Will of God.

 The Will of God.

Joh_6:29  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

We believe and once we believe on Jesus Christ, we believe in what our Lord believes, and our Lord believes in the law of God and states that the law - the entire royal law - the ten commandments- are summed up this way--

Mat 22:36  Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 

Mat 22:37  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 

Mat 22:38  This is the first and great commandment. 

Mat 22:39  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 

Mat 22:40  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. 

Loving God, loving each other- on these two principles encompass all the laws- all.

The law contains the WILL of God for us. 

When we DO the will of God we are living as He would have us live as outlined in His word, in His law. We see the perfection of the law and realize our inability to keep the law of our own accord. We MUST live in Christ- this is the WORK of God, BELIEVING in Christ. When we believe we trust the HE has kept the law perfectly for us, He has lived the will of God perfectly. He wills to live in us, Christ in us our hope. 

Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory

Christ is forever our hope. We know God's will for us is to be His, now and always.

(Excerpt - EJ Waggoner)

Rom_2:17  Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God

Boasting of God.

This is something different from making one's boast in the Lord. Ps. 34:2. 

Psa 34:2  My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. 

Instead of rejoicing in the Lord's salvation, the Jews boasted over their superior knowledge of God. They did indeed have more than others, but they had nothing that they had not received, yet they boasted as though they had not received it.  They glorified themselves, rather than God, for the knowledge that they had; and therefore they put themselves in the condition of the heathen who "when they knew God, glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations." 

(Albert Barnes wrote- 'Makest thy boast in God - Thou dost boast, or glory, that thou hast the knowledge of the true God, while other nations are in darkness. On this account the Jew felt himself far elevated above all other people, and despised them. It was true that they only had the true knowledge of God, and that he had declared himself to be their God, Deu_4:7; Psa_147:19-20; but this was not a ground for boasting, but for gratitude. This passage shows us that it is much more common to boast of privileges than to be thankful for them, and that it is no evidence of piety for a man to boast of his knowledge of God. An humble, ardent thankfulness that we have that knowledge a thankfulness which leads us not to despise others, but to desire that they may have the same privilege - is an evidence of piety.')

Rom_1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Whatever reader is inclined to censure the ancient Jews for their vain boasting, let him remember how he himself has often felt on comparing himself with the inhabitants of heathen countries, and with the "lowest class" in his own land.

God's Will His Law. 

Rom_2:17  Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,

Rom_2:18  And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law

The apostle says that the Jew knows the will of God, because he is instructed out of the law.  This is sufficient to show that the law of God is his will. 

Indeed, no argument should be needed on this point.  The will of any government is expressed in its law. 

Where there is an absolute ruler, his will is always law.

God is an absolute ruler, although not an arbitrary one, and as his will is the sole rule of right, it follows that his will is law. But his law is summed up in the Ten Commandments; therefore the Ten Commandments contain a summary statement of the will of God.

Dependence Upon Christ.

 

Moses Believed In Christ.

 Jesus said Moses believed in Him, that Moses wrote of Him.

Joh 5:46  For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. 

Joh 5:47  But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? 

Moses a Jew, who received the Ten Commandments, the Royal law from God, who saw the Heavenly Temple and then built a Tabernacle that could be moved as they traveled towards the land promised to them, believed in CHRIST!  Believing in Christ makes a person a Christian, right? A Jewish Christian. This is TRUTH.  There are Jews who do not believe, and they are not of God. There are Christians who do not believe and they are not of God.  May we BE GOD'S in ALL TRUTH!

(Excerpt - EJ Waggoner)

"Thou Art the Man" Romans 2:17-24

17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,

18 and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; 

19 and art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, 

20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. 

21 Thou therefore which teachest another,  teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? 

22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? Thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? 

23 Thou that makest they boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonorest thou God? 

24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.

A Professed Jew. 

Are professed Christians to throw away this portion of the book of Romans as not applicable to them, since it is addressed to a professed Jew? By no means. Professed Christians are the very ones who are meant by the apostle. Read the description: Thou "restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; and art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law."

Whom does he address? Every one who professes to know the Lord, no matter by what name he is called; every one who thinks himself fully qualified to instruct others in the way of the Lord.

