The Goal of Christian Conversion

The goal of sharing the good news about Jesus and inviting people to embrace in exchange for their belief is to transform that person. This transformation is explained by using different terminologies which include born again , new man , new life , new man , resurrected life , eternal life , zoe etc. But the best word to describe this transformation , conversion is to use the term  "Christlike" . The goal of Christian conversion is  to make man "Christlike".

It starts with
1. Repentance and Faith - To believe is to repent and to repent is the first expression of belief.They both are interwoven.To believe is to trust that Christ died as a substitute for one's sins and came back to life on the third day. To confess is to confess publically that one is now a follower of Christ.
2. Discipleship - The repenting person who expressed faith in Christ as his saviour and Lord is the disciple of Christ.
The invitation to accept Christ is a call to become a disciple or follower of Christ. The goal of discipleship is to transform the disciple and make him "Christlike" in character , attitude , motive and action without destroying his individuality. 
3. A disciple is a Child of God , has a new identity , new nature as a person who has a relationship with God and a new purpose and destiny  to reach and fulfill.

The more Christlike a person is the more free he is to be  good  , do good and spread the goodness which results from being Christlike.

Becoming Christlike is akin to returning to innocence , returning to purity in attitude , values , motive and action .

To be Christlike is to love and live like Christ and interpret holiness not legalistically just as a set of do and don't but as being and living like Christ with pure motive and pure love.

"Men need a goal for character and Jesus is the goal" - Dr. E.Stanley Jones

The goal of conversion is to invite men into a relationship with God through Christ with the goal of that person becoming Christlike in and through a process of transformation and spiritual formation. The spiritual formation is the transformation of the person into the image of Christ.It is the process of being delivered from the power of sin and becoming more Christlike.

The plan of God to fix the world is make more and more Christlike souls who will continue his good work and live a life of sacrifice and love.

It is in and through this creation of christlike inviduals , Christ is preached without uttering a single word and God is glorified.

The goal of conversion is to glorify God by transforming sinful souls into the image  of Christ .

Jesus is the God expressing and revealing himself as a human being. This universe is a Christ centered one. "Everything was created by him and for him ."Colossians 1. When anyone aligns with this great axiom of life , when anyone repents ,turns and starts living for Christ , he is aligning with the purpose for which the universe was created . He is instantly given the Holy Spirit and is filled with peace and joy which he has never experienced before. This common after conversion experience roots the new believer in Christ and confirms to him , through the inner witness of the Holy Spirit that he is indeed God's Child who has the backing of the almighty God in his pursuit to live for and according to Christ.
The aim of Christian conversion is to call one to alignment with the purpose of the universe.The call goes to all. No one is exempt. When that alignment occurs in a single life , heaven celebrates , angels party. That's how precious we are to God. That's why Christ is the good news.

Jones' Principles of Sharing Christ in a cross cultural /multicultural environment

 1.Christianity should be defined as Christ , not the old testament , not western civilization ,not even the systems built around him in the west , but only Christ himself and to be a Christian is to follow him.

2.Christ must be interpreted in terms of Christian experience rather than through mere arguments .

3. Be absolutely frank - there should be no camouflage in hiding ones meaning or purpose by non-committal subjects.The audience should know exactly what it is they are coming to hear

4. Announce beforehand that there is to be no attack on anybody's religion. There should be only a positive presentation of Christ. "You cannot cut the nose and then give a rose to smell".

5. Allow them to ask questions at the close - face everything and dodge no difficulties.

Rev. Stanley Jones , Christ of the Indian Road

Incarnation Theology : Principles and Applications

Incarnational theology is studying and knowing God in the process of Incarnation of Christ , the second person of the Holy Trinity.
Key words: Kenosis , emptying ,self giving, taking up a lowly form, humbling to the point of death on the cross for no fault of His.
Passage : Philippians 2


Philippians 2

⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
⁶ Who, being in very nature^[a] God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
⁷ rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature^[b] of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
⁸ And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!

 

Strikings Words - He made himself nothing  . For God Jesus to become man and to live as servant and dying on the cross for the sins of others is the greatest expression of love. God has expressed , demonstrated his love for us in this.

 

  ⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5

 

 ¹⁴ Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,^{[f] 15} that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”^{[g] 16} For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

 

Jesus coming into this world and dying for us is how God demonstrated how much he loves us. 

 

Application of Incarnation theology :

 

Responsibility:

 1. ¹⁸ People who believe in God’s Son are not judged guilty. But people who do not believe are already judged, because they have not believed in God’s only Son.

Repent of your unbelief and Believe him as your saviour and God .

 

2. ¹⁶ This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 1 John 3:16

You got to do the same thing

 

3.  Missions : Leaving your comfort zone. Going where you are called . Serving like Jesus and sharing the same love of Christ to those who do not know him.

4. Living a life of simplicity and humility

 

Privilages :

5. Always remembering , "Jesus loves you/me. No greater love can anyone show you/me more than this.You are always loved and accepted .You are a Child of God. He is always there for you"

6. Living worry free :
³² He even let his own Son suffer for us. God gave his Son for all of us. So now with Jesus, God will surely give us all things. Romans 5

 

 

 

 

Principles of Political Theology - 1

Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen. Ezekial 16:49 , 50

I recently bought a book "From the ruins of Empire" by Pankaj Mishra , which depicts the rise and fall of the east and the west in Asia. The first observable thing as in all of history is the 'P' FACTOR or PRIDE FACTOR , which invites God's judgement and indignation.

