off entirely.
But it was also uncertain that her casting off would give way to salvation sent distinctly to the Gentiles. The prophesies Paul quotes that support Gentile salvation apart from Israel, are deliberately taken out of their prophetical context. This is a strictly Pauline principle I will discuss in greater detail in Part 2 of this study. But for now, it must be realized that this mystery was kept hidden until its proper time. For many believe that Jesus discussed the fact that Gentiles would be given favor apart from the Jews because of statements such as this:
And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 8:11, 12
Indeed, the statement, "many from the east and west" has Gentiles in mind. Jesus was finishing conversation with a Gentile centurion at this point. The key is, however, that firstly; Jesus identifies the kingdom of heaven (kingdom of heavenly origin set up on earth) as occupied by the fathers of Israel, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (cf. Genesis 48:21; Acts 26:6-8; 1 Kings 9:5). Secondly; it is clear from other of his words that there will be a remnant of Israel who obeyed God and will find their place in that kingdom. And thirdly; it's the prophetic promised land of which he is speaking. Indeed, the kingdom was prepared for the obedient from the foundation of the word, whether they were Jews or Gentiles (Matthew 25:34), even though the gospel of the kingdom was sent to the Jews exclusively (Matthew 10:5-7). Peter said, "But in every nation, he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted of him" (Acts 10:35). And had the tribulation begun shortly after Jesus' death and resurrection, I am confident that the centurion spoken of here would have entered into Israel's earthly kingdom with the Jews because, as it is written of him, "He was worthy...for he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue" (Luke 7:4, 5). He blessed Israel and thought nothing of himself as a Gentile, as a result; knowing full-well Israel's preeminence in the sight of God. Yet no tribulation has come, and the kingdom has not yet been established; we're operating under a different set of circumstances today.
The point Jesus was making at this time was the same he was making throughout his entire earthly life: in comparison to the vast size of the nation of Israel, only a few would inherit the kingdom promised to their fathers. This discourse was never intended to disclose, nor even hint at, the revelation of the mystery reserved for Paul. It is a simple, albeit surprising, statement that many Gentiles will occupy Israel's kingdom; more than the children themselves.
Then there's this one:
Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. Matthew 21:43
Again, all in the context of the earthly kingdom of God, notice Jesus does not say, "given to nations" (plural), but "a nation" (singular). That single nation was TRUE Israel, those who believed in Jesus Christ as Messiah, and of whom it was stated, "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32). The ones from whom the kingdom would be taken, according to whom Jesus was speaking during this discourse, were the "chief priests and pharisees" (Matthew 21:45), apostate Israel! This in accordance with the statement Paul spoke of Israel, saying, "they are not all Israel, which are of Israel" (Romans 9:6). The kingdom promises would be ripped from the disobedient and unbelieving among the nation and given to a small group of Jews.
Jesus spoke in parables but gave understanding of them only to those who believed. "Many are called, but few chosen", he declared. Only the believing remnant would be selected as the true Israel of God. Likewise, the verses which teach about the blindness and hardness of Israel were written concerning unbelieving Israel. There were mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, reserved only for the remnant of Israel who would believe; mysteries which were withheld from those who were hardened. Peter spoke to the righteous remnant when he said,
Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; they ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. 1 Peter 2:7-9
This status was promised all the way back in the times of the exodus from Egypt, when God said to the new nation,
Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. Exodus 19:5, 6
Peter, by the Holy Spirit, craftily likens the calling out of the remnant from the midst of apostate Israel which occurred in his day, to the time when the Jews were in bondage to Egypt and were led out by Moses. Whatever the time frame in that nation's history, it is only the obedient, the ones who believe God among a people destitute of faith, who become a "kingdom of priests" in the millennium to come.
This concludes Part 1
I'd like to consider why the Jew was first; Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles--why did he say "to the Jew first"? What did Paul mean when he said, "To the Jew first" concerning the gospel he preached? Is that still applicable today? That is, should the Jews of today be given precedence when we share the gospel? That seems to be what Romans 1:16 teaches. I will examine these things further in the following paragraphs.
