Romans 11:26
And so all Israel will be saved, …
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Does this mean we should not waste our time witnessing to Jews since they will be saved anyway? Does it mean they will be saved just because they are Jews without having to trust in Jesus?”

Often when we don’t understand a passage of Scripture a little diligent study will reveal that the Bible is the best interpreter of the Bible. Questions we have are often answered somewhere else in God’s Word.The key to understanding this passage is how does God define “Israel”. Is it everyone who is born to Jewish parents? Or is it everyone who is a citizen of the political nation of Israel? Or does God define “Israel” as something totally different?

Laziness would lead us to just guess or jump to our own conclusion and often this is the foundation of mistaken ideas so rampant in the church today. We don’t have to wonder or guess. God tells us very clearly who He regards as a true Israelite and Jew, in fact the answer is in the same book – Romans.

Romans 2:28,29
For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly … But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter…

Philippians 3:3 conveys the same idea, “we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”

So “Israel” is not all the citizens of the earthly nation by that name nor all those born to Jewish parents or a convert to the religion of Judaism. A true Israelite is one who, like Abraham, believes God and demonstrates that by putting their confidence in God’s plan of salvation -which has always been believing, never by works.

Is it a waste of time to witness to Jews?  It can be frustrating but Paul certainly thought it a worthwhile use of his time to pray for their salvation and to present the gospel to them. It is never a waste of time to share God’s plan for all mankind – come to God through faith like Abraham did.
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Romans 10:1, 12-13
Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile — the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

                          

Hebrews 2:10

Another passage in Hebrews speaks to this same difficulty: (Hebrews 5:8 NIV) – “Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered”. Jesus “learned obedience”? Didn’t He always obey the Father? Surely He had learned to obey before suffering on the cross. What suffering taught Him obedience? What suffering made Him perfect?

While these seem like complex problems, as is often the case, the best commentary on the Bible, the best book to help us understand Bible mysteries, is the Bible itself. We find the answer to these questions in Hebrews 2:18 – Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

The suffering that “taught” Jesus obedience and made Him “perfect” was being tempted. We don’t see temptation as “suffering”.  In fact, we usually enjoy it because it feeds our old nature. But being tempted to violate God’s will was a torturous battle for our Lord. We see the full depth of His agony, the suffering of resisting temptation, in Gethsemane where His whole being was crying out to avoid the cross and He actually sweat drops of blood.

He “learned obedience” because without temptation there can be no obedience. Only when He became man and struggled with the fallen flesh nature did He understand what it is like to have cravings contrary to God’s will. Only then could He choose obedience, “not my will but thy will be done”. Temptation gave Him the opportunity to choose to obey, to learn, to experience obedience just as it offers us the same opportunity.

Suffering temptation made him “perfect”, as Hebrews 2:10 tells us, not implying He was imperfect or sinful before being tempted. Rather it is a continuation of what is being talked about in the context of this passage. The passage is saying that to be a “perfect” High Priest for us He had to be one of us, “fully human” (Hebrews 2:17). It is saying His suffering temptation made Him the perfect High Priest because He then could understand the battle we face daily with our old nature.

He experientially “learned obedience” through suffering temptation and that experience made Him the “perfect” “author” of our salvation, the perfect High Priest for us.
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Hebrews 4:15
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.

                          

We are in a war where radical Muslims claim God is on their side.  In America we pray for God to bless our troops and believe God is on our side.  Does God choose sides and if so, whose side is He on? Joshua 5:13-14 gives us the answer.

Joshua is preparing to lead Israel in battle against Jericho.  Joshua sees “a man” standing with sword drawn and he asks him, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” This “man” turns out to be an angel, or most probably, a pre-incarnate appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

God had commanded the Israelites to go in and conquer the land to punish the inhabitants for their continued wicked ways.  He had promised the Israelites that He would give them victory.  If anybody could ever say, “God is on our side”, these would be the people who could make that claim.  Yet, the “man” gives a very curious answer, “Neither”.

Neither?  He wasn’t for them or for their enemies?   He goes on to explain, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” In other words, He was saying, “I am on God’s side.  The real question is, ‘Are you on God’s side or on the side of His enemies?’”  God is always on His own side, accomplishing His purposes.  It is man who must choose which side He will be on, the side of right or the side of wrong?

Is there a “right” side in war?  Certainly there is, God’s side.  It is God who established what is right and what is wrong.  God is always on the side of good.  That means He is opposed to those who are proud, perpetrate injustice or do not show mercy (Micah 6:8).  He is opposed to those who shed innocent blood and devise wicked plans (Proverbs 6:17).  He supports liberty for mankind (Isaiah 61:1; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Leviticus 25:10).  The Bible lists many things He is opposed to and many things He is in favor of. The nation that goes to war to accomplish a godly purpose has chosen to be on God’s side.

