Romans 9:29 - 12:3

Rom. 9:29 - 12:3
Rom 9:29 "As Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabbath had left us a seed, we had been as Sodom, and been made like unto Gomorrha". God takes a remnant of his children and makes them willing in the day of his power (Ps 110:3; Isa 1:9, 37:29) or there would be no visible church to server him today. Isa 65:8 speaks of this seed, "new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants' (Rom 11:28 - Abraham, Isaac) sakes, (to whom the promise was made to and about ~ Gen 17:19) that I may not destroy them all. I will bring forth a seed (Rom 11:7) out of (Natural Israel) Jacob, to plant in a fertile hill, and out of Judah (Jesus) an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect (not all of God's children; only the elect betrothed bride; Hosea 2:19) shall inherit it. My servants (Plural, spiritual Israel) shall dwell there. And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me." Yes there is a remnant which he works in them the will and the to do, by his power and not their own, to seek after him.
In Matt 13:38 the good seed are the children of the kingdom, that is, the called out assembly, betrothed bride, which in John 8:37 is typed as in the natural old covenant seed of Abraham to who Jesus came. Many of whom he came rejected him; as they did in Hebrews 4:1, that is they did not manifest Him, while others making manifest their belief in believing (Mt 21:32; Lk 7:32; Jh 1:11; Acts 3:25). "In thy seed shall all the kindred’s of the earth be blessed." Rom 9:7 "Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all (the betrothed bride) children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. They, which are the children (Natural Israel) of the flesh, (Gal 4:22) these are not the (betrothed) children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the (betrothed) seed." Gal 3:19 "Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the (betrothed) seed should come to whom the promise was made." What promise? It is the mountains of the Lord's house. We realize that the seed is Christ; but more than that, it is His seed (Ps 22:30) the bride of Christ. How is this? Gal 3:29 "if ye be Christ's, then are ye (of faithful) Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise," because the seed is one with her Husband. It was not in Ishmael, (the law represented by Jacob) but "in Isaac (those set free from the law) shall thy seed be called." Heb 11:18 Just how does this come about? By the Father calling out a people and betrothing them unto his Son, which in 1 John 3:9 are referred to as having the seed of Christ in them. "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; (that is the seed, which is the seed of Christ in them, cannot sin) for his seed (not Christ himself but his seed) remaineth in him: (the betrothed bride) and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, (in their believing) and the children of the devil: (those who are lying by denying him as their lawful husband, not following through with the knowledge they have been given by the two witnesses). ‘Whosoever doeth not (make this) righteousness (manifested) is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother." We know that the Devil can not have children in the sense of procreation. The devil is the father of those who have the two witnesses and despise it (Heb 10:29) lies, and whosoever denies the truth knowingly, which is a willful sin, is called herein the children of the devil. They are exhibiting the characteristic of a goat, which is haughty and stubborn, rather than the humility of a sheep.

Rom 9:30 "What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness (the truth contained in the law), have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness (truth), which is of (the dealt) faith." Paul continues with the distinction between those of the seed of Isaac, new covenant children and those of Jacob under the old covenant. He herein defines just how righteousness is manifested: not by the keeping of the old covenant; but rather by exhibiting the imputed (truth as found in the new covenant faith) righteousness of Christ, as did Abraham. This is the ‘of’ faith (Acts 6:5,8, Rom 3:27, 1 Th 5:8) as it is dealt, administered by the Holy Ghost unto them through (Acts 3:16, Rom 3:25) the giving of the new covenant.

Vs 31 "But Israel, (elect under the old covenant Isa 45:4 in trying to followed after the (old) law of righteousness), hath not attained to the law (which is of the new covenant faith) of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by (the of) faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone (Their own Self-righteousness in attempting to keep the law)" Why could not natural Israel attain unto this righteousness? Their self-righteousness, which the old covenants gender as it does those who are following after the false doctrine of the perseverance. The ‘of’ faith was shut up to those under the old covenant.

Gal 3:14 "Wherein we might receive the promise (to Abraham) of the Spirit through (not by) faith (found in 1 Jh 5:4). Gal 3:23 "before (the dealt) faith came, we were kept under the law, (old covenant) shut up unto the (new covenant) faith which should afterwards be revealed." This took place in Acts Chapter two.