In the Acts record it is clear that, even after the stoning of Stephen and the salvation of Saul (who came to be called "Paul"), God was not finished with the Jews. For Paul went first into every synagogue to attempt to prove that Jesus was the Christ. What's more, not only the "gospel of God" (the revelation of Christ from prophecy, which Peter also preached) was upon Paul's lips, but he testified the "gospel of Christ" (the revelation of the righteousness of God by faith, first made known by Paul) as being "to the Jew first".
The gospel of Christ being spoken first to the Jews is in agreement with the words of Acts 13:46 when Paul and Barnabas declared, "It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you", speaking to the men of Israel. This "word of God" is referring to the good news he and Barnabas delivered the previous Sabbath, when Paul said, "through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses" (Acts 13:38, 39). That is the "gospel of Christ". In fact, Paul's purpose for "magnifying his office" as apostle of the Gentiles was to provoke the Jews to jealousy (Romans 11:13, 14).
Despite being first, however, the Jewish audience begins to diminish more and more as the Gentile audience increases. This is detailed by the events in the book of Acts, but clarified in the book of Romans. "Now if the fall of them (Israel) be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?" (Romans 11:12). It is clear that this seemingly gradual "diminishing" became the full-fledged fall that Paul speaks of in Romans because of Paul's final declaration in Acts where he said, "Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and they will hear it" (Acts 28:28). THE salvation of God, that was once "of the Jews" (John 4:22), had now passed to the rest of the world. No longer would Israel nationally be regarded as God's people; and it will continue this way "until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in" (Romans 11:25).
Why the interruption, then? If one carefully studies the earthly ministry of Christ in the accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, he should be able to realize that at the beginning of the book of Acts, everything was proceeding according to plan! Jesus spent almost all of his ministry on earth, expounding upon what had already been recorded in prophecy, explaining to the Jews who would follow him about the tribulation that must come and the kingdom that would follow. Those who would be true Israelites would be identified by their belief in Christ as the true Messiah, King of Israel. And so, the Holy Spirit's ministry in the beginning of the Acts record shows the preaching of Jesus Christ as the anointed of God, and the command for Israel's repentance in accordance with what was written in Leviticus:
If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me; and that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity: then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land. Leviticus 26:40-42
National repentance was expected of them for the inheritance of the kingdom. It always had been. But it will not be until the greatest trial the world has ever known that the remnant of Jews will repent and come into the kingdom promised to them. This is recorded in Zechariah, where it says:
And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God. Zechariah 13:8, 9
God knew this, of course; but he offered them the kingdom anyway, and despite widespread unbelief, many were saved.
Thus the mystery enters.
It was a split in the timetable, with an interjection of a hidden plan; a gap created just as Israel was being gathered out of the nations, receiving the Spirit, and being offered repentance for the advent of the kingdom; on the brink of Jacob's Trouble. And that gap will end soon, ushering in the dreaded tribulation that will bring true Israel out, shining as the sun. But we have the insertion of something unprophesied.
In the ninth chapter of Romans, Paul answers the question, "Why favor the Jews to the rejection of the Gentiles?" In times past, God made the decision to bring an elect nation out of Jacob, with whom he would dwell, while leaving Esau to himself. Out of Jacob came Israel, and out of Esau came the Gentiles. Not as though there were no other nations (Gentiles) beside those which came from Esau, but that Jacob was the first to be identified as "Israel", and out of the same womb came his brother, who did not believe as Jacob did. Thus we have the definitive distinction made between the elect nation of Israel, and the rest of the world, made clear by just two men: Jacob and Esau. The line through whom the nation of Israel would come, began with Abraham, passed through Isaac (as opposed to Ishmael), and rested upon Jacob, who was called "Israel" (as opposed to Esau). But Paul explains that God had mercy in mind when he elected one nation to be above the rest:
Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 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: and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? Romans 9:21-24
God had something in mind--"mercy unto glory"--reserved for the Gentiles. Paul calls this in Colossians 1:27, "the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles." God withheld the "vessels of wrath" which will come upon the world in the tribulation period, so that, prior to this judgment which he delayed, mercy could be shown to the world. He is entirely fair to all men, in that, secretly, while Israel was given prominence above all nations and the Gentiles were far off, she would for a time be cast off so that salvation could come to the Gentiles. No one comprehended this, but it was in the mind of God before the foundation of the world.