As an empire , any empire grew in size and power , it's P factor also significantly heightened and within a period of time depending on it's level of P factor , it went down . The conquerors or destroyers were no different and sooner of later reached the critical level of P FACTOR which led to their destruction also. This can be seen getting repeated from time immemorial in human history .

God abhors pride and indifference. Even in Bible , Sodom , Judah , Babylon etc bring out the effect of P FACTOR in their history.

So history can be predicted to repeat this  rise and fall caused by P FACTOR in   different empires and nations and kingdoms .

Remember , the cause of destruction is internal decay , pride and abundance leading to indifference neglect of the poor and the abundance leading to   complacency and compromise with sin . Sin gets trivialized and glorified . The decay in sexual relations and conduct can be seen reflected in the art and it indicates the end is imminent. The Lord's words, "I did away with them will hold true ".

There is still hope . Read Ninevah ,repenting at the preaching of Jonah and God averting the disaster he had planned. So it all depends on their P factor. If they resist the message of God and do not humble themselves  , the Lord God almighty will do away with them.

Hearers and doers - Jesus states the significant difference

    Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”
(Luke 8:19-21 ESV)

What best describes you? You are just a hearer , hearing always but never intending to follow Christ seriously ?

You may claim to have a relationship with God through Christ, but for Jesus to say the same thing you should be a doer of the word of God and not just a listener or hearer.

Believers and Followers : Making the vital distinction

Believers in Christ as their saviour from sin have to contend with these two categories. Believing is an important part of Christianity.

There are statements of belief  , which articulate the truths about God, which must be believed in order to be called a Christian. This is finely taught and firmly stressed by most Christian churches. This is basic and necessary and we are doing a good job.

All of us believe Jesus is the incarnate son of God , coequal with the Father and he is the saviour i.e saviour from God's wrath and judgement , from the penalty of sin , from the power of sin , the sinful nature , the worldly system and Satan and his demons. There is no one else who can save us from these entities. Jesus is the only way. He opened the doors for all to be saved by believing that he ,Jesus , the sinless son of God died in our stead , taking up our punishment due for our sin and opening the way for us to have a relationship with God.

What we mean is that , we cannot do anything by ourselves to atone for our sins. Only in Christ , forgiveness of sins is made available to anyone who "Repents of his sinful life and believes in Christ and petitions God to forgive his sins". There is no other way. This aspect of salvation is accomplished by repentance and faith.

Many Christians are not taught this basic tenent of Christianity very clearly and repeatedly. People are taught to believe , but not repent.  These are the first type of "born again" believers.They are told they can have a relationship with God. They don't know what they are saved for ,which is good works , obedience , living like Jesus ,which is what their relationship with God is ,according to the teaching of Christ and his apostles. They believe they are saved by grace, by which they mean forgiveness of sins, but have not understood the other side of grace ,which is the grace given to say "no! to sin and live self controlled and Godly lives in this present age"(Titus 2)
¹¹ "For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.  It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,  while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,  
 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good."  

They don't believe in "working out their salvation in fear and trembling for it is God who works in them" Philippians 2 .So they don't work out their salvation as the apostle teaches. That has become an optional teaching.
These guys believe only half the gospel ,because they know only about 1/2 the work of grace i.e faith and forgiveness of the same sins again and again. They don't think it is necessary to overcome sin and work towards perfection.

Second group , are those who start well . They do repent and believe. But after that , they are not taught to go the full way of self denial , cross carrying and loving God and loving neighbours like Jesus did. These type two believers are taught to read the bible and pray and to attend church service ,without sufficiently emphasizing , teaching and modelling repeatdly the commandments of Christ. They are not self denying , cross carrying followers . They only follow when it is convenient. Inconvenience , threats and insecurities lead them to justify their unfaithfulness to the teachings of Christ and give themselves false assurance of salvation inspite of willful unrepentant sin based on the fact that they still believe in Christ. Their brand of Christianity can be called convenient Christianity , inspite of their initial and continuing  repentance and faith. They are not sincere in their continuing repentance . They think they can live with willful unrepentance of certain sins and still continue in Christ. Theses form the majority of the believers of the Church of this age. These christians work out their salvation , but not with fear and trembling but insincerely. They try and adjust and accommodate unrepentant willful sins to their own destruction. These people believe and overcome sins , but are not willing to confess , repent and forgo some sins intentionally and repeateldly because they don't think it is necessary. They think they can still reach heaven with their willful , repeated , unrepentant sins. They fit the verse in hebrews , " You have not resisted sin to the point of shedding your blood" Hebrews 12. They are still holding themselves back. They do not love God or their neighbours with all their heart ,soul ,mind and strength.

