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PART FOUR
AN EXPOSITION OF THE
ESCHATOLOGY OF ROMANS
THE ISRAEL OF GOD
CHAPTER I
*-THE ARGUMENT:
THE MYSTERY OF GOD’S
RECONCILIATION
COMPREHENDING THE COMPLEXITIES OF GOD’S COVENANTS, GOD’S PEOPLES,
AND GOD’S KINGDOM
INTRODUCTION
THIS condensed study
here in "THE ARGUMENT" is designed to explain and support the
following principals:
1. That a proper
understanding of theology can only be achieved through our careful
observation of God’s first peoples Israel.
2. Understanding the
clear distinction between “the REMNANT” and “the REST”.
3. Understanding that the
REMNANT and the REST of the Old Testament is analogous to the CALLED
and the CHOSEN of the New Testament, and then understanding that
both of these are analogous to the visible character and the
invisible character respectively of God’s covenant peoples.
4. Consequently, it is
necessary that we have a complete understanding of the complex
character of God’s covenant peoples—their visible characteristic and
their invisible characteristic.
5. It is necessary that we
understand that the visible peoples of God and the invisible peoples
of God are always coexistent within God’s visible
institutions—Israel and the Christian Church— Ekklesolia en Ekklesia
(the little Church in the Church).
6. Understand
that the visible nations of Israel and the visible Christian Church
are both God established institutions, through which, by the use of
the God established visible initiatory rites—Circumcision and
Baptism, the visible Creation has access to their invisible Creator.
7. Thus, an
institutional understanding of God’s reconciliation establishes the
means of salvation for the corporate members of the Abrahamic
Covenant.
8. Then our
understanding of the second work of the Holy Spirit becomes
necessary for our full understanding of God’s gracious
reconciliation.
9. The ELECT
hidden Israel of God is the one continuous priestly line that runs
throughout all time—from the beginning of creation to its end.
10. Christ’s
finished propitiatory work upon the cross establishes the full
efficacy of the Old Testament and New Testament rites and
ceremonies.
PREFACE
FOR us to properly
understand the book of Romans, we must first recognize it as a
multifaceted book. ** Romans exactly explains the
established dispensational changes within God’s reconciliation. It
fully defines the gracious way in which God is presently dealing
with His creation. Then after working through its many intricate
details, we discover that the things that we have received through
this book represent the fulfillment of many Old Testament covenant
prophecies.
DISPENSATION DEFINED = The
ordering of events under GOD'S DIVINE authority.
The book of Romans is the
key scriptural block for understanding the mystery of this
dispensation, the Christian era. It can be immediately stated that
the book of Romans reveals the Gospel of God: As Romans clearly
define the mysteries of God—the Gospel of His Son.
When taken as a sequential
document, Romans systematically details the various aspects of the
Gospel of God. It gives us the details of what we recognize here as
the prophetic transition into God's expanded salvation program—God’s
universal reconciliation. This dispensation is the consummation of
God’s eternal promise to father Abraham: That all nations would be
blessed through him.
**
God is openly manifesting His complete control over everything.
Now because of this detailed
explanation of the church's origin, heritage, and structure, with
respect to their placement within the Abrahamic Covenant, Romans
would be one of Paul's most important written epistles. As far as
today’s Church is concerned, Romans continues to be one of the most
important books in the entire Bible.
But even more significant
towards understanding the complete picture of God’s reconciliation,
is the fact that the book of Romans reveals the hidden scriptural
bridge that spans between the Old Testament and the New Testament:
I. The book of Romans shows
the absolute relationship and continuance of God's hidden peoples
/or priesthood. First, that the invisible Israel of the Old
Testament and the invisible Israel of the New Testament are in fact
one and the same continuous hereditary thread that runs on through
and even binds together the whole of God’s reconciliation. And
second, that God, through his established visible institutions of
Israel and the Christian Church, is always a God of the family.
II. Romans explicitly states
that when God established the Everlasting Covenant with Abraham, His
initial intent was that the Abrahamic Covenant was to be all
inclusive: All nations were to be included in its benefits.
III. Romans has shown us
that God's relationship with Israel was established and ordered
strictly as an example and a type, so that the visible creature
could experience a direct link with their invisible Creator.
First,
this direct link during the time of the Old Testament was visibly
established through the Circumcision of the Flesh Covenant: An
external example of an internal condition. Physical circumcision
was a visible example of the invisible Circumcision—the Circumcision
of the heart.
Secondly,
this direct link can also be seen through the sacrifices offered by
the high priests: The shedding of blood for the remission of sins.
Which, from our New Testament vantage point, was pointing directly
toward our eternal sacrifice: Jesus, the Great High Priest, who
offered Himself without blemish unto God as our Passover Lamb.
Thus, making all of the Old Testament sacrifices efficacious through
His one eternal sacrifice. <**>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"God favored the people of
Israel with the rituals of religion, which were designed merely as
aids and means to attain and preserve true religion;"
Calvin's commentary - Romans
- Translator's Preface. p.xviii.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PART ONE
Important Teachings From Romans
aaron - THE Gospel is the
manifestation of God's original intent. * It contains this detailed
transition that the book of Romans now brings to our understanding.