What about prophecy then?
It is true that Gentile salvation had its place in what was spoken before in prophecy, and it is also true that it was written that Israel would be cast off. But the mystery totally confounds the context of such things. For, according to prophecy, Gentile salvation would come through the nation of Israel, not without her. And while a Gentile could join the company of Israel at any time and enjoy her salvation, the salvation of Gentiles in great number was the salvation reserved for the earthly kingdom of the Jews. In accordance with prophesy, it could never have been said that salvation was "of the Gentiles" (i.e. "sent to them"); the salvation to which the believing Jews are to look is found in the New Covenant God made with Israel, which is to be enacted at the foundation of the millennial kingdom of Christ--all of this future, not having yet occurred. Equally, even with the threats of Israel's destruction, it was certain that she would not be cast off entirely.
But it was also uncertain that her casting off would give way to salvation sent distinctly to the Gentiles. The prophesies Paul quotes that support Gentile salvation apart from Israel, are deliberately taken out of their prophetical context. This is a strictly Pauline principle I will discuss in greater detail in Part 2 of this study. But for now, it must be realized that this mystery was kept hidden until its proper time. For many believe that Jesus discussed the fact that Gentiles would be given favor apart from the Jews because of statements such as this:
And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 8:11, 12
Indeed, the statement, "many from the east and west" has Gentiles in mind. Jesus was finishing conversation with a Gentile centurion at this point. The key is, however, that firstly; Jesus identifies the kingdom of heaven (kingdom of heavenly origin set up on earth) as occupied by the fathers of Israel, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (cf. Genesis 48:21; Acts 26:6-8; 1 Kings 9:5). Secondly; it is clear from other of his words that there will be a remnant of Israel who obeyed God and will find their place in that kingdom. And thirdly; it's the prophetic promised land of which he is speaking. Indeed, the kingdom was prepared for the obedient from the foundation of the word, whether they were Jews or Gentiles (Matthew 25:34), even though the gospel of the kingdom was sent to the Jews exclusively (Matthew 10:5-7). Peter said, "But in every nation, he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted of him" (Acts 10:35). And had the tribulation begun shortly after Jesus' death and resurrection, I am confident that the centurion spoken of here would have entered into Israel's earthly kingdom with the Jews because, as it is written of him, "He was worthy...for he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue" (Luke 7:4, 5). He blessed Israel and thought nothing of himself as a Gentile, as a result; knowing full-well Israel's preeminence in the sight of God. Yet no tribulation has come, and the kingdom has not yet been established; we're operating under a different set of circumstances today.
The point Jesus was making at this time was the same he was making throughout his entire earthly life: in comparison to the vast size of the nation of Israel, only a few would inherit the kingdom promised to their fathers. This discourse was never intended to disclose, nor even hint at, the revelation of the mystery reserved for Paul. It is a simple, albeit surprising, statement that many Gentiles will occupy Israel's kingdom; more than the children themselves.
Then there's this one:
Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. Matthew 21:43
Again, all in the context of the earthly kingdom of God, notice Jesus does not say, "given to nations" (plural), but "a nation" (singular). That single nation was TRUE Israel, those who believed in Jesus Christ as Messiah, and of whom it was stated, "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32). The ones from whom the kingdom would be taken, according to whom Jesus was speaking during this discourse, were the "chief priests and pharisees" (Matthew 21:45), apostate Israel! This in accordance with the statement Paul spoke of Israel, saying, "they are not all Israel, which are of Israel" (Romans 9:6). The kingdom promises would be ripped from the disobedient and unbelieving among the nation and given to a small group of Jews.
