Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries |
Why most Christians are professors and not possessors.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
We become members of the Royal Family of God the same way racial Israel becomes true Israel, the grace of God.
ROM 9:6 For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel;
Seven Propositions or Conclusions we can draw with regard to the subject of the grace of God.
a. In His grace, God does reveal to mankind the fact that God does exist.
b. God reveals Himself through the Bible or the Word of God.
c. God has a plan for the Church.
d. God’s plan is based on a policy, God’s policy is always called grace.
e. The grace of God is divided into three categories.
(1) Pre-salvation grace,
Titus 2:11.
TIT 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,
(2) Salvation grace;
2CO 6:1-2.
2CO 6:1 And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain-
2CO 6:2 For He says, “At the acceptable time I listened to you, And on the day of salvation I helped you”; Behold, Now is “the acceptable time,” Behold, Now is “the day of salvation” -
(3) Post-salvation grace.
COL 2:6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
f. The Church Age believer is saved by grace; therefore, we are required by God to live by grace.
g. Every believer owes both the plan and the grace of God a hearing.
As God expressed His love to those whom He saves by the gracious things He has done, Christian service for God should also be based upon “grace.”
Salvation must be understood and treated as a gift from God and Christian service and faithfulness must be the expression of the believer’s love and gratitude to God.
ROM 9:6 For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel;
ROM 9:6 However, this rejection [of the Jews concerning their spiritual heritage] is not to imply as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel;
If you have the genes of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the twelve Patriarchs, you are a Jew or a part of Israel as far as your physical birth and descent is concerned.
It is those who are of the spiritual seed of Abraham who are true Israel.
ROM 9:6b “For they are not all Israel [spiritual Israel] who are descended from Israel [racial Israel];”
Many of the Jews thought that all they had to be was Jewish and that made them qualified for all the promises of God given to Abraham’s seed.
The promises were given to the spiritual seed of Abraham not to the natural seed.
The spiritual analogy and application for us is that many Christians think that all they have to do is believe in Christ and that makes them qualified for all the promises of God given to them in Christ.
Not to those, like the Jews, who go through some religious system or formula and do not have a personal relationship with the Lord which is revealed by a spiritual relationship with His people.
The seed of Abraham is both real (the Lord Jesus Christ) and spiritual (all those who believe in Christ).
Those who are related to Abraham spiritually are those who are born again; those who are related to Abraham physically are the Jews - unregenerate.
In the Church age, we are in union with Christ; therefore we are also Abraham’s seed, singular.
Abraham’s seeds grow as the Jewish nation - those who are descended from him - however, the Jewish nation does not have salvation simply by being descended from Abraham or by keeping the law but by believing in the promise seed, TLJC.
Like many Christians and those who claim to be Christians, they followed a set of rules or formulas, thinking they were pleasing God.
ROM 10:2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.