Type three believers are those who repent , believe Christ died for their sins , bear fruit in keeping with repentance and take seriously the commands of Christ , which is nothing but self denial , carrying the cross and loving like Jesus both God and fellow humans. They take their sins seriously .They mourn over their spiritual poverty. They rejoice in overcoming sin and obeying to the point of shedding their blood . They seek to love God with all their heart ,soul , mind and strength and God fulfill the hunger of their heart by teaching them to love God and neighbour like Jesus did. They are not just believers , they are serious followers of the teachings of Christ. This rare group have entered the small gate and narrow way of Christ .These are few , who sincerely love God. Their understanding of love for God is very biblical.They believe the words of Jesus, "The one who obeys me is the one who loves me." These are proactive Christians , not reactive in their obedience.Their obedience to Christ is not based on circumstances. Their obedience does not change with insecurities , threats and inconveniences. They are ready to sacrifice all and they do sacrifice whatever necessary then and there to follow Christ , to express their love and gratitude to God . These are the ones God is looking for , seeking for .These are the ones whose names can be added to the Hebrews 12. They walk by faith , not by sight. They express their faith through holy love. They have grasped what it means to follow Christ.

Is Salvation Unconditional?

I just borrowed a book from one of my friend called "Convictions without Compromise" by Norman Geisler and Ron Rhodes.
I was flipping through the chapter, "The extent of salvation" ,where extreme calvinsim , moderate calvinism and arminianism were discussed.

One of the charges against arminianism was that it teaches that Salvation is conditional whereas according to scripture especially Romans 11:29 and 1 Timothy 2:13 , salvation is unconditional .

So I decided to check those scriptures to see if that's what they really mean.

As far as the gospel is concerned, they(Israel) are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, v29 for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable.
Romans 11:29
This passage does not deal with personal salvation but the nature of the covenent of God with Israel.

 11:28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. Their rejection of the gospel had proved a blessing to the Gentile world. See Ro 11:11. Hence their enmity was allowed for the sake of the conversion of the Gentiles.
As concerning the election, they are beloved for the father's sake. The nation was a chosen nation. Though enemies of God, God still remembered that they were children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and did not cast them off forever, but remembered them in love. To this day he has preserved Israel, and yet purposes the salvation of the nation.
 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. God does not change his purposes or fail to keep his covenant. What he has promised concerning Israel will be fulfilled.
A covenent involves commitment from two sides. This passage states that even as Israel became unfaithful to the promise , God still remained faithful and is still faithful . The Abrahamic covenant is still in place, God is faithful . But Israel has been unfaithful to the promise and are unrepentant which has strained the relationship from Israel's side. This does not mean unconditional salvation by any means.

 if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself. 2Timothy 2:13
This passage talks about God's character. His character is to be faithful. He will be truthful to the promises he has made. He will save the repentant and faithful and damn the unrepentent and unfaithful. If we are faithless or become unfaithful then he will have to damn us because he cannot accept unfaithfulness as faithfulness.
 Vincent's Word Studies
If we believe not (εἰ ἀπιστοῦμεν)
Better, are faithless or untrue to him. Comp. Romans 3:3. In Pastorals only here.
Faithful (πιστὸς)
True to his own nature, righteous character, and requirements, according to which he cannot accept as faithful one who has proved untrue to him. To do this would be to deny himself. 

 "That is, though some believe not, God will make good all his promises to them that do believe. He cannot deny himself - His word cannot fail." - John Wesley


"If we believe not - Should we deny the faith and apostatize, he is the same, as true to his threatenings as to his promises; he cannot deny - act contrary to, himself." - Adam Clarke
To use this passage to mean salvation is unconditional would be very mistaken.


 Salvation is a gift of God and the call of the Gospel is for everyone to believe , but that does not make salvation unconditional. Salvation is conditioned upon repentence and faith and bearing fruit in keeping with repentence.
This is what Jesus preached , the kingdom of God is at hand , "Repent and believe the Gospel".
God has designed everything so that people have to just repent and believe. He has given Christ on the cross and asks "everyone everywhere to repent"(Acts 17)

But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation-- if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. Colossians 1:22,23

The believers are promised salvation conditioned on their continuing belief ,which is established and firm. If it is not possible for believers to fall away from the faith ,then why would the Scripture use a conditional clause.If salvation were unconditional , God would not use a conditional clause.

Salvation is conditioned on repentance , faith and bearing fruit in keeping with repentance(the changed life). God is working towards that end but we must keep believing and responding. God according his nature and promises will be faithful . We also need to be faithful in responding to God with the power of the Holy Spirit given to us. If we lose faith , we will lose salvation. There is a response which God expects from us and that is the condition on which God offers salvation to anyone and that response is repentance , faith and bearing fruit in keeping with repentance.

Catalogical Parenesis

Catalogical Parenesis is a literary device used in the bible .
  Karl Barth identifies two types of Catalogical Parenesis
1. Type 1: Registers good and evil deeds with the promise of rewards or threats of  punishments respectively.
Eg:  For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, Romans 8:13


2. Type 2: Registers vices and virtues and then exhorts the readers to "put off" the vices and "put on" the new nature in Christ(virtues) based on their identity as a people belonging to God.
 ^Eg:
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
²⁰ Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
²¹ Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
²³ Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
²⁴ And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
²⁵ If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

1 Peter 1:14,15
 
¹⁴ As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. ¹⁵ But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; ¹⁶ for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.^"

   Here  Paul in Galatians exhort the readers to "crucify the flesh with it's affections and lusts" and "walk in the Spirit" because they belong to Christ and Peter admonishes , "Do not conform to the evil desires" but "be holy in all you do" because the God whom they worship is Holy. 