To begin, this Gospel of God
is the announcement of this transition: The announcement of the
basic change in God's salvation program. The announcement that the
Jews and the Gentiles alike are now equally welcome into covenant
with God—as the gates of salvation have now been opened to all
peoples, tribes, tongues and nations.
PAREUS includes the whole
(of Romans) in this brief summary--"The Jews and Gentiles are
equally guilty; they are equally justified freely by faith in
Christ, without works; they are equally bound to lead a holy life,
to be humble, and to love one another."
This equality that is
pictured here by Pareus is true in all respects: That in God's
expanded salvation program, the Jews and the Gentiles are eternally
equal in God’s justification as well as in God’s condemnation.
But as we continue on in
this somewhat lengthy annotation, we can plainly see here at the
start, that this absolute transition in God's plan of redemption was
not fully comprehended by all of the Church fathers. That is, the
Church fathers clearly understood the GOSPEL MESSAGE, but I would
hesitate to say that they completely understood the entire GOSPEL.
First,
the Gospel message is truly the fact that we are saved from the
wrath of God through an unmerited gift from God Himself. We are
saved by the grace of God through the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ
that He exhibited when He hung upon the cross.
Secondly,
the Gospel goes all the way back into the early writings of Old
Testament: Where this same Gospel, with all of its intricate
benefits, has its true origin traced back even into the Garden of
Eden. But the Gospel for us today is more clearly understood when
we view God's initial covenant relationship with father Abraham, as
well as the culmination of God’s Abrahamic Covenant of Grace that is
to be openly discovered within this New Testament dispensation.
To further observe the
Church father's understandings, consider this:
"STEWART says, that the
whole of what the Epistle contains may be expressed in a single
brief sentence—"Christ our justification and sanctification."
The analysis of Professor
HODGE, who takes the same view with Professor STEWART, is the
following: "The Epistle consists of three parts.
The first,
which includes the first eight chapters, is occupied in the
discussion of The Doctrine of Justification and its consequences.
The second, (?*) embracing
chapters ix., x., xi., treats of The Calling of the Gentiles, The
Rejection and
Future Conversion of the Jews.
The third
consists of Practical Exhortations and Salutations to the Christians
at Rome."
Calvin's Commentary - Romans
- Translator's Preface pp.xiv., xv.
As we examine these
statements from Professor Hodge, we can see that Professor Hodge
clearly understands and accepts the doctrine of grace. But our
contention is that there is much more to be learned in these first
chapters of Romans. *I know for a fact, based on his second stated
point, that Professor Hodge did not fully understand the entire
Gospel. When he states that "chapters ix., x., xi., treats The
Rejection and Future Conversion of the Jews." it is clear that
Professor Hodge did not fully comprehend the details involved in the
transitional portion of the Gospel that is explained for us in
chapters i - viii. His view here was only a visible one.
Calvin writes: "In the forth
chapter he reasons from example; which he adduces as being evident,
and hence not liable to be cavilled at; and it is that of Abraham,
who, being the father of the faithful, ought to be deemed a pattern
and a kind of universal example. Having then proved that he
was justified by faith, the Apostle teaches us that we ought to
maintain no other way of justification. And here he shows, that it
follows from the rule of contraries, that the righteousness of works
ceases to exist, since the righteousness of faith is introduced.
(aaron-But only as it pertains to Justification! His premise cannot
apply to Sanctification!) And he confirms this by the
declaration of David, who, by making the blessedness of man to
depend on the mercy of God, takes it away from works, as they are
incapable of making a man blessed. He then treats more fully what
he had before shortly referred to—that the Jews had no reason to
raise themselves above the Gentiles, as this felicity (grace) is
equally common to them both, since Scripture declares that Abraham
obtained this righteousness in an uncircumcised state: and here he
takes the opportunity of adding some remarks on the use of
circumcision. He afterwards subjoins, that the promise of salvation
depends on God's goodness alone: for were it to depend on the law,
it could not bring peace to consciences, which it ought to confirm,
nor could it attain its own fulfillment. Hence, that it may be sure
and certain, we must, in embracing it, regard the truth of God
alone, and not ourselves, and follow the example of Abraham, who,
turning away from himself, had regard only to the power of God. At
the end of the chapter, in order to make a more general application
of the adduced example, he introduces several comparisons."
Calvin's Commentary - Romans
- The Argument pp.xxxi.-xxxii.
Meyer takes Rom.2:27
categorically, and xai(and) in the sense of even or moreover,
so that verse.27 is virtually an answer to the preceding question.
"Shall not uncircumcision be taken for circumcision? (Yes, verily),
it will even condemn you," &c. In either way the idea is, that the
obedient uncircumcised heathen would be better off, he would stand
on higher ground, than the disobedient circumcised Jew. It is only
putting the truth taught in this verse into different words to say,
(?*) "the unbaptized believer shall condemn the baptized
unbeliever."
aaron-I am still uncertain
as to the full understanding of these early Church fathers. I am
not certain that they fully understood the absolute coexistence of
God’s visible dispositions along side God’s invisible dispositions.
I believe that what they understood, as it is proved from the
understandings presently held by much of today’s Church, was that
only the invisible dispositions of God had any real efficacy. When
we should understand the main purpose behind these passages from
Romans chapter two, was simply the manifestation and explanation of
God’s invisible dispositions: The very thing that we are attempting
to explain here in this paper.