Vs 31 ‘As it is written, behold I lay in Zion (truth) a stumbling stone, and a rock (Jesus) of offence: and whosoever believeth on him (Jesus) shall not be ashamed."

Romans 10:1 "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." Paul realized that many of his kinsmen were very zealous in the law as he was, prior to receiving the dealt faith, and needed to be saved from the their own self-righteousness, which the law genders. Paul was not able to tell whether or not they had the knowledge that comes through the testimony of the law written in the heart (engrafted word of the new covenant), testifying of faith of God's righteousness. Therefore he was concerned about the bondage they were in, in attempting to keep the law. The new covenant is an inward witness and testifies to the truth. As the Holy Ghost gives liberty to the ministers of God, who bringing the second witness to bear upon the heart of those who have the first witness, they are then able to rejoice in the Savior’s love.

By these two witnesses every word is established (2 Cor 13:1; Matt 18:16; Heb 8:6; 2 Peter 1:12) "though ye know them, and be established in the present truth." 1 John 2:21 "I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth." The only way one can be a liar is to know the truth and deny it. Knowledge is passive, (involuntary) through two or more creditable witnesses; the exercise of this knowledge is active: (voluntary) in believing.

Rom 10:5 "For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them." A simple statement, saying that if you desire to be righteous by the law in stone, then you must keep it. Those under it became very judgmental, as do the Puritans, attempting to determine who is a child of God and who is not by their actions.

Rom 10:6 "But the righteousness which is of faith (new covenant) speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (That is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (That is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)" In other words, if one is judged under the old covenant law, you had nullified the new covenant of grace, as described in Heb 10:29. Simply put this says ~ one can not determine who is not a child of grace by their actions.

Rom 10:8 "But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the (new covenant) word of faith, which we preach (1 Pet 125); That if thou shalt confess (make manifest what you already know in the heart) with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe (not deny what is) in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." (From the bondage of self-righteousness that the old covenant gendereth)

Rom 10:10 "For with (or from) the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession (of what is in the heart) is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth (makes manifest what the new covenant is testifying to him) on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon (manifest) the name of the Lord shall be saved. (From the bondage of the old law) How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? (Past tense, already believeth in the heart) and how shall they believe (v) in him of whom they have not heard?" So they need the second witness, the gospel preached to them, wherein ‘they are sealed by the Holy Ghost in believing (v)’. (Eph 1:13, 4:30)

Rom 10:15 "And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, but I say, have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. But I say, did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them (Gentiles) that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them (Gentiles) that asked not after me. But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people." In these last verses of Chapter Ten, Paul sets forth the beauty found in the sermons of a truly God called minister. Then he expresses to whom the power of revelation as it is given by the arm of LORD is, (Holy Ghost) as stated in Isa 53:1, and concludes with the message to the Israelites. Acts 13:46 "It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, (John 1:11) and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, (the abiding of it) lo, we turn to the Gentiles."

These Gentiles were not seeking him, until they were empowered by new covenant dealt faith (Acts 10:44), which was given unto them. Eph 2:12 before the dealt faith came ~ "at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the (old) covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God (not that they were not children) in the world: (only they were without the covenant relationship of Jer 31:32) But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the (Passover) blood of Christ, unto the firstborn." Rom 2:17 "thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, and knowest his will." Yes these Jews knew his will and counted the blood wherewith they were sanctified to the truth an unholy thing, and did despite to the covenant of grace. (Heb 10:29) Likewise those who have left the truth and lead other back under the Old Confessions or Puritan doctrine have also done despite unto the spirit of grace.