"Called a Jew."

It should not be overlooked as a trifling matter that the apostle does not say, "Behold, thou art a Jew," but, "Behold, thou art called a Jew." People are not always what they are called, nor what they call themselves. Beginning with the seventeenth verse the apostle settles the question of who are Jews. Before we have finished the chapter it will seem that by using the word "called" he meant to intimate that the one addressed and described in the following verses is not really a Jew, and is not considered so by the Lord.

Claiming to Be Jews. 

In Revelation 2:9 we read, "I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan." And again, "Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee." Rev. 3:9. From this we see that to be a Jew indeed is so high an honor that many will falsely claim it. Yet the people called Jews have been held in contempt by the greater part of the world, for many hundred years.

At no time and in no part of the world, since the New Testament was written, has it ever been an object for anybody to claim that he was a Jew, in the common acceptation of the term. The Jews as a class have never been in such honor that it would benefit one's prospects to be called one. But it has been and is very often an advantage for a man to be known as a Christian, and very many have falsely made the claim, in order to better their business prospects.

Jew and Christian. It is not straining the text at all to say that when "Jew" is used in these verses, it means what is now known as "Christian." This will be apparent if we consider what a real Jew is. We may quote enough to show that from the beginning a true Jew was one who believed in Christ. Of the head of the race the Lord Jesus said, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad." John 8:56. He believed in the Lord, and it was counted to him for righteousness; but righteousness comes only through the Lord Jesus.  Moses, the leader of the Jews, esteemed "the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt." Heb.  11:26 

The rebellious Jews in the wilderness tempted and rejected Christ. 1 Cor. 10:9. 

1Co 10:9  Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. 

When Christ came in the flesh, it was "his own" that received him not. John 1:11.

Joh 1:11  He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

And to crown all, Christ said that no one could believe the writings of Moses unless he believed on him. John 5:46, 47.

Joh 5:46  For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. 

Joh 5:47  But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? 

Therefore it is evident that no one is or ever has been a real Jew unless he believes in Christ. He who is not a Jew indeed is of "the synagogue of Satan."

All Are Accountable.

 When a person who does not have the law of God- live a life following all of God's ways, they are doing by nature what is in the law given to others- these are God's. Make no mistake, God truly knows the heart of every single human being that has ever lived and that will ever live. No person who has lived their life in God will be lost to Him by the fact they did not have the law of God. Their lives are a testimony to what the law contains. Not a single person will be God's simply because they put a label upon themselves or are given a label by others from birth. You can strut about declaring your Christ following walk as something making you God's, but in truth you could be far from God- your words do not make truth out of a lie. All of us are saved by the grace of God through Christ Jesus, not by any action we take.

Romans 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these,  having not the law, are a law unto themselves

Keeping the law by nature, how pure that love for God must be.

Those who choose to embrace unrighteousness, whether they have the law or not, will be lost to God- it works both ways.  They can't claim ignorance of the law as their excuse for unrighteousness. 

Accountability rests on all of us individually.

May God keep us in Him always! Please, Lord, we would be Yours!

(Excerpt- EJ Waggoner)

'And so the second chapter proceeds to show that all will be subjects of God's righteous judgment, "for there is no respect of persons with God." 

Thus we are brought to a confirmation of the fact that God is impartial, by a comparison of the two classes in the Judgment.

12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law; and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law 13 (for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. 14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these,  having not the law, are a law unto themselves; 15 which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another); 16 in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

Without Law, and in the Law.

Although it is quite certain that when the Lord comes the second time there will be no people on the earth who have not heard the preaching of the word, it is a fact that thousands and millions have died without ever having seen or heard of the Bible. They are the ones to whom the apostle refers as "without law." Yet it is plainly set forth that they are not absolutely without law, but only without the written law. The fact that they have some knowledge of the law is stated in the verses following, and is proved by the fact that they are counted sinners; but "sin is not imputed where there is no law." Rom. 5:13.

All Sin Punished.

Whether we have had the written law or not, all are alike counted sinners. "The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men." Rom. 1:18. 