Jesus spoke in parables but gave understanding of them only to those who believed. "Many are called, but few chosen", he declared. Only the believing remnant would be selected as the true Israel of God. Likewise, the verses which teach about the blindness and hardness of Israel were written concerning unbelieving Israel. There were mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, reserved only for the remnant of Israel who would believe; mysteries which were withheld from those who were hardened. Peter spoke to the righteous remnant when he said,
Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; they ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. 1 Peter 2:7-9
This status was promised all the way back in the times of the exodus from Egypt, when God said to the new nation,
Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. Exodus 19:5, 6
Peter, by the Holy Spirit, craftily likens the calling out of the remnant from the midst of apostate Israel which occurred in his day, to the time when the Jews were in bondage to Egypt and were led out by Moses. Whatever the time frame in that nation's history, it is only the obedient, the ones who believe God among a people destitute of faith, who become a "kingdom of priests" in the millennium to come.
This concludes Part 1
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
The Ministry of Reconciliation
It is a great sorrow to see that, oftentimes, the great debate of Christendom is on the particulars of the gospel of our salvation. While some denominations reject what grace is as defined by the apostle Paul, reprobate concerning the faith, others who understand salvation in truth, fail to pursue the depths stored up within the gospel of the grace of God and thus come short of it. But it is for our joy that we understand what God said concerning the work his Son Jesus Christ did on our behalf. Whether you are not saved, or you've been saved many years, I hope you benefit from the truth of the gospel outlined herein.
Scarcely does the saying, "Christ died for our sins and rose again" come under scrutiny by anyone who names the name of Christ. It is common knowledge to seemingly everyone. "Good Friday" finds churches everywhere solemn and dark, as the religious world seeks to somehow bring to remembrance the death of Christ. The resurrection of Christ is celebrated every Easter across the globe. But, before long, "Christ died for our sins and rose again" becomes dull in the ears of the religious, as it did in mine when I was growing up in the church I was born into without choice, ignorant of the truth. This is because false teachers tell you what Christ did, but they do not tell you what it accomplished. One says, "Christ died for me", but expresses the necessity of baptism for the remission of sins. Another says, "Christ died for me", but declares that partaking of the Lord's supper is necessary to be forgiven before God. Where is forgiveness truly found?
It is a clever device of Satan that has made it so that the churches of today accept that Christ made a sacrifice, which they preach regularly; but in addition, they declare that there is a particular way in which one must attain to the accomplishment of the sacrifice. In other words, they explain to their congregations what the means of obtaining God's grace is, as they see it.
But in all of this false teaching, this question, the only question which can be asked is ignored: "What saith the scripture?"
What does it mean to be saved? What does God require of a person so as to be right before him? Romans 4:25 identifies the two things that need to happen for a man in order for him to have eternal life, saying Christ "was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification." Here we have identified the forgiveness of sins, and justification, or, being rendered righteous as God considers righteousness. This is the grace of God; not the works of man, but the works God did already on the behalf of man (cf. Romans 11:6). Thus we have this explained in great detail for us in the latter parts of Second Corinthians chapter five, defined as "the ministry of reconciliation".
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 2 Corinthians 5:18-21
First we note that God already has reconciled us to himself. He has brought us near to himself by Jesus Christ. But to whom does this apply? Is he speaking only of the believers here, or of all men? This is answered almost immediately in that he says, "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself." Clearly the reconciliation in mind here is that which applies to every single human on the planet. But what does it mean to be reconciled? Straightway again, we have the answer: "Not imputing their trespasses unto them." Considering it thus far then, we have the understanding that God reconciled the world to himself, defined in his not counting mankind's sins against them. Further along we have a puzzling statement, however. For after establishing the condition of the world before God at this very moment, saying that he has no faults with them as far as their trespasses (sins) are concerned, he suddenly interjects the words, "We pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." Why should someone who is reconciled need to be commanded to be reconciled? The answer is given in the last verse.
