Our Prudent Faith

I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall?

Certainly not!

But through their fall, to provoke them to jealously,

Salvation has come to the Gentiles.

Romans 11:11

            Clarity here is most necessary for we make word pictures in our minds and those pictures may be different from one person to another; i.e., if is say tree you may see a fir tree and I see an oak tree, we both see a tree only differently. The words: “to provoke them to jealously,” are a translation of one Greek word: παραζηλόω, that is, παρα = beside; and ζηλόω = to have a warmth of feeling for or against something, and so the word παραζηλόω carries the meaning of be stimulated, or provokes to emulation, or to be stirred up. Unfortunately in English the word, provoke for many carries a negative meaning which in Webster’s dictionary the word provoke carries two meanings, one, to cause one to anger, or to exasperate someone, and two, to stimulate, or to excite someone. Which meaning do you most often associate with this word? It does matter for which one you choose will determine the interpretation of this verse. God is a jealous God but not in the manner that we so often use this word, for God is so associated with His children so that He guards them, protects, them and saves them, that is you, and me, and all children of God. This jealousness of God is applied to us by means of His coming to earth to pay this debt of sin we could not pay, it is a love so deep that we cannot fully understand this His love. Although we can apply in our lives this agape love, that is this Godly principled love. We have, not ethnically as Hebrews, no, but as Gentiles, non­–Jews we by their failures have by God’s dispensation and economy are able to be saved: “Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness! For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them” (Romans 11:12–14). Paul once again uses that Greek word listed above that he is preaching, and teaching the Gospel, to stimulate them to emulate Jesus Christ. In doing so may save some of his own people of his race. Also those in Rome who are not Jews, and this inspired writing extends to us in this generation and for all generations for Gods word, His Gospel is to stir us up, to stimulate us so that we live in this life as an image bearer of our Savior Jesus Christ. Man has in all times defected from the truth, and by God’s Providence no matter the defection God uses that defection to accomplish His purpose: “For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches” (Romans 11:15–16). God chose the Israelites to be a holy people for His name and purpose and the root of Israel is Jesus Christ: “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star” (Revelation 22:16). Paul makes clear to us that not all of Israel will be given salvation, but there will be some, an elect people who by their election come to believe upon the Root of David, Jesus Christ and are saved, but by this truth, those who become spiritual Israel, grafted into the body of Jesus who is the Root will also be saved: “And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the rood and fatness of the ovive tree, do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you” (Romans 11:17–18). Just because Israel failed in their worship and belief in the true God does not mean that God allowed this so that you may be saved, no: “You will say then, ‘Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.’ “Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either” (Romans 11:19–21). If you are not in fear, not just afraid by have reverential fear, a deep respect and love towards God who has saved you, you should have this fear, for if your faith is not a converted faith, one that denies oneself and becomes in the image of Jesus Christ, maybe, just maybe, you will not be spared. I am not talking about losing one’s salvation, rather it may be true that you may think that you are saved, but are not, for if you do not have a desire to live for God, then you have not come to know the truth. Ether you are not of the elect or you are not willing to allow the grace of God to be active in you life and you will not be spared from the condemnation given to such of the elect that live for themselves and not for Him. God does not cast away His elect, His children and Paul makes this plain and clear: “And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again” (Romans 11:23). This grafting in and receiving the blessings of God is dependent upon your belief or unbelief. You by the Grace of God are grafted into the Root, not because being by nature a Hebrew, and Israelite, all contrary to your nature, and God willing to graft back into the Root His chosen people, then our desire should not be to please ourselves, no, this fact should drive us to live according to God’s commandments. God speaks, and God wills, and His spoken word is true, and His will is unchanging, therefore worship God in your lives, live for Him in all you do and say, not simply for a blessing(s), no, for the fact that you are already grafted in to the Root and have all that God has promised: eternal life. Praise God!

Walk prudently when you go to

            The house of God; and

Draw near to hear rather than

            To give the sacrifice of fools.

For they do not know that they do evil.

                                    Ecclesiastes 5:1

Fear God: Keep His Commandments

Richard L. Crumb

Saved By Grace: Our Faith Is From God

Even so then, at this resent time there is a

remnant according to the election of grace.

And if by grace, then it is no longer of works,

otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is

of works, it is no longer grace, otherwise works

is no longer work. What then? Israel has not

obtained what it seeks; but the elect have

obtained it, and the rest were blinded.