The heathen are declared to be without excuse; and if they who have not the written law are without excuse, they who have the law in their hands are of course far more inexcusable. God is just. "We know that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things." Yet all who sin, whether in the law or without the law, are to be punished.

This is sufficient to show that "without law" does not mean without any knowledge of God. The first chapter settles that. The trouble with too many who read this statement that all shall be punished, and who think that it does not seem just, is that they forget, or are ignorant of, what is contained in the first chapter. It is a great mistake to take any single verse of the Bible and separate it from its connection.

They Shall Perish.

That is declared to be the fate of the wicked. The apostle Peter tells us that the world is "reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." 2 Peter 3:7. What is meant by "perish?" It means just the opposite of living forever. On one occasion some people told Jesus of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices, and Jesus replied, "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." Luke 13:1-3. Again we read, "The wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs; they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away." Ps. 37:20. Therefore the statement that those who sin shall perish means that they shall die, that they shall be utterly extinct, that "they shall be as though they had not been." Obad. 16.

Strict Impartiality.

That means strict justice. Sinners will be punished, whether they live in heathen lands or in so-called Christian lands. But no one will be judged by that of which he knew nothing. God does not punish men for violation of a law of which they knew nothing, nor does he hold them accountable for light that they have not had. It is very plain that those who have the law must know many things that are not known to those who do not have it in written form. All men have light enough to know that they are sinners; but the written word gives those who have it a knowledge of many particulars of which those are ignorant who do not have it.

Therefore God in his justice does not hold the latter accountable for many things for which the former will be judged. "As many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law; and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law." The man who has rejected light, whether it be little or much, is obviously guilty.

The Root of Sin.

To some it seems unjust that those who have had but comparatively little light should suffer death for their sins, the same as those who have sinned against the greatest light. Their difficulty arises from the fact that they do not consider what sin really is. God alone is good. Luke 18:19

Luk 18:19  And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. 

 He is the source of goodness.  Whatever goodness ever appears in man is only the working of God in him.

But he is also the source of life. With him is the fountain of life. Ps. 36:9.

Psa 36:9  For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. 

God's life is righteousness; therefore there can be no righteousness apart from the life of God. 

Now it is evident that if a man rejects God, he effectually cuts himself off from life. It matters not that he has had but comparatively little knowledge of God, if he rejects that light he rejects God, and thus rejects life. And by rejecting the little that he has seen of God, he shows that he would reject God in any case. Sin is simply separation from or rejection of God; and that means death.

To Belong to God, or Not, You Choose.

 Every single human being is either God's or not God's by their own choosing. 

Some choose outright to verbally announce their God denial for all to hear, and yes, God will allow them to choose not to be His. He isn't secretly snatching them up to belong to Him against their will. He isn't bending their will in His direction. He won't force a single person to choose Him to be the God of their entire life over all other would be gods. If someone says they don't believe in God, God will not force them to believe. He will give them opportunities to know Him- a multitude of opportunities, but never force a belief- He doesn't work that way. 

Others choose to acknowledge God verbally but their lives are contrary to His will. He won't denounce these people for all to know the truth of their deceptive lives, God allows them their choice to be a deceiver. God allows people to hold fast to false beliefs, to traditions of men, all the while knowing their hearts are not really His. He won't stop trying to reach their hearts with truth, but again, God will not force a single person to follow His truth.

We live in a world so convoluted with deception, with people calling on God but not in truth. Thy truly believe they are His, so caught up in their own lies they don't for a moment believe they aren't His. These people, just like those who choose blatantly to denounce God- are NOT going to belong to God- all by their own choice, their own actions, their beliefs. They may even be judging those blatant God defying people as being lost even while they themselves are lost to God.

We cannot judge a single person's eternal life, not ever! We can see actions we know are outright condemned by God and judge that action to be wrong, but then as soon as we judge that action we HAVE to extend our deepest sympathy, the depths of our love towards the person committing that action- NOT our condemnation. And if our knee-jerk reaction is condemnation we NEED to repent of that action as soon as we realize our response was not one of love, but of dark nature. We need to extend our prayers to include their being forgiven and to their coming to know the love of God in truth. We must LOVE them, all the while Satan would have us despise them. We must not judge their eternal life, not ever, not in the slightest. We must forever hold out hope for them, just as we desperately need hope held out for us! All are worthy- Christ died for ALL mankind- and He will know those who are His, and those who are not. All are worthy of Christ, but NOT all will choose Christ. 