*aaron- Mister Meyer, to
some extent, recognizes a change in God's program of
reconciliation. But I do not believe that he fully understood the
absolute of this transition in identification. The only reason that
the uncircumcised heathen would be better off, would be because of
the CIRCUMCISION of the heart that they had received from God
Himself: Thereby, making them a part of the INVISIBLE CIRCUMCISION:
part of the hidden Israel of God. But to conclude that only the
hidden Israel of God enters into covenant with God is not a correct
conclusion.
Rom.2:, vv. 28, 29 “For not
he who is externally a Jew, is a Jew, &c. These verses assign the
reason why the external rite of circumcision can avail so little.
God looks upon the heart, and does not regard mere external
circumstances. It is not, therefore, mere descent from Abraham, nor
connection with the external theocracy or Church, that can secure
his favour; but the possession of those internal dispositions which
external rites are intended to symbolize", shows us that Professor
Hodge saw that physical circumcision and being a physical Jew were
“external rites which are intended to symbolize the
internal dispositions”... "But he who is inwardly a Jew is
really a Jew; and the circumcision of the heart, in the Spirit and
not in the letter, is circumcision."
Hodge's Epistle to the
Romans - p.65
aaron-We can observe by
these Hodge comments, his understanding of the precise definition
of, and the required qualifications for, being an inward Jew and
being a part of the inward Circumcision. Then His analysis of
Rom.9:6 is even more interesting:
“For they are not all Israel
which are of Israel, i. e., ($) all the natural descendants of the
patriarch are not the true people of God, to whom alone the promises
properly belong. The word Israel may refer either to Jacob or to
the people. ($)‘All descended from the patriarch Jacob called
Israel, are not the true (or inward) people of God;’ or ($)‘all
belonging to the external Israel are not the true (or invisible)
Israel;’ i.e., ($)all who are in the visible Church do not belong to
the true (or invisible) Church. The sense is the same, but the
former explanation is the more natural. In the following verse the
apostle distinguishes between the natural (or visible) and the
spiritual (or invisible) seed of Abraham, as here he distinguishes
between the two classes (the visible class and the invisible class)
of the descendants of Israel.”
Hodge’s Epistle to the
Romans P.305
aaron-The above statement by
Professor Hodge is correct in every respect. Nevertheless, we must
remember that ALL of God’s covenant peoples commence their journey
as a called out institutional part of the visible class, but only a
few are then chosen into God’s hidden invisible class. Then
remembering that the invisible class always remains an integral part
of the visible class—the God established visible institutions of
Israel and the Christian Church— Ekklesolia en Ekklesia.
But from the comments that
Professor Hodge makes in Rom.11:26 and 27, his full understanding of
this complex transition, like that of today’s Church, seems somewhat
dubious.
(y*) "Verse 26. And so
all Israel shall be saved, as it is written. Israel, here, from the
context, must mean the Jewish people, and all Israel, the whole
nation. (?)The Jews, as a people, are now rejected; as a people,
they are to be restored. As their rejection, although national, did
not include the rejection of every individual; so their restoration,
although in like manner national, need not be assumed to include the
salvation of every individual Jew. Pas Israel is not
therefore to be here understood to mean, all the true (or invisible)
people of God, as Augustin, Calvin, and many others explain it;"...
"The full accomplishment of the promises, that he should turn away
ungodliness from Jacob, contemplated the conversion of the whole
nation, as such, to the Lord. We are, of course, bound to
receive the apostle's interpretation as correct; and there is the
less difficulty in this, as there is nothing in the original passage
at all incompatible with it, and as it accords with the nature of
God's covenant with his ancient people."
Hodge's Epistle to the
Romans - p. 374
aaron-*This clear statement
made here by Professor Hodge, fully defines one of the problem area
that we are trying to unmask. When considering Professor Hodge's
understanding of Rom.2:28, 29: That Professor Hodge saw that
physical circumcision and being a physical Jew were "external
rites which are intended to symbolize the internal dispositions"...
"But he who is inwardly a Jew is really a Jew; and the circumcision
of the heart, in the Spirit and not in the letter, is circumcision."
it is unclear why he has made this radical shift when considering
the make-up of visible Israel. If Professor Hodge saw that the
visible circumcision and being a visible Jew were "external rites
which are intended to symbolize the internal dispositions" of
God, why would he not come to the same logical conclusion with
respect to visible Israel? That is, seeing physical Israel in the
very same context. Visible Israel was in fact a physical visible
example that was intended to symbolize God’s hidden invisible
disposition: Visible Israel was a visible symbol of the invisible
Israel; the hidden congregation; the Israel of God. I believe that
Professor Hodge, later on in his statement, did correctly interpret
the future hope that is held out for visible Israel—when he
“contemplated the conversion of the whole nation”. This
conversion /or restoration is, of course, referring to every single
one of God’s visible covenant peoples throughout all time—when they
are fully restored upon the New Earth as the sheep of Mat.25.
For added clarification, I
would like to make a detailed critique of Professor Hodge's
exposition on ROMANS XI. 11-36.
"As the rejection of the
Jews was not total, so neither is it final. They have not so fallen
as to be hopelessly prostrated. First, God did not design to cast
away his people entirely, but,
(1)by their rejection, in
the first place, to facilitate the progress of the gospel among the
Gentiles, and
(2)ultimately to make the
conversion of the Gentiles the means of converting the Jews, v. 11.