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
The reconciliation that has been accomplished for the whole world is the delivering of Christ Jesus for our sins.
Christ was "made sin" at the cross. God accounted our sins, all sins, to Christ at the cross and Christ suffered the death due them. He paid for them fully when he died. That is the ignored truth found in the simple statement, "Jesus died for our sins." If Jesus died FOR our sins, how can anyone die for their sins? Was his payment not for all sins? If so, that means that the entire world, with all the sins it has committed, is committing, and will commit, has been cleared of that record because of Christ. Yet so few understand this! The basis for which God can refuse to count sins against the world is found in the death of Christ for the sins of the world. For those of us alive today, we may say that Jesus paid our sin debt before we were even born, and when we were born, though we have a body of flesh where sins dwells, God counts none of it against us. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). This is not a statement for the individual but for the world! If it was for the individual, it would mean that every time a sinner was born, Christ would have to die, because, for example, "while Tyler Wentzel was a sinner, Christ died for him." But then another sinner is born, and Christ must die for him! Such is not the case at all. The point Paul is making is that while the world was in its sins, Christ died for it. The payment was once, and it will not be made again. And it is the payment only that is necessary for the accomplishment to be applied. Nothing else is needed. Nothing imputes that payment to the world but the payment itself. Therefore, whether the world realizes this or not, Christ died for its sins, and as a result God will never count those sins against it. This is just as it is written, "but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself (Hebrews 9:26). If anyone is forgiven it has to be by the merits of that sacrifice, for God will provide no other. And since it was meant to "put away sin", dealing with it completely, once and for all, we know that sin is not the issue today.
Sin is not the thing on God's mind today; righteousness is.
So what does Paul mean when he says, "be ye reconciled to God"? I have said how sin has been dealt with already. So what then do men lack in order to be saved? "For [in the gospel] is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith" (Romans 1:17). Men have already been brought near with regard to their sins, insomuch as God is not counting those trespasses against them. But what men lack is the righteousness of God. Whose righteousness is he speaking of? God's. So if something is "of God", how can it belong to men, except God give it to them? You see, God's standard of judgment is his own righteousness. Even though a man's sins are forgiven, he still lacks the righteousness of God until God gives it to him. Forgiving a man does not make him righteous with the righteousness of God. It cleanses his wrongs so that they are not seen, but it does not render him as God is. The only righteousness God accepts is his own. It is written, "by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous" (Romans 5:19). God only accepts the specific obedience Christ had toward his Father. It is impossible for any man to walk the same steps of perfection that Christ walked. But it is also pointless to try based upon the fact that he obeyed for us! Why work for the perfection that he specifically intended to give to you?
For by grace are ye saved, through faith... Ephesians 2:8
I have discussed what God's grace is. It is the work of God for us, manifested as a gift. And gifts cannot be earned. They simply have to be received. The whole world has received the death of Christ. God is the "Savour of all men, specially of those that believe" (1 Timothy 4:10). But the righteousness of God, what we need to be saved, must be received by faith. Faith in what? We need to believe in the finished work of Christ to be saved. Paul said that righteousness "shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification" (Romans 4:24, 25). And again, he says, "Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness" (Romans 4:4, 5). We simply need to take God at his word when he tells us of the provision he gave us when he worked in Christ. We are made the righteousness of God in Christ when we believe that Jesus satisfied God's judgment concerning our sins. God made Christ sin for the express purpose that we would be made righteous. He accounted our sins to Christ so that he could account his righteousness to us. Once a man's sin is dealt with, he can receive the righteousness of God. If both forgiveness and righteousness are necessary for acceptance with God, and we have received forgiveness by the death of Christ, we need only--as forgiven men and women--trust in that death, and we shall be made righteous, which is life.
