God’s Grace over Israel, and all who Believe6
Grace
Disgrace
During the building of the Golden Gate Bridge over San Francisco Bay, construction fell badly behind schedule because several workers had accidentally fallen from the scaffolding to their deaths. Engineers and administrators could find no solution to the costly delays. Finally, someone suggested a gigantic net be hung under the bridge to catch any who fell. Finally in spite of the enormous cost, the engineers opted for the net. After it was installed, progress was hardly interrupted. A worker or two fell into the net but were saved. Ultimately, all the time lost to fear was regained by replacing fear with faith in the net. As we paid nothing for God’s eternal love and nothing for the Son of His love, and nothing for His Spirit and our grace and faith, and nothing for our eternal rest...What an astonishing thought it will be to think of the unmeasurable difference between our deservings and our receivings. O, how free was all this love, and how free is this enjoyed glory...So then let "Deserved" be written on the floor of hell …but on the door of heaven and life. Richard Baxter, The Free Gift.
Grace
[6] 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. Romans 11:6
A person is not saved because he merits or works for salvation.
No man deserves God’s grace.
A man does not secure God’s acceptance because he wills or runs after God
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: John 1:12
God has mercy upon a man because HE is a gracious God.
You see if we could be saved by works, then salvation...
·would not be by grace (of God) but by works (of man).
·would remove grace (God) from the picture and put works (man) in the forefront.
If this were so then, God would no longer be necessary, for man would be saving himself.
How absurd to even think this.
Remember, the promise was by election, not because of “any good or evil” done.
(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) Romans 9:11
In this case cited, neither Jacob nor Esau deserved mercy.
No man deserves mercy or purpose from God.
Instead, God has mercy upon a man because He is a merciful God.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24).
“Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:29).
“But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:31).
The point is this: it is God’s grace and mercy that saves men.
Through HIS mercy HE has always preserved a remnant of believers in Israel and HE will today.
A great majority of Jews stumbled and fell at the snare of works (Romans 11:6), but the callous on Israel’s heart is not total. There is a remnant.
The vast majority of Israel did not obtain righteousness, but the chosen few did.
Þ Most sought after righteousness, but they failed to secure it because they sought it by works--disgrace
Þ However, the elect have obtained righteousness--grace
Disgrace
[7] What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded [8] (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. [9] And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: [10] Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway. Romans 11:7-10
We should always be mindful of God, HIS righteousness and mercy to avoid the disgrace that we would otherwise fall into.
Israel is accused and condemned by Scripture of three terrible things.
Of being drowsy and condemned to drowsiness (Isaiah 29:10; Isaiah 6:9).
Of being worthy of judgment and condemned to judgment (Psalm 69:22).
Of being blind and condemned to blindness (Psalm 69:23).
And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Isaiah 6:9
For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. Isaiah 29:10
Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap. Psalm 69:22
Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake. Psalm 69:23
A picture of men sitting and feasting comfortably at a banquet table, at ease, secure, and possessed with a sense of safety. So comfortable in fact that their safety becomes their ruin. The enemy sneaks upon them unaware.
God HIMSELF is the One who made Israel drowsy and blind and worthy of judgment, because of their desire to do those things against God’s righteousness.
You see man’s rejection is willful, deliberate.
The unbeliever does see and hear, yet they refuse to really open their eyes and ears. Refusing also to understand.
But why does a person act so illogically by rebelling and refusing to understand?
Christ answers this question by saying, “This people’s heart is waxed gross” (Matthew 13:15). The Greek translation states “this people’s heart has grown fat [overweight].”
To eat and eat, adding weight upon weight, is living after the flesh.
Christ is saying that the unbeliever has become so sensual and senseless that they rebel and refuse to understand the gospel of God.
Þ Their sensuality is due to worldliness and the lust for the things of the world.
“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:5-8).
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 John 2:15-16).
Þ Their senselessness is due to being deceived by the evil one.
“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Cor. 4:3-4).
An unbeliever experiences a judicial blindness and rejection by God.
A person who deliberately chooses to be blind to the gospel and to reject Christ is given over to a just punishment.
God offers His love and salvation of eternal life to a man, but a man has to choose to receive God’s offer.
· Man’s unbelief is allowed to roam in the sphere of unbelief and to become obstinate unbelief—if the man continues to blind himself to the truth. God will not violate the will of a man.
· Man’s sin is allowed to roam in the sphere of sin and to become constant sin—if the man continues to blind himself to the truth. God does not violate the will of a man.
“For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again” (Matthew 7:2).
“Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness....For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections....God gave them over to a reprobate mind” (Romans 1:24, 26, 28).
“But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; who will render to every man according to his deeds” (Romans 2:5-6).
A mother once approached Napoleon seeking a pardon for her son. The emperor replied that the young man had committed a certain offense twice and justice demanded death.
"But I don’t ask for justice," the mother explained. "I plead for mercy."
"But your son does not deserve mercy," Napoleon replied.
"Sir," the woman cried, "it would not be mercy if he deserved it, and mercy is all I ask for."
"Well, then," the emperor said, "I will have mercy." And he spared the woman’s son. Luis Palau, Experiencing God’s Forgiveness, Multnomah Press, 1984.
You see we either accept God’s grace by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior or we choose disgrace through our rejection of Christ.
We do not deserve the grace and mercy we have received by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, but I pray that you thank God daily for it.
If you have not received your pardon, Jesus is waiting today? Will you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior?
If you have been slumbering instead of shouting out the “Good News”, will you commit to carrying out God’s Great Commission today?