Romans 11:1 "I say then, hath God cast away his (old covenant) people? God forbid. For I also am an (natural born) Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. (One who had the covenant in stone?). God hath not cast away his people, which he foreknew. (Israel the seed of Jacob) Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? How he (Elias) maketh intercession to God against (the old covenant) Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life." Paul herein comes forth with a very strong statement concerning the natural seed of Abraham, to whom the promises of the land of Canaan was made, saying in Rom 3:1 "What advantage then hath the Jew? Or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. For what if some did not (make manifest this knowledge) believe? Shall their (failure to do so) unbelief make the (new covenant, dealt) faith of God without effect?" We hear Paul saying in the 29th verse of this chapter, "the gifts and calling of God are without repentance." Unbelief is not going to make void the eternal covenant with these old covenant people who he foreknew. God’s grace is unconditional and will not be taken from them. If one who has the new covenant continues in rebellion to it, he will also sear their conscience (new covenant) over to the point they can no longer remember it (Jh 12:29), liken to the old covenant people who died in the wilderness in their sins. (Unbelief having known the power and glory of God - Num 14:22, Num 27:3 "died in his own sin", and Heb 6:4, John 8:24 "if ye believe (manifest) not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." The children of God who were steeped in the old covenant at the time of Jesus, failed to make manifest the understanding they had by the evidence that Jesus presented unto them (his word and works (Jh 14:11), and therefore God blinded their eyes (John 12:40), and they died in their sin of unbelief.

Rom 11:4 "But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work." This grace given herein is the covenant of grace as taught in Heb 10:29. As God administers this covenant of grace by the Holy Ghost, unconditional to the little flock (Lk 12:32), he then demands that we walk in the truth lest we become a castaway. There are those (a remnant, which one could call the very elect Mt 24:22,4) which will walk in it, for in the day of his power (Ps 110:3) they will be willing. Just how are they made willing? The same way your own children became willing in the day of your power over them, that is through the chastening rod of correction.

Rom 11:7 "What then? (The elect, spoken of in Isa 45:4, natural) Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the (new covenant, spiritual Israel) election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. And David saith, Let their table (self-righteousness) be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling block, and a recompense unto them: Let their eyes be darkened that they may not see, (Jh 12:40, after His longsuffering as described in 2 Peter 3:9) and bow down their back always. I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? (Eternally) God forbid: but rather through their fall (timely) salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them (the elect of Isa 45:1 under the old covenant) to jealousy."

Rom 11:12 "Now if the fall of them (old covenant elect) be the riches of the world, (of Jh 3:16) and the diminishing of them (old covenant elect) the riches of (us) the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? (The filling up of their iniquity) For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: if by any means I may provoke to emulation them, which are my flesh, and might save some of them. For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world (Jh 3:16), what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?" Paul, knowing his own experience, desires that his fellow kinsmen could see the beauty of the truth as he has. It just goes to show us that we are not to judge who has the ability to receive the truth and who cannot. My prayer is, as was Paul’s, that all of my loved ones would be permitted to see the beauty of the truth as I trust God has so graciously shown me.

Rom 11:16 "For if the first fruit (Jesus) be holy, the lump (Spiritual Israel) Is also holy: and if the root be holy, (the man Jesus) so are the branches (spiritual Israel). And if some of the branches (of natural Israel) be broken off, and thou (Gentile), being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them (natural Israel), and with them (natural Israel) partakest of the root (Jesus your husband) and fatness of the olive tree (Israelite); Boast not against the branches (natural Israel). But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root (Jesus your husband), but the root thee." The lesson here is simply that we should be careful not to become too high-minded in the fact that we have been blessed to be called out and chosen to enjoy the marriage feast, while other were not.

Rom 10:19 "Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. Well; because of unbelief (failure to manifest their betrothal to their husband) they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee." The natural branches (Nation of Israel) was broken off because when they had seen it, confessed (manifested) him not, while the Gentiles who had been graffed (Acts 13:48) in by the dealt faith of the new covenant, made it manifested and were baptized (Matt 21:32). Paul then tells them they must abide (1 Jh 2:27) in this new covenant faith lest they also be cut off. The lesson here also relates to those that failed in their faith in the old covenant and died in their sins (Nu 27:3) in the wilderness.

Rom 11:22 "Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them, which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off." Paul is simply amplifying the previous thought, because of the severity of the ones failing in their discipleship. Heb 6:4, 10:29.