For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Romans 5:10
I would hope this would dispel a great many false notions concerning the gospel. For example, God has appointed no other means of grace other than faith, for the reception of salvation. This destroys the concept of "Sacraments", such as water baptism and the Lord's supper, as being means of grace chiefly since they are not of faith. Paul said that the gospel he preached to the Corinthians, and to all of us, concerning Christ's death for our sins, was what they received to be saved (1 Corinthians 15:1, 2). How did they receive it? By faith alone, just as the Scripture says, "if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:2).
The only thing that keeps a person from being saved is not retaining Christ's finished work in their understanding; that is, rejecting it (the resurrection in particular, as was the case with some among the Corinthians)--not accounting that what God said was true.
He said he paid for your sins; do you think you need to receive remission some other way? By baptism, by the Lord's table? By commandments and doctrines of men, who tell you that you can succeed by self-mutilation or some other method of punishing yourself for your sins? If so, you may have believed in vain--to no profit! Trusting in the death of Christ is a throwing of all hope upon the word of God when he said, "It is finished." If God poured out all his wrath for sin there, then what's left for you? And if he punished Christ on your behalf, how then shall he find occasion to punish you? Likewise, with the resurrection life of Christ. If his resurrection was not for your justification, how will you be saved? The Scripture says we are saved by his life! If he was never raised, how can we be saved? Faith imputes justification of life, but if that life is not there for us to partake of and be placed into, how can we have life? And how shall the payment for sin have been completed if Christ was not raised? For if Christ did not rise, then death still has dominion over him and he's still paying for our sins; the debt is not canceled!
These things all considered, the necessity of asking for forgiveness before becoming saved is also abolished. So is the need for turning from the sins that God cannot see. Anything other than simply accepting by faith what Christ did for you is not counted. It is the addition of works that makes the world blind to how we truly are saved, even as Paul said, "If I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased" (Galatians 5:11). If Paul preached the works of the Law, obedience to God, or any other thing as necessity, he would not have suffered the persecution he did--the world is itching to hear of a way it can save itself by its own merit. Instead, he preached the "offence of the cross", the truth of the grace of God--all his works, none of ours--to be receive only by faith.
There are ever-so-subtle ways that a preacher of the word of God can cleverly cover up a salvation based upon man's works; he may even declare "By grace through faith", while speaking works out of the other side of his mouth. He may say, "Sure, you're justified by faith, but now you must prove it by what you do!" or, "Unless you endure to the end you cannot be saved!" or perhaps even, "You are saved by faith, but you can depart from that salvation and fall away forever!" But I implore the reader: you are safe with grace! Because of the death of Christ, God will never fault you for your sins. When you trust that, you are placed into Jesus Christ with all his righteousness and sealed for eternity by the Holy Spirit. God does not require you to hold onto salvation, either--He holds onto it for you. Grace forbids you to fall away, even if you "feel" like you may have. "Trust" and "feel" are two entirely different things. Either you consider what God said to be true, or you do not; but feelings are not of faith and will accomplish nothing on your behalf.
And this is truly the definition of the "gospel": good news. God wants you to be saved. And he does not want you to act for your salvation; he wants you to believe in the acts of another.
It is a clever device of Satan that has made it so that the churches of today accept that Christ made a sacrifice, which they preach regularly; but in addition, they declare that there is a particular way in which one must attain to the accomplishment of the sacrifice. In other words, they explain to their congregations what the means of obtaining God's grace is, as they see it.
But in all of this false teaching, this question, the only question which can be asked is ignored: "What saith the scripture?"
What does it mean to be saved? What does God require of a person so as to be right before him? Romans 4:25 identifies the two things that need to happen for a man in order for him to have eternal life, saying Christ "was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification." Here we have identified the forgiveness of sins, and justification, or, being rendered righteous as God considers righteousness. This is the grace of God; not the works of man, but the works God did already on the behalf of man (cf. Romans 11:6). Thus we have this explained in great detail for us in the latter parts of Second Corinthians chapter five, defined as "the ministry of reconciliation".