  These NT literary devices were used to drive home  practical teachings by comparing and contrasting and tieing the persuasion and dissuasion to their identity as people who belong to Christ , a people worshipping a Holy God and people are privilaged and called by his name. This ties the responsibilities which are associated with the privilages ,so that the teaching fully conveys what God's plan for his Church and individual Christians is during their time on earth.

Weslyan Theological Quadrilateral

• The Wesleyan tradition's defense has normally exercised four sources of authority rooted in the tradition of the Church of England: scripture, reason, tradition, and experience.
• "Wesley believed that the living core of the Christian faith was revealed in Scripture, illumined by tradition, vivified in personal experience, and confirmed by reason. Scripture [however] is primary, revealing the Word of God 'so far as it is necessary for our salvation.'"
   
• Scripture

Wesley insisted that scripture is the first authority and contains the only measure whereby all other truth is tested. It was delivered by authors who were divinely inspired. It is a rule sufficient of itself. It neither needs, nor is capable of, any further addition. The scripture references to justification by faith as the gateway to scriptural holiness are well known to true Wesleyans: Deut. 30:6; Ps. 130:8; Ezek. 36:25, 29; Matt. 5:48; 22:37; Luke 1:69; John 17:20-23; Rom. 8:3-4; II Cor. 7:1; Eph. 3:14; 5:25-27; I Thess. 5:23; Titus 2:11-14; I John 3:8; 4:17.

• Tradition

Wesley wrote that it is generally supposed that traditional evidence is weakened by length of time, as it must necessarily pass through so many hands in a continued succession of ages. Although other evidence is perhaps stronger, he insisted: "Do not undervalue traditional evidence. Let it have its place and its due honour. It is highly serviceable in its kind, and in its degree".^[6] Wesley states that those of strong and clear understanding should be aware of its full force. For him it supplies a link through 1,700 years of history with Jesus and the apostles. The witness to justification and sanctification is an unbroken chain drawing us into fellowship with those who have finished the race, fought the fight, and who now reign with God in his glory and might.

• Reason

Although scripture is sufficient unto itself and is the foundation of true religion. Wesley wrote: "Now, of what excellent use is reason, if we would either understand ourselves, or explain to others, those living oracles".^[7] He states quite clearly that without reason we cannot understand the essential truths of Scripture. Reason, however, is not a mere human invention. It must be assisted by the Holy Spirit if we are to understand the mysteries of God. With regard to justification by faith and sanctification Wesley said that although reason cannot produce faith, when impartial reason speaks we can understand the new birth, inward holiness, and outward holiness. Although reason cannot produce faith, it can shorten the leap.
 

• Experience

Apart from scripture, experience is the strongest proof of Christianity. "What the scriptures promise, I enjoy".^[8] Again, Wesley insisted that we cannot have reasonable assurance of something unless we have experienced it personally. John Wesley was assured of both justification and sanctification because he had experienced them in his own life. What Christianity promised (considered as a doctrine) was accomplished in his soul. Furthermore, Christianity (considered as an inward principle) is the completion of all those promises. Although traditional proof is complex, experience is simple: "One thing I know; I was blind, but now I see." Although tradition establishes the evidence a long way off, experience makes it present to all persons. As for the proof of justification and sanctification Wesley states that Christianity is an experience of holiness and happiness, the image of God impressed on a created spirit, a fountain of peace and love springing up into everlasting life.

Classical Arminianism - James(Jakob) Arminius

I. The first absolute decree of God concerning the salvation of sinful man, is that by which he decreed to appoint his Son, Jesus Christ, for a Mediator, Redeemer, saviour, Priest and King, who might destroy sin by his own death, might by his obedience obtain the salvation which had been lost, and might communicate it by his own virtue.

II. The second precise and absolute decree of God, is that in which he decreed to receive into favour those who repent and believe, and, in Christ, for his sake and through Him, to effect the salvation of such penitents and believers as persevered to the end; but to leave in sin, and under wrath, all impenitent persons and unbelievers, and to damn them as aliens from Christ.

III. The third Divine decree is that by which God decreed to administer in a sufficient and efficacious manner the means which were necessary for repentance and faith; and to have such administration instituted (1.) according to the Divine Wisdom, by which God knows what is proper and becoming both to his mercy and his severity, and (2.) according to Divine Justice, by which He is prepared to adopt whatever his wisdom may prescribe and put it in execution.

IV. To these succeeds the fourth decree, by which God decreed to save and damn certain particular persons. This decree has its foundation in the foreknowledge of God, by which he knew from all eternity those individuals who would, through his preventing grace, believe, and, through his subsequent grace would persevere, according to the before described administration of those means which are suitable and proper for conversion and faith; and, by which foreknowledge, he likewise knew those who would not believe and persevere

The God of the Calvinist doesn't love everybody

"God loves whom He chooses. He does not love everybody."  A.W.Pink 

[1] He further argued that the word world in John 3:16 ("For God so loved the world…") "refers to the world of believers (God's elect), in contradistinction from 'the world of the ungodly.'"[2]

                                                                           ---John. F .Macarthur

Calvinists in their attempt to prove their theology go the extent of changing the meaning of many words. One such word is the word , "Cosmos" , which in the greek means world. 
Here A.W.Pink , the noted classical calvinistic theologian , states very clearly that God does not love everybody but only a few he chose to love and then tries to explain away the word "cosmos" by saying it means only the world of believers. 

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes on him should not perish but have eternal life."