The latter event is in itself desirable and probable."
aaron-It is exactly here
that some of the Church fathers have apparently misunderstood the
Scriptures. To form the conclusion that "the conversion of the
Gentiles is the means of the converting of the Jews" is to partially
misunderstand the identification of the true (or invisible) peoples
of God that are presently being manifested and explained in and
through the New Testament Church.
It is the means, but only in
a certain limited sense: And that, being the complete universality
of God's expanded reconciliation. But if we continue to see the
historic peoples of God as being represented by the first visible
children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, then we fail to recognize the
complex changes that God is manifesting for His universal
reconciliation. The revealed continuous hereditary thread (the
hidden Israel of God) that runs on through and perfectly binds
together His whole reconciliation is the evidence of one of those
inclusive changes. Which is the very same identified hidden thread
that is presently running in and through the New Testament Church of
Jesus Christ.
The conversion of the
Nations is not at all the means for the converting of the Jews,
except as it is most clearly explained in Rom.11:28-32. The
conversion of the Nations is precisely the same as God’s reconciling
of the world. Then it is from these corporate institutional peoples
of visible Israel and the visible Christian Church, that God
individually translates all those who are elected by God to become
inward Jews (Invisible Jews). At the point of individual
regeneration, each person, no matter what their prior ethnicity may
have been, they could have come from any nationality, including the
nations of physical Israel, become a Jew—inwardly and the
Circumcision—inwardly according to Rom.2:28, 29.
"For he is not a Jew who is
one outwardly: neither is that circumcision which is outward in the
flesh: BUT HE IS A JEW WHO IS ONE INWARDLY; AND
CIRCUMCISION IS THAT OF THE HEART,"
We can see by this absolute
statement, that the basic problem lies in the fact that some
interpreters continue to wrongly identify the visible children of
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as the invisible historic peoples of
God. Remember, that even according to Professor Hodge, the
external rites only symbolized the internal dispositions:
The visible Jew only symbolized the invisible Jew; As the visible
circumcision only symbolized the invisible Circumcision—the
Circumcision of the Heart; And just as we have previously concluded
that the visible nation called Israel only symbolized the Invisible
Israel—the True Congregation of God, entirely consisting of the True
Elect of God—which is now, according to Gal.6:16, called "The Israel
of God". Now if the invisible children of God are presently
identified as Jews, the Circumcision, and the Historic Israel, what
can be the basis or even the need to reinstate the physical
attributes at some point in the future? I answer this with a
resounding—NONE WHAT SO EVER! Remember, physical Israel
never ceased to be the God’s established institution of visible
Israel.
"1. Because if the rejection
of the Jews has been a source of blessing, much more will their
restoration be the means of good, verse. 12, 15. (The verses 13,
14, are a passing remark on the motive which influenced the apostle
in preaching to the Gentiles.)
2. Because it was included
and contemplated in the original election of the Jewish nation. If
the root be holy, so are the branches, verse.16.
The breaking off and
rejection of SOME of the original branches, and the
introduction of others of a different origin, is not inconsistent
with this doctrine; and should lead the Gentiles to exercise
humility and fear, and not boasting or exultation, verse.17-22."
aaron-This is one of the
Scripture that best explains the necessary leveling process in God's
expanded reconciliation. It is simply showing us the process of
incorporation. For the Nations to be introduced into God's program
of reconciliation, some very important things had to happen.
First,
the peoples whom God had established as an example—the visible
children of Abraham, had to be dislocated from their former place of
preeminence so that the way into His Kingdom could be finally opened
to every people, tribe, tongue, and Nation of the world.
It was necessary that all
peoples be placed on the same level of opportunity: That is, the
visible children of Israel had to be placed on a level with the
nations, so that the opportunity to be graciously reconciled might
be offered to them all equally. This leveling process was clearly
accomplished when God, even in the Old Testament, gave the visible
seed of Abraham that alien designation of UNCIRCUMCISION.
The full accomplishment of
these last days was plainly predicted in Jer.9:26b, where God has so
clearly told us these necessary facts: "for all the nations are
uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in
heart." This is exactly why, that even to this very day, I fully
contend that the invisible CIRCUMCISION continues to
be the only legitimate Covenant seal and the determining designation
for the invisible elect peoples /or priests of God. Then this
indispensable principal is applicable throughout both the Old
Testament and the New Testament dispensations.
Consequently, to be counted
as a part of the invisible elect peoples /or priests of God, one
must be designated as a part of the CIRCUMCISION. This requirement
is openly stated in Phil.3:3 "For we are the CIRCUMCISION, who
worship by the Spirit of God, and gory in Christ Jesus, and have no
confidence in the flesh:" Now this identification in Phil.3:3 is
not a passing remark by Paul, but a necessary reality for entrance
into God’s hidden Kingdom.