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 2 Corinthians 5:18-21
First we note that God already has reconciled us to himself. He has brought us near to himself by Jesus Christ. But to whom does this apply? Is he speaking only of the believers here, or of all men? This is answered almost immediately in that he says, "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself." Clearly the reconciliation in mind here is that which applies to every single human on the planet. But what does it mean to be reconciled? Straightway again, we have the answer: "Not imputing their trespasses unto them." Considering it thus far then, we have the understanding that God reconciled the world to himself, defined in his not counting mankind's sins against them. Further along we have a puzzling statement, however. For after establishing the condition of the world before God at this very moment, saying that he has no faults with them as far as their trespasses (sins) are concerned, he suddenly interjects the words, "We pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." Why should someone who is reconciled need to be commanded to be reconciled? The answer is given in the last verse.
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
The reconciliation that has been accomplished for the whole world is the delivering of Christ Jesus for our sins.
Christ was "made sin" at the cross. God accounted our sins, all sins, to Christ at the cross and Christ suffered the death due them. He paid for them fully when he died. That is the ignored truth found in the simple statement, "Jesus died for our sins." If Jesus died FOR our sins, how can anyone die for their sins? Was his payment not for all sins? If so, that means that the entire world, with all the sins it has committed, is committing, and will commit, has been cleared of that record because of Christ. Yet so few understand this! The basis for which God can refuse to count sins against the world is found in the death of Christ for the sins of the world. For those of us alive today, we may say that Jesus paid our sin debt before we were even born, and when we were born, though we have a body of flesh where sins dwells, God counts none of it against us. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). This is not a statement for the individual but for the world! If it was for the individual, it would mean that every time a sinner was born, Christ would have to die, because, for example, "while Tyler Wentzel was a sinner, Christ died for him." But then another sinner is born, and Christ must die for him! Such is not the case at all. The point Paul is making is that while the world was in its sins, Christ died for it. The payment was once, and it will not be made again. And it is the payment only that is necessary for the accomplishment to be applied. Nothing else is needed. Nothing imputes that payment to the world but the payment itself. Therefore, whether the world realizes this or not, Christ died for its sins, and as a result God will never count those sins against it. This is just as it is written, "but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself (Hebrews 9:26). If anyone is forgiven it has to be by the merits of that sacrifice, for God will provide no other. And since it was meant to "put away sin", dealing with it completely, once and for all, we know that sin is not the issue today.
Sin is not the thing on God's mind today; righteousness is.
So what does Paul mean when he says, "be ye reconciled to God"? I have said how sin has been dealt with already. So what then do men lack in order to be saved? "For [in the gospel] is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith" (Romans 1:17). Men have already been brought near with regard to their sins, insomuch as God is not counting those trespasses against them. But what men lack is the righteousness of God. Whose righteousness is he speaking of? God's. So if something is "of God", how can it belong to men, except God give it to them? You see, God's standard of judgment is his own righteousness. Even though a man's sins are forgiven, he still lacks the righteousness of God until God gives it to him. Forgiving a man does not make him righteous with the righteousness of God. It cleanses his wrongs so that they are not seen, but it does not render him as God is. The only righteousness God accepts is his own. It is written, "by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous" (Romans 5:19). God only accepts the specific obedience Christ had toward his Father. It is impossible for any man to walk the same steps of perfection that Christ walked. But it is also pointless to try based upon the fact that he obeyed for us! Why work for the perfection that he specifically intended to give to you?