Let us paraphrase it the way A.W.Pink says it means and see even if the verse will make any sense.

For God so loved the world of believers, that he gave his only begotten Son, that the elect /chosen to believe and will have eternal life.

If this is what God wanted to communicate then he would have done so clearly . If this is what it means , then the structuring of the sentence will not have "whosoever".

But this is not what the verse is about. Even the structuring of the sentence and the words used, betrays the calvinist.

If you are not convinced with that ,then this verse should convince you read 1 John 2:2
"He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world."

He is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world and not just for the sins of the believers and the believers to come . God is giving propitiation for the sins of the whole world. Why? Because God loves everybody . That is why he sent his only begotten son , that whosoever believes in him should not perish but thave everlasting life.

Making John 3:16 to mean God loved only the world of believers goes against John 2:2 where Jesus is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world . 

This is one reason why I left calvinism . They were just explaining away verses and altering important truths.

Outline of the Book of Nehemiah - David Pawson

Outline of  the Book of Nehemiah

 

1. RETURN

  a. Sad Information (Chapter 1)

  b. Secret Inspection (Chapter 2)

2. REBUILD 

  a. Erecting defenses (Chapter 3)

  b. Encountering difficulties(Chapter 4-6)

  c. Enlisting Descendents (Chapter 7)

3. RENEW

   a.  Scripture Communicated (Chapter 8)

   b. Sin Confessed (Chapter 9)

   c.  Submission Covenented (Chapter 10)

4. REFORM

    a.Sufficient Quantity (Chapter 11)

    b.Suitable Quality (Chapter 12-13)

What is the Election of grace?

    Election of grace is God electing to  save people by grace through faith . God issuing salvation to those who trust Jesus as their Saviour and Lord is called election of grace.
   It is not God arbitrarily choosing some to be saved and leaving the rest of the mankind to go to hell. That is not 'Good News' to the world.

Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: ³ “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”^[a]? ⁴ And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”^{[b] 5} So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. ⁶ And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
                                                                                      ------- Romans 11

Here Elijah thinks he is the only one left who is the true worshipper of God , whereas there is a remnant saved by grace of God. This remnant is chosen by grace , is the remnant which believes in God ,remains in God merely by faith and not worshipping Baal  . This is unlike the traditional approach where the requirements of the law , both moral and ceremonial have to be fulfilled inorder to be accepted by God. 
  These Jews fulfilled only one criteria . When all of Israel became apostate and worshipped Baal , they remained steadfast in the Lord. That is how God chose to preserve national Israel at the time of crisis in it's purpose of  bringing the Messiah to the world.
        They were secret believers , whom God accepted because of their faith. Election of grace is where God accepts people on the basis of faith , not on the basis of works nor on the basis of arbitrary unconditional election Even when Paul wrote this , there was a remnant of Israel which remained faithful to God not because they kept the law of Moses , but because they approached God by way God has chosen i.e grace through faith. 
   All through the book of romans it is  righteousness by grace through faith vs righteousness by the works of the law. 
 ²¹ But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. ²² This righteousness is given through faith in^[h] Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. ²⁵ God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,^[i] through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. - Romans 3

Here again , Paul talks about the righteousness which is apart from the law which is the righteousness given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. This is the redemption by grace , which came through Jesus Christ and which justifies freely anyone who believes in Christ as his atoning sacrifice. This salvation is not by works. 
 So the remnant chosen by grace are the people of Israel whom God foreknew who believe in Christ and be saved by grace. 

But how can God who gave the law , leave it and accept people by faith ?

²⁹ Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, ³⁰ since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. ³¹ Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

The only way the law of God is upheld is when someone believes in Christ as his atoning sacrifice for his sins. The law is not nullified by faith , but it only by faith the law gets upheld in a sinner's life. This is the same for the Jew and the non-jew alike. 

So the remnant of Israel at the time of Paul were the people who approached God through Christ , through faith alone , by grace alone and not on the basis of the mosaic law . 

Therefore this salvation by faith through grace is called the election of grace and everyone who believes in Christ is an elect of grace. It is not because of election that some beleive. It means God chose to dispense salvation only by grace through faith and whoever , all who believe Christ form the elect of God.

Election of Grace is God choosing to save people by grace through faith and not on the basis of the law of moses. 

we^[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. Romans 5:2
 Access to grace is through faith . Election of grace is election to salvation of all those who receive Christ by  faith .
 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring--not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. Romans 4:16

Romans 9 : Clarification 5 - God's Purpose in Election

 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: ¹² not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”^{[d] 13} Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

God's purpose in election here is purpose to create the nation of Israel through Jacob alias Israel. His purpose in electing to create Israel is to bring Christ into this world through the seed of Abraham , who are according to his Choice , like Isaac over Ishmael , like Jacob over Esau. 

 First act of God in bringing Christ to the world then is the creation of Israel as his people. Second act of God in this regard is the preservation of Israel till the messiah comes. As God was sovereign in electing and creating Israel , God was also Sovereign in preserving Israel though they went to the brink of extinction many occasions. The purpose of God in electing Israel is Christ . The purpose of God in preserving a remnant of Israel is also Christ. If not for God's plan to bring Christ through them , God would have completely annihilated them. Romans 9

²⁷ Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:

“Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea,
    only the remnant will be saved.
²⁸ For the Lord will carry out
    his sentence on earth with speed and finality.”^[k]

²⁹ It is just as Isaiah said previously:

“Unless the Lord Almighty
    had left us descendants,
we would have become like Sodom,
    we would have been like Gomorrah.