"As the rejection of the
Jews was a punishment of their unbelief, and not the expression of
God's ultimate purpose respecting them, it is, as intimated in v.16,
more probable that God should restore the Jews, than that he should
have called the Gentiles, verses.23, 24."
aaron- I will repeat what I
have said in other places: The FIRSTFRUIT spoken of here, with this
reference that is made to Rom.11:16 "And if the Firstfruit is Holy,
so is the lump: and if the Root is Holy, so are the branches." must
be viewed in the context of 1Cor.15:23 "But each in his own order:
CHRIST THE FIRSTFRUIT; then they that are Christ's, at his
coming." Which plainly defines this Firstfruit that is pictured
here, as our Lord Jesus Christ. This Holy Firstfruit of Rom.11:16
must also be defined by this analogy that is contained in the second
part of this same verse: "AND if the Root is Holy, so are the
branches." Here, the Holy Firstfruit and the Holy Root
are clearly synonymous and are again describing our very own Root,
our Lord Jesus Christ. As sound confirmation, we then find that
this very same principle is also confirmed in many other places in
Scripture:
Rom.15:12 /Isa.11:10 "And
again, Isaiah says, There shall be a Root of Jesse, And he
that arises to rule over the Nations; On him shall the Nations
hope."
Rev.5:5 "And one of the
elders said unto me, Weep not; behold, the Lion that is of the tribe
of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome to open the book
and the seven seals thereof."
Rev.22:16 "I Jesus have sent
my angel to testify unto you these things for the churches. I am
the Root and the offspring of David, the bright, the morning
star."
"This event, thus desirable
and probable, God has determined to accomplish, verses. 25, 26. The
restoration of the Jews to the privileges of God's people is
included in the ancient predictions and promises made respecting
them, verses.26, 27."
aaron-To understand this
portion of Scripture, we must accept the basic themes of these
passages at their face value.
First,
we must understand that the hardening that is pictured here for the
visible seed of Abraham is termed "partial". That is, this
hardening was directed toward only a part of the physical peoples of
Israel, and was never intended to have an affect on them all.
We must also understand that
the word "Israel" used here in verses 25 and 26, has the exact same
meaning for both cases. Both of these verses are referring to the
visible corporate peoples of Israel—as the hardness has befallen
visible Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in, and
then all of visible Israel will be saved /or delivered so as to
inherit God’s Kingdom upon the new earth—the sheep of Mat.25.
Then we also need to fully
understand the complex definition of Israel—
Israel in the first place,
means the Invisible Sacred Race that is made up of all those
individual Jews and non-Jews who have been secretly elected by God
Himself—As “they are not all Israel”—the true historic
Israel.
And Israel here in the
second place, means the visible race that is made up of the physical
tribes of Jacob—“that are of Israel”.
These complex definitions
must be defined in the light and the context of Rom.9:6-8.
Now by looking specifically
at verse six: "But it is not as though the word of God has come to
nothing. For they are not all Israel, that are of Israel:" we can
see that the word "Israel" used here in Rom.9, like the words Jew
and Circumcision in Rom.2:28-29, has two distinctly different
meanings /or a complex definition. "They are not all Israel, that
are of Israel." Any person with little real intellect can plainly
recognize the required dual meanings of these simple words—"They are
not all ISRAEL that are of ISRAEL." "Now they not all ISRAEL": once
again, the first ISRAEL here is simply pointing to God's hidden
Sacred race—Invisible Israel, "which are of ISRAEL"—that is
to say, those who were physically born into the nation of Israel;
Those who are the visible Jews and those who are the visible
circumcision. This verse is simply telling us that these natural
children would not, because of their physical ethnicity and
connection to Abraham’s covenant, be assured of a place in the
construct of the hidden Kingdom of God. They, like all of the other
peoples, tribes, tongues, and Nations of the world, can obtain this
honored place only through the sovereign election of God. It is
only through the regenerative power of God that anyone ever becomes
a Jew—Inwardly, the Circumcision—with the Invisible Circumcision of
the heart, and a part of Israel—the hidden Israel of God.
aaron-Remember, the finished
work of redemption specifically comes to all of the elect saints
with Christ's return. Ref. 1Pe.1:13 “Wherefore girding up the loins
of your mind, be sober and set your hope perfectly on the grace that
is to be brought unto you at the revelation (apokalupsis) of Jesus
Christ.”
"Though now, therefore, they
are treated as enemies, they shall hereafter be treated as friends,
verse.28."
aaron-If the gates of
salvation have, within this dispensation of grace, been opened to
all peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations, the above statement
cannot be true. That is, referring to them as being “treated as
enemy” is not precisely correct—remember, “they are beloved for the
fathers sake”. God’s grace can now freely flow out to all through
Christ's finished redemptive work.
"For the purposes of God do
not alter; as his covenant contemplated the restoration of his
ancient people, that event cannot fail to come to pass, verse.29."
aaron-If Charles Hodge is
referring to the restoration of the visible corporate peoples of God
into His eternal Kingdom upon the New Earth, I would give him an A+
for his exegesis. But if he is referring to restoring them back to
their former state upon this present earth, I would totally disagree
and give him a grade of F.
If one has a proper
understanding of the Book of Romans, then one must also come to
recognize the two-fold /or complex character of God’s Abrahamic
Covenant of Grace: Its visible character (The Circumcised Flesh
Covenant /or The Covenant of Bondage) as well as its invisible
character (The Covenant of Promise). Ref.Gal.4:21-26, Gen.17:1-27
Then we must also recognize the distinct difference between His
visible peoples and His invisible peoples. As an example, in
addition to His visible corporate peoples, God has always been
faithfully gathering out His invisible sacred race as well—bringing
them together into the hidden Israel of God. These would represent
all those Jews and non-Jews who are elected into God’s Covenant of
Promise and fully represent the historic Israel.