God has often provoked nations to go to war to accomplish His purpose.  Israel invaded the Promised Land to accomplish God’s punishment upon those nations that had repeatedly rejected Him.  (They had heard the message. Melchizedek is an example of one prophet God had sent among the gentile nations in that area.)  Throughout the book of Judges, and elsewhere, God provoked the nations surrounding Israel to attack them to chastise them for their rebellion.  Ultimately Israel and Judah were conquered by the Assyrians and the Babylonians as part of God’s plan to purge Israel of her idolatry.  We have solid Biblical reasons to believe God still provokes nations to go to war to accomplish His will.

Is God on the side of the Muslims?  Is God on the side of the Jews?  Is God on America’s side?  God is on His side and actively accomplishing His purpose here on earth.  Therefore, it is up to us to choose where we will stand.  Will we stand with God in bringing about His plans for mankind or will we fight against God for our own selfish ends?
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Psalms 115:2-3
Why do the nations say, ”Where is their God?”
Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.

                          

Matthew 27:40-43

We see this same line of reasoning in those who mocked Jesus: “If He is the Son of God surely God will rescue Him.” And God did rescue Him and Jesus did triumph but not in the way they expected. God had a higher purpose at work that those with only an earthly perspective could not fathom.

Notice that no one in Scripture avoided trials, hardship and suffering. It is the way of Christ. It is the way of the cross. Why should we think we will be exempt? A first century Christian explained the heavenly perspective of this problem when he wrote to a pagan critic:

“You think we are being punished when we suffer but it is not punishment – it’s warfare. Fortitude is strengthened by infirmities [James 1:12]. Virtue and suffering usually go hand in hand. Think of all the heroes you admire. Wasn’t it their afflictions that made them great?

“God is able to deliver us but through trials He tests us and searches us. He tests the quality of all of us through adversity, often to the point of death itself. He can test us to the point of death because nothing can perish with Him. No one receives a reward before the trial. God’s people are neither forsaken in suffering nor brought to an end in their death. In fact, in our death we win the prize for which we were battling.”

In the New Testament, the Greek word “witness” is the same word as “martyr”. A “witness” is a martyr and a martyr is a witness. The one who lays down his life, either literally or through embracing suffering, is being a true “witness” to his faith.
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Hebrews 12:7-8
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.

                          

When I was in the Navy I remember a young lieutenant asking me this “profound” puzzler.  ”Can God do anything?  Can God make a rock so big he cannot lift it?”

This is a rather common question asked by pseudo-intellectuals who think they have stumbled across a great chink in the Christian’s belief about the omnipotence of God. The answer to the question is quite simply, “No, there are many things God cannot do.”

For one thing, he cannot do something that is logically impossible such as make a rock so big He cannot lift it. Neither can he draw a square circle. For that matter, He can not do something that is impossible. Because the moment he accomplished the feat, it would no longer be impossible since He proved it was possible for Him.

But we don’t have to stoop to such nonsense to find things God cannot do. The Bible clearly says it is “impossible for God to lie” (Hebrews 6:18) and that “He cannot deny himself” (2 Timothy 2:13), meaning violate His own nature or integrity. He can not stop being God. He can not stop being good. He cannot cease to exist – since existence is a component of goodness. I could go on and on listing things God can not do but I think you grasp the concept.

When Christians speak of God’s omnipotence or when Jesus assures us that “with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26) we are not referring to either ludicrous scenarios that parade as profound discoveries of truth nor to things that would violate God’s very nature and character. Omnipotent is understood to be “possessing all power”. Simply put, that means God can do anything that can be done. He has the ability to perform any feat consistent with His character and nature.

This is one reason it is vital believers study the Word to know what God says about Himself and the world around us. As believers, we appear foolish when we try to defend God and ascribe to Him attributes that He does not even claim for Himself.
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2 Timothy 2:15
Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

                          

Matthew 26:51

But God’s plan was for Peter to live for Jesus and that proved too hard. He fell asleep when asked to simply “watch and pray”. He fled when his gallant attack with the sword was thwarted by the One he was trying to rescue. He remained at a distance and then denied even knowing the Lord to the point of cursing when a Middle School-aged girl confronted him.

Sadly, I can relate to Peter. Why does it seem easier to do the big things than the little daily obediences? As one who has lived overseas doing missions work, I find it was easier to go across the globe than to go across the street and share with my neighbor. “If I had a million dollars I’d give half to missions” yet the same person doesn’t tithe on what they do have. Would you really give 50% of a million if you won’t give 10% of $500?