God was going to fulfill his plan of bringing Christ and implementing his plan of salvation , inspite of the disobedience of the Jews and through their disobedience.  God used Israel , whether they obeyed him or not , though they lost because of their disobedience.

      God's plan of salvation for the world is through Christ dying for the sins of the world. Anyone who believes , Jew or non - jew , elect or non-elect , irrespective of his ethnic background . When God sovereignly implemented this plan of Salvation , the majority of the Jews rejected it ,because they were pursuing righteousness by works of the mosaic law. Many of the Gentiles accepted this offer of God , the offer to justify them and make them righteous if they repent and believe and thus became the Children of God. This was prophecied by many prophets 

²⁴ even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? ²⁵ As he says in Hosea:

“I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people;
    and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,”^[i]

²⁶ and,

“In the very place where it was said to them,
    ‘You are not my people,’
    there they will be called ‘children of the living
 God.’”^[j]

^{The response of the Jews to the Gospel was also prophecied earlier} 

³⁰ What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; ³¹ but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. ³² Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.  
³³ As it is written:
“See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble
    and a rock that makes them fall,
    and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.”

So the Purpose of God in electing Israel is to bring Christ , God ,  forever be praised. The purpose of Christ is to bring salvation to all the world , to whoever who will believe him as their saviour from sin and hell and Lord of their life.

  

The Most Neglected Doctrine

Overcoming evil with good. We have it and forgotten it. We have neglected it . How ? We have not meditated on it , not preached it , not applied it , not modelled to the extent it deserves to be .

" Bless them that curse you, and pray for your enemies. Fast on behalf of those that persecute you; for what thank is there if ye love them that love you? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? But do ye love them that hate you, and ye will not have an enemy."  - The Didache

The Didache is the teaching of the Apostles to the gentiles.

Here is what their master actually taught them.

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor^[i] and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
                                                                                      --- Jesus  

Let us repent of our neglect and let us submit to the commands of Christ.

Romans 9 : Clarification 4 - ?Objects of wrath/Objects of mercy?

²² What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? ²³ What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— ²⁴ even us(the church), whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? 

                                                                                                                     -----   Romans 9


The objects of wrath are the whole body of unbelievers both Jews and Gentiles . The Objects of mercy are the whole body of believers , the Church , who have received God's mercy. God in his foreknowledge knowing that there will two types of people , the ones who trust him and the ones who don't , has designed things in such a way that he uses the whole body of  unbeleivers to reveal some character of himself to the
 believers . He uses the unbeleivers to show his patience in delaying the judgement they deserve thus revealing his goodness, patience and justice to those who have submitted to his mercy.  

Who are the "objects of wrath" and the "objects of mercy"?

First we must understand that these two categories form two groups . First group is made up of objects of wrath . God chose that group for destruction , though he did not choose who all will be in that group. Second group are the objects of mercy. God chose this group for glory , though he did not determine or particularly choose each and every member of the  group. 

Understanding the relationship between God's kindness and repentance 
In Romans 2 , Paul writes ,

"Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance? But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed."    (Romans 2:4,5)
These are the "objects of wrath" , people who resist the kindness of God which leads to repentance.
The "objects of his mercy" are those who received the kindness of God which leads to repentance.These come from both Jews and Gentiles and form the Church Universal , the bride of Christ , prepared in advance for glory.

God in his foreknowledge knowing that there will be people who will receive his mercy ,instituted  the church and chose them , elected them to be his people , his ambassadors to bring others who also would believe and share the Gospel to those who he knew will reject his offer. These people receive or reject God's mercy extended to mankind , the Gospel of Christ ,by their own free will .  God's foreknowledge is not the same as his foreordination. The fact that he knows what people will choose in response to his mercy does not mean that he is the one making them receive or reject the Gospel. He does not because , he wants everyone to come to repentance.

 "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9 

 "who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." - 1 Timothy 2:4

Contrary  what the calvinists would have you believe ,  scripture is very clear as to what God's intention is , will is , "Salvation for all mankind". God is love.

Romans 9 - Clarification 3 - Moses and Pharaoh

¹⁴ What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! ¹⁵ For he says to Moses,

“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
    and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”^[f]

¹⁶ It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. ¹⁷ For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”^{[g] 18} Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.

¹⁹ One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” ²⁰ But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’”^{[h] 21} Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?

What then shall we say? - Denotes conclusion. What is the conclusion made from the election of Isaac and Jacob for the purposes of God? 

   

God is not unjust in his choice . God has a right to be merciful to whomever he wants to and use them for his purposes, as it was in the case of Moses, to whom God revealed himself for his own purpose. To be elected for God's purposes does not depend on human desire or effort but God's mercy. Abraham's desire was for Ismael, Isaac's desire to be the blessed of God was for Esau, but God rejected their Choices . He chose Isaac and Jacob in his own sovereignty.

In other words , God did not choose Israel as his people based on their works or on their merit. It was his free choice. For shows mercy to some and fulfills his purpose. God hardens some to fulfill his purpose. God foreknew Pharaoh's action and chose him to be used for his purpose of "declaring his glory among the nations". Pharaoh was not arbitrarily chosen. He could have been destroyed with the plague which affected their body. But God postponed his destruction so that he can use him to declare his name among the nations.