"The plan of God, therefore,
contemplated the calling of the Gentiles, the TEMPORARY rejection
and final restoration of the Jews, verses.30-32."
aaron-One might say that the
whole of the eschatology of Romans is contained in these five sort
verses: "As touching the gospel they (visible Israel) are enemies
for your sake (you of the Nations): but as touching the ELECTION
(Ref. Rom.9:6-29; 11:5-10), they are beloved for the fathers'
sake." Now this first verse must be viewed in the context of verses
29-32: For the gifts and the calling of God are not repented of.
For as you (who are now being gathered from among the Nations) in
time past were disobedient to God, but now have obtained mercy by
their (the visible children of Abraham's) disobedience, even so have
these (the physical seed of Abraham) also now been disobedient,
that by the mercy shown to you (who have been called from among the
Nations) they (who were born the seed of Abraham) ALSO MAY NOW
OBTAIN MERCY. FOR GOD HAS SHUT UP ALL UNTO
DISOBEDIENCE, THAT HE MIGHT HAVE MERCY UPON ALL." Now this
last verse is the bottom line of this entire teaching. The whole of
the leveling process in God's expanded reconciliation is explained
here in the boldest of terms. All of the Nations (Jews and non-Jews
alike) have been placed in an equal position of disobedience, that
God might, because of the complete sin atonement of our Lord Jesus
Christ, have an equal dispensation of mercy upon all the Nations
(Jews and non-Jews alike). This is the end of the matter when it
comes to God's redemptive plan. The question that must be answered
is this—WAS GOD'S ORIGINAL PLAN OF REDEMPTION TO INCLUDE ALL
PEOPLES—JEWS AND NON-JEWS ALIKE? AND THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION IS
A RESOUNDING YES! It was clearly there in the formation of
God’s Abrahamic Covenant of Grace. Ref.Gen.17:1-27
"How adorable the wisdom of
God manifested in the plan and conduct of the work of redemption!
Of him, through him, and to him, are all things; to whom be glory
for ever. Amen. Verses.33-36."
Hodge's commentary - Epistle
to the Romans - p.360
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PART TWO
A critique from “JESUS & ISRAEL – One Covenant or Two?”
For some additional
discussion on this complex subject of identification, I would also
present these selected excerpts from a 1995 Eerdman publication
“JESUS & ISRAEL-One Covenant or Two?” by David E. Holwerda:
"Nowhere in Romans 11 does
the apostle withdraw from unbelieving Jewish Israel the reality of
being the people of God or the fact of their election." p.164
aaron-Our problem in
understanding the book of Romans, begins with our failure to keep in
tension the two-fold character of God’s Covenant of Grace and God’s
Covenant peoples. That is, God’s visible dispositions and His
coexistent invisible dispositions. We must also recognize the
planned transition in God’s reconciliation that was originally
predicted in the Abrahamic Covenant of Grace. So what Romans 11 is
telling us, and those of Jewish Israel as well, is that the apparent
abandonment of Jewish Israel was not to be understood as total: That
the removal of Jewish Israel from their former place of preeminence
was not to be interpreted as all inclusive. But in all actuality,
to follow the mandate of this dispensation of grace, they were
simply placed on the same level with the other Nations. This was
done so that all peoples, Jews and non-Jews alike, could, because of
Jesus’ finished propitiatory work upon the cross, enter into God's
Covenants in exactly the same way. Understanding that the one and
only way into God’s Covenants, is by God’s free and unmerited grace:
And then subsequently entering into the hidden priesthood by God’s
elective sovereignty.
The book of Romans actually
manifests critical insights into the complex understanding of God's
Kingdom, God's Covenants, and God's peoples.
"Instead, Paul points to
himself and other Jewish Christians as evidence that God has not
withdrawn his grace from Jewish Israel." p.164
aaron-This statement is true
with respect to debunking even the thought that all of Jewish Israel
stumbled or fell. These conditions that affected Jewish Israel were
basically termed partial, and were intended to have affected only a
part of them for a limited time.
"This remnant is a sign that
God is still faithful to his election of Jewish Israel." p.164
aaron-This statement reveals
a common inability of some to recognize the difference between the
coexistent visible and invisible dispositions of God. Basically,
by not recognizing the complex characteristics of these God given
names—Jew, Circumcision, and Israel, is to fail to recognize the
supernatural characteristics that the elect peoples of God are
required to possess: Supernatural characteristics that are mandated
for any entrance into God's hidden Kingdom. This saved remnant is
no proof at all for the future salvation of Jewish Israel, but the
Apostle Paul does make mention of the ELECTION OF THE REMNANT of
Jewish Israel with an obvious reference to the fulfillment of Old
Testament prophecy: Except the Lord had left us [Jewish Israel] a
seed [a remnant], we would have become as Sodom and be like unto
Gomorrah. Isa.1:9/Rom.9:29 The question that must be addressed here
is this, is ELECTION the single egress from this physical world that
would allow us access into an intimate relationship with God?
YES!!!