Romans 11:5–7

            Paul, in this chapter eleven, is speaking about the Israelites and that God had not cast them aside, those whom He foreknew: “God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew…” (Romans 11:2a). Even though Israel had in many way turned away from Jehovah God did cast all aside: “But what does the divine response say to him? ‘I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal’” (Romans 11:4; cf. 1Kings 19:18). We must admit and understand that God is Sovereign, and by His Providence He is in control of all that occurs, even though He does allow for bad to occur, God works through second causes, and yet God is not deterred from His purpose, and that purpose is for those He saves. Paul gives credence to this fact: “Jus as it is written; ‘God has given them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear, to this very day.’” (Romans 11:8; cf. Isaiah 29:10). God gave those who would not obey Him for He gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that don’t see, and ears that can’t hear, and the Israelites were afflicted in this manner even in the day of Paul. Paul quotes king David: “And David says: ‘Let their table become a snare and a trap. A stumbling block and a recompense to them. Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see, and bow down their back always’” (Romans 11:9–10; cf. Psalm 69:22–23). How can God who is loving, kind, merciful, gracious cause bad from His hand? He cannot! God does not need to create evil, for all God must do is to remove His hand, and allow man to do whatever man desires to do, and by this man becomes stupid, not able to hear, to see, and then have themselves lowered into a position of helplessness. Unless God saves, then man is not saved. This should make the hair on the back of our neck rise, that our body should tremble, that if we, as did the Israelites, shun God, and act on our own without Him, then God will remove His hand and we will be left to our own demise. Israel is such and example of this, just look at their history, their falling away into apostasy, and their capture, imprisonment, by nations that did not see them as God’s people, and they laughed and destroy the Israelites. Oh! The Israelites claimed to be the people of God, a special chosen people but did not always show the world that this is true, and God pulled back His hand of protection and they fell. If God did save some, then all of Israel would be destroyed, and God who chose this nation would be seen as an evil God, an impotent God, a God not to be worshipped. Is this not true of many today who call themselves “Christian?” They have devised a god to be what they desire, a god that is so loving, so in love with people that God will save them, and even do they do and say things that sound godly, they are far from being God’s people, and the world looks upon them with disdain. Worse, they see that type of Christian as impotent, not to be concerned with, in fact they are much like them only they claim to be a follower of Jesus Christ. The good news is that God saves some, His elect. This is a great work, and supremely worthy of the goodness of God, not to give just what we pray for, rather that He saves, this King who has founded a people for His name, a people far from His neglect and far from Him being careless. When His people attacked, robbed in some manner, He saves them from destruction, and avenges those who oppose Him, and all this to His own honor, His justice. God the Father is not unmindful of the human race, and of His chosen people, those He called to be, rather by the offering of His own body He abolished the death that they had incurred, and by His teaching corrects neglect. By God’s power, He restores the whole nature of man, that is, by the death of His Son Jesus Christ we are legally in heaven while we are still in this world. Are nature no longer is totally subject to the sins of this world, we have a redeemer, and a Savior that knows our weaknesses, and has sent the Holy Spirit to indwell His people to guide us as we study and read His word. By God’s election of grace He saves some for His glory and we who are a child of God do not need to walk as this world any longer, we are restored, and this restoration is affective if we so choose to allow God to by our God and we lose our individuality, that is we no longer walk in the nature of this world, and we are assured of this fact: "For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge that, if One died on behalf of all, then all died, and He died for all that we should no longer live unto ourselves, but unto Him who died and rose again from the dead, even our Lord Jesus Christ." (2Corinthians 5:14 KJV). I want to make sure that I am not speaking as one who is an Arminian in belief that anyone can come to God and be saved because they have enough goodness in them to do so. The Greek word, so often misapplied and given another, or Arminian translation is the world “all.” The Greek word, “πάντως,” without the negative as is in this verse carries the meaning of; wholly, or entirely, or by all means, altogether, surely, so this verse is not saying that “all,” meaning everyone, no, it means that God surely died on behalf, that by all means God saves and Paul has been clear, plain in his words that God saves His elect. How do we know if we are one of God’s elect? “We should no longer live unto ourselves, but unto Him who died and rose again from the dead, even our Lord Jesus Christ." If this is not the way you want to live, then it may be possible that you are not one of God’s elect, or that you are still fighting to remain, allowing your self to rule you and not God. Christ died for you and by His death we are constrained. This is conversion and not just some decision. This is good news: we are saved, not by works, rather by the love of God through the death of His Son Jesus Christ.

We should no longer live unto ourselves,

but unto Him who died and rose again

 from the dead, even our Lord Jesus Christ.

                                                2Corinthians 5:15

Live As One Of God’s Chosen

Richard L. Crumb

Learning About The Nature Of Our Faith

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,

the evidence of things not seen. For by it

the elders obtained  good testimony.

By faith we understand that the worlds

were framed by the word of God, so that

the things which are seen were not made

of things which are visible.