 Rahab, the prostitute says, that she heard what God did for Israel . Rahab, of course converted based on this report of what God did to Pharaoh. So Pharaoh served a higher purpose of God and God turned around what would have been a useless death by pestilence into a Glorious splitting of the red sea and drowning the Egyptian army. 

Moreover ,Pharaoh hardened his heart in spite of clear revelation , several times. God hardened Pharaoh's heart after that , to serve his own purpose. God foreknew and he planned to use Pharaoh , for a higher purpose , a purpose which would be fulfilled , when Pharaoh did what he wanted to do.

 Even here it's not about choosing Pharaoh to damnation and choosing Moses to eternal salvation. It is about God's free choice to use any of his creation according to his ways and purposes.

God should not blame us, says the hypothetical objector  ,because it is all God's work , showing mercy to some and hardening some.  As clay in the hands of the potter , so are we in his hands. How does God the potter choose to make vessels? God has the right to make choose some nations for noble purposes and some for common purpose . It is his wish . God is sovereign. God in his foreknowledge plans things in a such a way that both Moses and Pharaoh serve his purposes. 

God has a right as the creator to shape one vessel , Israel as an instrument of noble use. God has a right to shape other nations as instruments of common use.  His choice is his will. Now Israel  becoming unfitting of this noble purpose , does not nullify God's sovereignty. God will still use their unfaithfulness and  bring gentiles into the kingdom as he explains in chapter 11. 

Again it is not as the Calvinists say, that election will lead to non resistance on the part of the elect. Here Israel in spite of being chosen , resisted and disobeyed and was ultimately rejected by God for rejecting him.
God's free choice did not interfere with man's free choice to choose to say yes or no to God's purposes. Whatever man's free choice was God was sovereign and still did what he exactly wanted to do . The loser in the deal being the unrepentant and disobedient side. God has no problem fulfilling his purpose , through our obedience or disobedience.


"The words of God to Moses, Exod. xxxiii. 19, show that God has a right to dispense his blessings as he pleases; for, after he had declared that he would spare the Jews of old, and continue them in the relation of his peculiar people, when they had deserved to have been cut off for their idolatry, he said: I will make all my goodness pass before thee; and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy; and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. As if he had said: I will make such adisplay of my perfections as shall convince you that my nature is kind and beneficent; but know, that I am a debtor to none of my creatures. My benefits and blessings are merely from my own good will: nor can any people, much less a rebellious people, challenge them as their due in justice or equity. And therefore I now spare the Jews; not because either you, who intercede for them or they themselves have any claim upon my favour, but of my own free and sovereign grace I choose to show them mercy and compassion. I will give my salvation in my own way and on my own terms. He that believeth on my Son Jesus shall be saved; and he that believeth not shall be damned. This is God's ultimate design; this purpose he will never change; and this he has fully declared in the everlasting Gospel. This is the grand DECREE of reprobation and election."  - Adam Clarke, Commentary on Romans 9

 "I will have mercy upon whom I will have mercy. This is in Exod. 33:19 , and is in answer to a request of Moses for a high privilege. The Lord grants it, not because he merits it, but of grace, because he "will be gracious to whom he willeth, and will have mercy where he will." The passage, as applied by Paul, asserts that God favors nations according to his pleasure. He exercises free choice. 16. So then it is not of him that willeth. When God is gracious, it is not because a human will (him that willeth), or a human work (him that runneth) lays him under obligation, and forces him to give, but the gift is of him, due to his mercy, which he has the right to bestow where he will. Isaac willed to bestow the blessing on Esau, and the latter run to obtain the venison ( Gen. 27:5 ), but Jacob had been chosen to become the founder of the chosen people, and received the blessing, which promised that he should be the father of a great nation. 17. The Scripture saith to Pharaoh. Exod. 9:16 . It is not said that Pharaoh was born for, but was raised to the throne for a particular purpose. That purpose was that I might shew my power in thee. It is not said that God raised him up to destroy him. His power might have been shown by Pharaoh yielding to his power. Pharaoh's conduct made it necessary to abase him. Here, again, the election is not of an individual to destruction, but of a man to be a king for a particular purpose. The destruction came upon him because, in that position, he resisted God. 18. Therefore hath he mercy. Verse 15 has shown that he hath mercy according to his own sense of right, not according to any human code. The case of Pharaoh shows, in addition, that whom he will, he hardeneth. "What must not be forgotten, and what appears distinctly, from the whole narrative in Exodus, is that Pharaoh's hardening was at first his own act. Five times it is said of him that he himself hardened, or made heavy his heart ( Exodus 7:13 Exodus 7:22 Exodus 8:15 Exodus 8:32 Exodus 9:7 ), before the time when it is at last said that God hardened him ( Exod. 9:12 ), and even after that it is said that he hardened himself ( Exod. 9:34 ). Thus he at first closed his own heart to God's appeals; grew harder by stubborn resistance under God's judgments, until at last God, as a punishment for his obstinate rejection of right, gave him over to his mad folly and took away his judgment."--Godet. At first Pharaoh hardened his own heart; God's judgments only made it harder, and then God "gave him over." God only made harder, by his judgments and by leaving him to his folly, one who had already hardened his own heart. That he was given over to madness is shown in the record. Even his magician said, "This is the finger of God" ( Exod. 8:19 ). He himself once said, "I have sinned; the Lord is righteous" ( Exod. 9:27 ). Had he not hardened himself again, the result would have been different. Then God gave him up to his own folly, "to hardness of heart and reprobacy of mind." The Jews approved of all this in the case of Pharaoh, but held that God could never abandon them on account of their sinful course. Paul's argument is, that if they, the favored people, should pursue Pharaoh's course, they might experience Pharaoh's fate. They, also, hardening themselves, might be "delivered over to hardness," for God is not limited by race, or by any limitation, but hardens whom he wills. He wills to harden those who harden themselves. I have dwelt upon this passage at greater length than usual because it is so little understood. Godet well says that in this whole passage Paul is not writing theology, but answering the arrogant pretensions of Jewish Pharisaism, and hence he asserts the Divine liberty. Had he been replying to those who have exaggerated this liberty into a purely arbitrary and tyrannical will, he would have brought out the opposite side of truth." - People's New Testament, Romans 9