"The remnant signifies to
the whole of Israel the essential nature of true Israel and what
Israel is always called to be because the Jewish Christian remnant
exists as the Israel of God, whose status is based not on works but
on grace." p.164
aaron-Here, it would appear
that the term REMNANT of Israel is being correctly defined as the
desired “essential nature” of the whole of Israel. Yes, the ELECT
REMNANT of Jewish Christians that are regenerated do become a PART
of the Israel of God: But so does the ELECT REMNANT of Gentile
Christians also become part of this same Israel of God. Yet we must
keep in mind that with Paul’s reference to “the REMNANT” and “the
REST” here in Romans, he is referring strictly to an evident
distinction that exists within the Jewish peoples themselves. We
must understand that the hidden "Israel of God" that is being spoken
of here, has always existed, is universal in character, and is
completely invisible.
"For this reason the apostle
stresses his own solidarity with Jewish Israel (Romans 11:1). Paul
himself is the hopeful sign that God has not rejected his
disobedient people because Paul also was in an active state of
disobedience when God's grace was given to him." p.164
aaron-I am not sure that I
see the value in the comparison that is being made here. Paul's
salvation has no more to do with Jewish Israel's salvation than it
does with our salvation. Paul's care for Jewish Israel differs not
at all from the care that we might have for our own kin, who,
because of their rebellion, are out of fellowship with God and in
jeopardy of coming under some of His harsh judgments.
When God opened wide the
door of salvation to all peoples, tribes, tongues, and Nations, it
was absolutely necessary that Jewish Israel be removed from their
former place of preeminence and placed on a level with these same
Nations. Now this occurrence is from that dramatic manifestation of
God expanding His reconciliation. Because, to the natural eye, and
because of the change in God’s salvation program, one could have
come to the conclusion that Jewish Israel had been completely cast
off. But what the Apostle Paul is doing within these passages, is,
in no uncertain terms, setting that mistaken idea to rest.
Ref.1Pe.2:6-8 Then the Apostle Paul, within the book of Romans, is
assuring Jewish Israel again and again that they continue have a
real opportunity for reconciliation along with the Nations. Paul is
trying to get Jewish Israel to understand "that Christ is the end of
the law unto righteousness to every one that believes" Rom.10:4.
That for all who now enter into God's Covenants—it is by GRACE,
GRACE, WONDERFUL GRACE! Yet we are told that the majority of Jewish
Israel has been prophetically blinded to this wonderful grace.
Ref.Mat.13:10-17, Isa.6:9-10
"Yet this turning to the
Gentiles is not an end in itself. It contributes, rather, to God's
ultimate intention to save Israel by making Israel jealous. The
gathering of the Gentiles does not definitively displace Jewish
Israel. Instead it serves God's purpose of achieving Israel's full
inclusion." p.166
aaron-The principal problem
that comes to the front here yet again, is that same problem of
identification. The same basic problems that are being encountered
here are also common in many of today’s commentaries. It is that
failure on the part of these commentators to achieve that complete
understanding concerning the complex identification of God's
peoples, and then to be able to correctly discriminate between the
two. The difficult thing for us is to be able to see beyond the
visible: To force ourselves to look past the natural so as to see
the coexistent presence of the Supernatural. To absolutely
understand, that the elect peoples of God cannot be determined on
the basis of any physical characteristic at all: Because that would
wholly subvert the absolute sovereignty of God. To observe the
elect peoples of God on the invisible plane is to achieve the
ability to observe the larger picture of God’s reconciliation. Then
to successfully do this, we must simultaneously include both the
visible and invisible in this picture. Keep in mind that God's
initial intent was always to include all of the Nations into His
complex Abrahamic Covenant of Grace—Jews and non-Jews alike.
"Steeped on Old Testament
promises, the apostle cannot imagine that the eschatological
completion of God's plan of salvation would not include the
eschatological fullness of Israel." p.166
aaron-God's plan of
salvation does "include the eschatological fullness of Israel". But
the important thing for us to understand here, is the complex
character of this Israel and the absolute identifying
characteristics of the peoples who make up this complex Israel.
First,
we must see this Israel that is generally being discussed here as
INVISIBLE: It is THE CITY OF GOD, THE HOLY JERUSALEM,
that is the residence of God Himself.
Secondly,
we must understand that the identifying characteristics of the
peoples who make up this ISRAEL—this INVISIBLE ISRAEL
are JEWS—THE HIDDEN JEWS and THE CIRCUMCISION—THE HIDDEN
CIRCUMCISION OF THE HEART.
Third,
we must also understand the continuous coexistence of the
visible Israel as an institutional part of God’s corporate
peoples. And then according to promise, we see visible Israel’s
full inclusion in God’s redemptive plan as well. Ref.Rom.11:25-26
"Thus the apostle teaches
that God has not yet closed the book on unbelieving Jewish Israel
because he still anticipates their full inclusion, an event
analogous to resurrection from the dead (Romans 11:12, 14f.) The
door is still open to the future salvation of Jewish Israel in spite
of the present judgment of hardening because of unbelief.
Amazingly, God's hardening of his disobedient people is not his
negation of their election." p.166
aaron-I do not believe that
verse 14 supports this idea of "full inclusion" for Jewish Israel.