For by grace are ye saved, through faith... Ephesians 2:8
I have discussed what God's grace is. It is the work of God for us, manifested as a gift. And gifts cannot be earned. They simply have to be received. The whole world has received the death of Christ. God is the "Savour of all men, specially of those that believe" (1 Timothy 4:10). But the righteousness of God, what we need to be saved, must be received by faith. Faith in what? We need to believe in the finished work of Christ to be saved. Paul said that righteousness "shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification" (Romans 4:24, 25). And again, he says, "Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness" (Romans 4:4, 5). We simply need to take God at his word when he tells us of the provision he gave us when he worked in Christ. We are made the righteousness of God in Christ when we believe that Jesus satisfied God's judgment concerning our sins. God made Christ sin for the express purpose that we would be made righteous. He accounted our sins to Christ so that he could account his righteousness to us. Once a man's sin is dealt with, he can receive the righteousness of God. If both forgiveness and righteousness are necessary for acceptance with God, and we have received forgiveness by the death of Christ, we need only--as forgiven men and women--trust in that death, and we shall be made righteous, which is life.
For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Romans 5:10
I would hope this would dispel a great many false notions concerning the gospel. For example, God has appointed no other means of grace other than faith, for the reception of salvation. This destroys the concept of "Sacraments", such as water baptism and the Lord's supper, as being means of grace chiefly since they are not of faith. Paul said that the gospel he preached to the Corinthians, and to all of us, concerning Christ's death for our sins, was what they received to be saved (1 Corinthians 15:1, 2). How did they receive it? By faith alone, just as the Scripture says, "if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:2).
The only thing that keeps a person from being saved is not retaining Christ's finished work in their understanding; that is, rejecting it (the resurrection in particular, as was the case with some among the Corinthians)--not accounting that what God said was true.
He said he paid for your sins; do you think you need to receive remission some other way? By baptism, by the Lord's table? By commandments and doctrines of men, who tell you that you can succeed by self-mutilation or some other method of punishing yourself for your sins? If so, you may have believed in vain--to no profit! Trusting in the death of Christ is a throwing of all hope upon the word of God when he said, "It is finished." If God poured out all his wrath for sin there, then what's left for you? And if he punished Christ on your behalf, how then shall he find occasion to punish you? Likewise, with the resurrection life of Christ. If his resurrection was not for your justification, how will you be saved? The Scripture says we are saved by his life! If he was never raised, how can we be saved? Faith imputes justification of life, but if that life is not there for us to partake of and be placed into, how can we have life? And how shall the payment for sin have been completed if Christ was not raised? For if Christ did not rise, then death still has dominion over him and he's still paying for our sins; the debt is not canceled!
These things all considered, the necessity of asking for forgiveness before becoming saved is also abolished. So is the need for turning from the sins that God cannot see. Anything other than simply accepting by faith what Christ did for you is not counted. It is the addition of works that makes the world blind to how we truly are saved, even as Paul said, "If I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased" (Galatians 5:11). If Paul preached the works of the Law, obedience to God, or any other thing as necessity, he would not have suffered the persecution he did--the world is itching to hear of a way it can save itself by its own merit. Instead, he preached the "offence of the cross", the truth of the grace of God--all his works, none of ours--to be receive only by faith.
There are ever-so-subtle ways that a preacher of the word of God can cleverly cover up a salvation based upon man's works; he may even declare "By grace through faith", while speaking works out of the other side of his mouth. He may say, "Sure, you're justified by faith, but now you must prove it by what you do!" or, "Unless you endure to the end you cannot be saved!" or perhaps even, "You are saved by faith, but you can depart from that salvation and fall away forever!" But I implore the reader: you are safe with grace! Because of the death of Christ, God will never fault you for your sins. When you trust that, you are placed into Jesus Christ with all his righteousness and sealed for eternity by the Holy Spirit. God does not require you to hold onto salvation, either--He holds onto it for you. Grace forbids you to fall away, even if you "feel" like you may have. "Trust" and "feel" are two entirely different things. Either you consider what God said to be true, or you do not; but feelings are not of faith and will accomplish nothing on your behalf.
And this is truly the definition of the "gospel": good news. God wants you to be saved. And he does not want you to act for your salvation; he wants you to believe in the acts of another.
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