Rom 11:23 "And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?" He declares this would be like receiving them from the dead. This is not talking about individuals but the nation of Israel. Will they some day receive the blessing of the new covenant church? I do not know, but I would not attempt to out guess God! If the nation of Israel is resurected to the truth it would be as quickening them from the dead.

Rom 11:25 "For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness (Isa 65:8) in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in." What mystery? The Gentile church has a very stern warning here in that the Gentiles can also fill up their iniquity. Can this happen? The implication here gives us that possibility just as did the Amorites in Gen 15:16 "the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full." The Jews at the coming of Jesus had filled up their iniquity, recorded in Gal 4:4 "the fulness of the time was come."

Rom 11:26 "And so all (natural) Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them (natural Israel), when (in the atonement, three hours of darkness of the cross): I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they (God's oen people the Jews) are enemies for your (spiritual Israel) sakes: but as touching the election, (What election? Isa 45:4) 'For Jacob my servant's sake' they are beloved for the fathers' (Abraham, Isaac) sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance." He speaks of the turning away of ungodliness from Jacob. Notice it is not Israel the prince of God but Jacob to surplanter. This covenant to them is the eternal covenant which applies to all of his children, but he gives us the understanding that the ungodliness which the Jews have fallen into, will not hinder the eternal covenant for our ungodliness effects only the timely covenants. He called all of Israel out of Egypt to be his special people, and he will not repent of this.

Rom 11:30 "For as ye (Gentiles) in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their (Jews) unbelief: Even so have these (Jews) also now not believed, that through your (Gentiles) mercy they (Jews) also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them (J & G) all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all." Grace, grace, and grace for grace … Yes we Gentiles are described in Eph 2:12 "at that time (what time? old covenant) ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world." The Israelites were indeed a very blessed people, Rom 3:2 "because that unto them were committed the oracles of God." Rom 9:4 "whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises." These promises were under the old law as it pertained to the land of Canaan. We Gentiles have better promises in the new covenant by knowing the completed work of Christ with the assurance therein and the rest it brings to the trembling disciples of Christ.

Rom 11:33 "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counsellors? Or who hath first given to him and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen." Oh! How do mortals such as we should be so blessed to understand such a thing? The marvelous grace of God who for 1444 years after they were called out of Egypt (2513), a bunch of slaves, having been blessed with the knowledge of Jehovah Himself, even referring to them as his wife, (Jer 31:32) bestowing upon them a multitude of blessings, while many of them continued in rebellion toward him. He moved with his mighty love to us ungodly Gentiles and took a little flock from them for his Son’s bride. This little bride started with a seed (Jesus) in 3960 AM. Matt 16:18 tells us that "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." as it moves westward. In Dan 2:44 we see how those gates failed to prevail for "it shall break in pieces and consume all these (gated) kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever." No gates could stop its journey to the USA where freedom of worship prevailed, the Canaan land of the new covenant church, after their journey of some 1600 years until the little flock reached to shores of the new Canaan (America).
　
Rom 12:1 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." Paul now has given us such a beautiful picture of the new covenant church, encouraging us Gentles to give ourselves unto his service. In that we now have this wonderful measure of dealt faith, just what does it consist of? I trust the lesson as I have expressed it in the forgoing chapters have given you some thoughts to the question. We know the definition found in Heb 11:1 "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through (not by) faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." All of God's people, since the days of Adam, can understand this even though some might deny it. All of God’s children before the new covenant came had this faith, which I understand to be the faith found as seven elements of the fruit of the Spirit. The dealt faith concerning the promise was shut up to those prior to the new covenant. (Heb 11:39) The new covenant dealt faith gives one much more than that found in the fruits of the spirit, as we see described many places in the New Testament. The book of Hebrews contrasts these by saying much more. Just what does the new covenant contain? The all things found in Rom 8:28 called the unction of the Holy One in 1 John 2:20. It is the basic fundamentals of the true church. We are admonished in 2 Peter 1:5 to "add to your (dealt) faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" that we may grow in grace. Yes we are to exercise this dealt faith as we grow in grace and come to a greater understanding of fine tuning of just what is contained therein.
Allen Cook (3-6-2005) rev 4-14-08