Hebrews 11:1–3

            This study on the book of Romans is so important as this is probably the most doctrinal book of the Bible along with the book Hebrews. We have learned what God accepts and condemns and acceptance and condemnation is clearly and plainly spoken so that there can only be that which is to be believed (that is, unless a person chooses just not to believe), His will for man, for we are not destitute and lack the knowledge revealed to us by God. This study has led us into the realm of faith and this subject, faith, is the thrust and purpose of this blog. Therefore, we must continue this subject so that we are built up in the faith. Let us then begin with this: That by God’s grace, all things that are in existence is due to the word of the Father who is Himself divine, and that by the word, His will and power all things are moved and receive their being. At this point in time, that is, Christmas time, a time in which Christians celebrate the coming of the Savior Jesus Christ we must take a step further in our faith, that faith of our most holy religion and we must then consider this: the Word became Man and appeared in our world. This mystery, a mystery that may even give you great concern and has for many become a stumbling block, reducing one’s faith, in the least has caused faith to not be fully understood for the truth is missing, for many have traduced this fact of the coming of Jesus. In fact this world, as it has from the beginning of the coming of Jesus Christ say: “He is of little worth, and that God did not become a Man.”  Yet, it this mystery, the coming of Jesus Christ as a babe born in a stable, a manger, lowly, the one whom we adore, and our love, devotion to this world is derided by the world, and yet, our understanding of this mystery will increase our faith making us willing witnesses for God. Men rule this coming of Jesus, this coming of God as to be something that is impossible, and yet, the life of Jesus Christ makes His Godhead evident. Man may say this is unfitting of God and even makes wisecracks, laughing at such a possibility. He by His inherent might declares His Divinity. Jesus shows this to be possible, and His goodness is most fit and by what, at least to the world, that which seems to be His utter poverty, and weakness. In fact, they point to the cross. He by His life, His teachings overturns such thinking and by His demeanor, quietly and even hiddenly shows those mockers and unbelievers to recognize Him as God. It is necessary to deal with this matter and to come to an understanding why the Word of the Father manifested in bodily form. The Word, or the Wisdom of God having so high and greatness by His being Divine, the Second Person of the Trinity, being of Spirit, that is, His nature, His Person is Spirit, then to come into that which was not of His nature, to have a body, a man’s body. Why? This manifestation being in a human body was for this reason only, and this due to the love and Goodness of the Father: first to pay the debt that man could not pay, a debt of death, a debt that the Justice of God demanded. This God paid Himself by sending His Only Begotten Son, this Son who for all eternity was and is the Only Begotten of God, His very Wisdom, all for the salvation of us, the children of God.

            I opened this blog with the first three verses of Hebrews, a chapter known as the faith chapter, and these verses pointed out this fact: “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that

the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible” (Hebrews 11:3). God, the Son of God, the Word of God, and the Holy Spirit is the maker of all things visible and invisible. By the coming of Jesus Christ, to become incarnate, to take on man’s body, to be a baby and grow into manhood came because of the grace, goodness, and mercy of God and by His coming to earth there is now a renewal of creation by this Self–same Word, who made all things in the first place. There is no inconsistency between creation and salvation for God, the Father has employed the same Agent for both works, by the One who made the world in the first place. So, why, am I discussing the origin of men when I have set about to speak about the Word’s becoming Man, and how this will enhance our faith? The subject of creation is relevant to the latter for this reason. Sin, our sin, the sin of Adam, that original sin is what caused the Word of God to come down into our world and become Man. Our transgression had need for reconciliation, and God seeing our sorry state, out of His love for us, made the provision to help us, and this He did by appearing among us. We made cause for the Spiritual to take on the physical human form, and this, done for our salvation. God had made man and given to men, a spirit, embodied men with a soul and had willed that man should remain in incorruption. God willed this to be and at the same time did not make man some robot that could not choose and knowing, for God is omniscient, knew that man would turn down His will and devise evil, thereby come under the law of death. Man, Adam, and even now us, did not and often in our lives will not remain or even desire the state in which God created man. Man has become ever increasingly corrupt, and death from the first fall had complete dominion over man. Man came from non–existence and now due to sin are returning to non–existence again. By God’s love man called into existence and by sin they have lost the knowledge of God, and by this loss have lost existence with God Who alone exists, and this evil which is non–being is the negation and antithesis of good: therefore the badness of man cannot exist with goodness. Man by nature is mortal and God made man in His image, and having this likeness of Him, if they would remain, or preserve that likeness, they would have all the power that God would grant to them. If man then lost that nature through sin, corruption then man’s nature remains deprived of that power and then remains corrupt.

            As we begin to contemplate this season of celebration for the birth of Jesus Christ, let us not get caught up in the commercialization. Christmas trees, gifts, songs, are to bring joy and happiness. This is great and wonderful. The most wonderful thing that must not be forgotten is that God came to earth, the Son of God, Jesus Christ, to die and pay this debt of sin, and by the grace of God through His Son, the death of His Son on the cross, this propitiation is applied to the children of God. Now this is truly a reason to celebrate His birth.

Thus says the LORD:

            “Heaven is My throne.

And earth My footstool. Where is

            The house that you will build

For Me? And where is the place of My rest?

            For all those things My hand has made,

And all those things that exist,” says, the LORD.

            But on this one will I look: On him who

Is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles

            At My word.

                                    Isaiah 66:1––2

Jesus Christ: Our Immanuel

Richard L. Crumb