As a parent it is nice when your children make some big “sacrifice” to show their love for you but what you really want to see is just the daily obedience in little things. That is what brings joy to your heart and peace to the relationship.

Lord, forgive my desire to do great things for you while ignoring the little things you ask of me – be kind, humble yourself, think of others above yourself, show patience, forgive when attacked.
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1 Samuel 15:22
“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

                          

Soon each would abandon Him. In the terror of the coming night, with its mobs and arrest, interrogation and intimidation, the true character of each disciple would be tested and shown for what it really was – weak, inept, lacking the courage of will to follow through on the vow they made in the daylight of His presence.

Two thousand years later little has changed. I find that on the mountaintop it is easy to sing and praise and tell Him of my undying devotion but then a little darkness comes – we lose a job, we lose our health, we lose a relationship and suddenly it is also easy to lose all courage to “never disown” Him. Suddenly we begin to doubt, question, some even curse God as unfair, unloving, uninvolved.

The darkness, rather than the light, reveals our faith for what it truly is – genuine and tempered or flakey, fading and impotent. All of us can be bold and brave – even boastful – in the times of daylight but this passage reminds me that it is how I respond in the difficult times, times when God seems distant, even absent, it is those times which reveal the depth of my walk with the Lord.

In the times of daylight I need to be putting down deep roots, learning to live humbly and dependent upon the Lord so that when the inevitable darkness comes my faith will survive because it will be rooted in His omnipotence not in my impotence.
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John 15:4-5
No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

                          

While teaching a series on the book of Revelation, I found a startling passage, telling of an event to come, that shed new light on this subject:

Revelation 14:6
Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people.

So an angel will finish this task. The salvation of all mankind and the return of Jesus is not dependent upon me!  (Duh.)  What a relief!

Obviously this does not negate the importance of us taking the gospel “to every nation, tribe, language and people” because there are those alive in our generation who will not live long enough to receive the message from this angel. They are still dependent upon human instruments, obeying God – some of us by sending others and some of us by going ourselves – to bring them this vital message. But I am relieved to know that “the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority”(Acts 1:7) remain under His control and are not dependent upon me.
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Matthew 28:18-20
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

                          

Matthew 14:31

Can you imagine giving that as a gift. “Here pastor, just a little gift to tell you what we think of you and your ministry among us.”

In sermons on this passage I’ve heard Peter get a lot of grief as pastors exhort their people to not look at the surrounding winds and waves, keep your eyes on Jesus, etc. But notice no one in the boat that day ridiculed Peter. He was dripping wet but at least he had taken a few steps on water. All the dry folks never even got out of the boat! Yes, he doubted but he at least had a “little faith” while the rest of the crew played it safe.

It is better to live your life like Peter and respond to the Lord’s invitation to “Come” even if you might end up looking like a fool to those who play it safe. Without risk there is no faith.

It’s not up to us to decide whether we walk on water or take the bridge. (Unless the Lord says “Come”, you better take the bridge!) But when we have heard His voice I want to be one who responds to His invitation to take the risk, use what little faith I might have, step out and trust that either the water will get hard under my feet or He will reach out and rescue me – or both.

Either way, it assures me I will not live some dull, lack luster Christian life. At the end I will not look back with regrets that I never pushed the envelope to see what God could do. I will not have merely existed and passed through life as one of “those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”
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“It is not the critic who counts, nor the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; Who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

President Theodore Roosevelt
Speech at the Sorbonne
April 23, 1910

                          

James 1:5-8

There is a difference between doubt and unbelief. Faith is on one end of the spectrum and Unbelief is on the other end. Between these two extremes is doubt – which produces wavering, tossed back and forth. Therefore, even “believers” can be doubters but this passage exhorts us to “not doubt” – indicating it is a choice we can make.

But note, while it is appropriate to apply this passage to believing God in many areas, in context it is specifically saying when we ask for wisdom we must believe God will give it and not doubt.

In my experience that is because often when we ask for wisdom and receive it we don’t realize we have received it. Often the “wisdom from God” comes naturally, and often does not seem so wise. God’s counsel often seems very natural, normal, common sense.

In the past, when I have prayed for wisdom I expected some amazing insight that had never been thought before. Usually, however, His wisdom was common sense, in accordance with Scripture I was familiar with. There is a tendency then to doubt we received anything – “what’ so wise about that?” But when we ask, we must believe that we have received and move out in accordance with what we understand to be God’s will, way and timing, even if it doesn’t seem wise or profound.
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James 3:17
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.