Romans 9 - Clarification 2

 6 It is not as though God's word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7 Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's children. On the contrary, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." 8 In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring. 9 For this was how the promise was stated: "At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son." 10 Not only that, but Rebekah's children had one and the same father, our father Isaac. 11 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad--in order that God's purpose in election might stand: 12 not by works but by him who calls--she was told, "The older will serve the younger." 13 Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."  Romans 9
 Thus not everyone who is a descendent of Israel (Jacob) is an Israelite.There is an Israel according to the promise of the Gospel of God. There is an Israel according to the flesh.
 "For not all those out of Israel (the literal Jewish nation), these are Israel (the spiritual Israel)." This startling paradox is not a new idea with Paul. He had already shown ( Galatians 3:7-9 ) that those of faith are the true sons of Abraham. He has amplified that idea also in Romans 4:1 ff. So he is not making a clever dodge here to escape a difficulty. He now shows how this was the original purpose of God to include only those who believed. - Robertson's Word pictures of the New testament.  
In refutation of the Jewish claim that the natural descendents of Israel are all Israel , Paul says that there is a Spiritual Israel , the Church and a national Israel.

What is the purpose of God in electing Abraham ? How was the promise that abraham will be a blessing to all families of the earth , get fulfilled? 
     The purpose of electing Abraham , Isaac , Jacob and his descendents and making them into a nation was so that Christ could come into the world , in the form of a man , the 'seed of abraham' , as one of the descendent of the Patriarchs and atone for the sins of the whole world. Israel was chosen for the sake of Christ. The old testament is the history of the forefathers of Christ. The purpose of God preserving Israel as a people  and keeping a remnant was so that Christ would be born still as a descended of the friend of God Abraham , inspite of the rebellion and obstinancy of Israel. God chose a remnant , to preserve Israel from extinction.Why was Israel preserved ? Why did'nt God let them become extinct? It was for the sake of Christ. It was for the sake of the promise given to the partriarchs. 

What is the purpose in choosing Isaac? Again , promise of Christ being born as his descendent. God chose Isaac and not Ismael to be the forefather of the nation of Israel, forefather of Christ . That's his wish.It is not about choosing Isaac above Ismael for salvation.

What was the purpose of God choosing Jacob over Esau? God chose Jacob over Esau , in his sovereignity to be the father of the nation of Israel , to be the forefather of Jesus. When God  announced the birth of the Children to Rebecca , 
 The LORD said to her, "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger." Genesis 25:23

So when Paul talks about Jacob and Esau , he is actually referring to this verse, where Jacob and Esau are representatives of two nations Israel and Edom which the readers of Epistle were familiar with . Again it is not about choosing Jacob to be saved and Esau to be damned to hell. Paul never says anything in that line. 
Moreover Esau never served Jacob , whereas the Edomites the descendents of Esau were served Israel under David and Solomon too.
 Edom was periodically subjected to Judea [under David & Solomon (10th c. BCE) & the Maccabees (2nd c. BCE)].
   -----     virtualreligion.net/iho/idumea.html

So in the light of these biblical and extra-biblical evidences it can be safely concluded that God did not choose the person of  Jacob for Salvation and the person of Esau for damnation. It is about the lineage of Christ. In whose lineage would Christ come? God chose to be born as a descendent of Jacob and not Esau. 

Did God hate Esau? 

The word hate denotes non preference of the Esau for this purpose. As such ,we are all aware that God is love and that he loves every sinner though he hates the sin. Moreover when Jesus said , "If anyone does not hate his father, mother , wife ,children and even his own self he cannot be my disciple" , he was not asking us to hate our parents and family but to prefer him above them. It is in the same way God preferred not to choose Esau to be the forefather of Christ.He chose Jacob to be the forefather of Christ and the patriarch of the nation of Israel. 

Though Abraham had many Children , yet it was the child of promise whom God chose to be the patriarch of Israel and though Rebecca had two Children , it was Jacob who was chosen to be the patriarch of Israel. 

God chose abraham and his descendents through whom Christ will enter the world . He is the promise of God given to Abraham . In Christ is promised  salvation for whoever would believe.

Paul is tracing the lineage of Israel and says God is sovereign to Choose any nation to be his representatives and to bring forth Jesus in the flesh. 

It's all about Christ and for Christ.