God help us all, help us to choose Christ!

(Excerpt- EJ Waggoner)

Romans Chapter 1- Brief summary- Condition of those who do not know God. How they lost their knowledge, and are without excuse.  And any who claim superiority over them are cut down by God for judging them. 

*******

To the Jew First. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      This statement is sufficient to show that God is no respecter of persons. Indeed, the apostle states as a necessary conclusion that "there is no respect of persons with God." 

Rom_2:11  For there is no respect of persons with God.

"First" does not always refer to time. 

Rom 2:10  But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:

We speak of a man as being the first man in the country, not because there were no men before him, but because he is the chief man. In school a certain one is the first one in his class because he is the best scholar.  The Jew is the one who has had the greatest revelation made to him, and therefore it is just that he should be chief in the judgment.

The text shows, however, that God has no special favor to the Jew over other men. If glory, honor, and peace come to the Jew first, so also do indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish. The question is not, "What is the man's nationality?" but, "What has he done?"

God will render to every man according to his deeds, "for there is no respect of persons with God."

A few words may suffice to bring to mind what we have already studied. 

The first chapter of Romans may be briefly summed up as setting forth the condition of those who know not God, and the way in which they lost their knowledge, together with the fact that they are wholly without excuse. 

Then, just as we are ready to hold up our hands in horror at their wickedness, and to launch forth severe condemnation upon them, the apostle turns to us, and shuts our mouths with the stinging words, "Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest; for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things."

*******

Willfully Clinging to Sin Means Ultimate Destruction.

 *(Excerpt) 

'Tribulation and Anguish.

Those who sin are the children of wrath. Eph. 2:3. 

Eph 2:3  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 

Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, are sure to come upon evil doers. But tribulation and anguish will have an end. The fact that none receive immortality except the ones who are Christ's at his coming, shows that all others will eventually cease to exist.

2Ti 1:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel

1Th_4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first

1Co_15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 

1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

There will be torment in connection with the punishment of the wicked, but the torment, however long it may continue, will come to an end in the utter destruction of the wicked. God's indignation will come to an end.  "For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction." Isa. 10:25.

The call is: "Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee; hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity." Isa. 16:20,21. 

"He will not always chide; neither will he keep his anger forever." Ps. 103:9. His anger will cease, not because he will become reconciled to iniquity, but because iniquity will come to an end with its workers.

"To Every Soul. " 

Rom_2:9  Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile

Tribulation and anguish will come upon "every soul of man that doeth evil," and "glory, honor,  and peace to every man that worketh good." 

None will be left out. There is not a soul so poor and ignorant that he will be passed by, nor one so wealthy and learned that he will be allowed to escape. Wealth and position will have no influence in that court. God has made the revelation of himself so plain that every man has had an opportunity of knowing him. "The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold down the truth in unrighteousness." 

Note well that his wrath is revealed against sin. Only those persons will suffer who cling to sin, and will not allow God to take it from them. In the final blotting out of sin, they are necessarily blotted out with it.

(To be continued…  end excerpt)

Immortality and Eternal Life

 

(Excerpt - EJ Waggoner- )

Immortality and Eternal Life. 

God will render eternal life to them who seek for glory and honor and immortality.  Christ "hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." 2 Tim. 1:10. 

2Ti 1:10  But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel

Life and immortality are two different things. 

Whoever believes on the Son of God has eternal life.

"This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." John 17:3.

We have eternal life as soon as we know the Lord; but we can not have immortality until the Lord comes, at the last day.

"We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." 1 Cor. 15:51-53.

Rom_2:7  To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life

We are to seek for immortality; that of itself is proof that no man has it now. 

Since Christ has brought it to light through the gospel, it is evident that immortality can be found in no other way than through the gospel.  Therefore those who do not accept the gospel will never have immortality.