What verse 14 is telling us, is that the Apostle Paul had a deep
desire to "provoke to jealousy them that are my flesh, and MAY SAVE
SOME OF THEM." As true as it might be, this verse does not
even begin to suggest the full inclusion of Jewish Israel—that comes
later on in verses 25 and 26. This verse is explaining some of the
misunderstandings that have evolved out from this dispensation of
grace: Out from our general failure to recognize and then
discriminate between the complexities of these visible and invisible
entities.
It is difficult for us
one-dimensional human beings to conceive that both the visible and
the invisible can actually exist simultaneously in God's program of
reconciliation, but they obviously do! Thus, I do not believe that
God has any plan, now, or in the future of this dispensation, to
revert back to the physical—to the reestablishment of His visible
dispositions. Now with respect to this "salvation of Jewish
Israel", I ask this question—"What would be the basis for this
salvation of Jewish Israel?" Was not the cross of Christ sufficient
to accomplish the whole of God’s plan? Ref.Jn.3:16 From my take on
Dr. Holwerda’s suggested understanding, which seems very close to
some aspects of premillennialism, it would seem that it was not.
"How can the apostle hold in
tension two realities that appear on the surface to be
contradictory, namely, hardening and election?" p.166
aaron-Simply because these
realities are contradictory terms with a commonality. "Hardening"
reflects the severity of God sovereignty, and "election"
reflects the graciousness of God's sovereignty. The unfortunate
reality in today’s Church is that most of these commentators are
inaccurately equating “hardening” with being eternally lost,
which is not the case at all.
We must know with absolute
certainty that from time and eternity God alone has chosen each and
every INDIVIDUAL who has ever entered into His hidden Kingdom. God
is the Sovereign Potter and His corporate peoples are the clay. But
at the same time, we must not summarily exclude from salvation all
of those whom God has CALLED to be a part of His visible
institutions. Ref.Mat.20:14-16, 2Tim.2:19-21 We all tend to see
things in almost a singular way. That is, we associate SALVATION as
belonging only to those whom God has elected into His Holy
Priesthood. But I believe that when we follow the example set down
by God for His first peoples Israel, that the many who are CALLED
into the institution of the Christian Church will also receive God’s
justifying grace along with the few priests who are being
selectively CHOSEN into His hidden priesthood and Kingdom.
Only God can make the final determination!
"Part of our difficulty in
grasping what the apostle is saying stems from our predominantly
individualistic modes of thought. We tend to assume that benefits
and blessings are received solely on the basis of individual worth,
action, or merit. Perhaps we are beginning to understand today that
individuals do not stand alone but are shaped, blessed, and even
judged on the basis of an entire network of essential relationships
to others, both family and nation. The strength and reality of the
corporate relationships that define who we are as individuals is
beginning to modify our traditional individualism. Such corporate
relationships are the basis of Paul’s eschatological hope for
Israel. He sees a relationship between the present harvest of
believers among Jewish Israel and his eschatological hope for the
future of Jewish Israel. The believing remnant constitutes the
first fruits dedicated to the Lord and represent the entire "lump of
dough" or the entire harvest (cf. Numbers 15:17-21)." pp.166, 167
"so the remnant of Jewish
Israel represents and assumes the eschatological salvation of Jewish
Israel." p.167
aaron-No, the remnant of
Jewish Israel does not "represent and assume the eschatological
salvation of Jewish Israel"! The remnant of Jewish Israel is
precisely that—the collective REMNANT of Jewish Israel who have been
elected into God’s invisible Covenant of Promise—the hidden Israel
of God.
Nevertheless, we must
consider the REMNANT who make-up a part of the hidden Israel of God
and the REST who make-up Israel’s institutional corporate peoples of
God as defining the whole of Israel that will ultimately be rescued
by God. Then with these facts in view, we must have the ability to
transfer that same “REMNANT and the REST” scenario over to the
CALLED and the CHOSEN within the institution of the Christian
Church.
"In addition, Paul's
eschatological hope is rooted in Abraham and the patriarchs of
Israel. Because of God's election they form the root of the olive
tree of Israel, and their consecration to God—their holiness—means
that the branches have the same character of holiness, being
consecrated to God (Romans 11:16). Thus for Paul blessings remain a
future possibility for hardened Israel because of the corporate
relationship to those who have received God's grace. Disobedience
need not cancel future hope rooted in God's electing grace." p.167
aaron-This portion of Dr.
Holwerda’s exposition has, within it, a great deal of
misappropriation of fact. Those things that clearly belong to
JESUS have been given to "Abraham and the patriarchs of
Israel". I would present this portion "Paul's eschatological hope
is ROOTED in Abraham... Because of God's election they form the
ROOT of the olive tree of Israel," as an example of this
misappropriation. According to Mat.3:10, this natural root that is
favored here by Dr. Holwerda is subjected to the ax. To attain a
correct understanding here, I would still contend that we must leave
the visible /or the natural and simultaneously move our thoughts on
to the invisible /or the Supernatural. It is because this verse
stipulates "life from the dead" that we should look beyond the
natural toward the supernatural: just as we are presently attempting
to discus the same.
Remember, according to
1Cor.15:22, 23 "CHRIST IS THE FIRSTFRUIT": According to
Rom.15:12 JESUS IS THE ROOT OF JESSE: And according to
Rev.5:5 and Rev.22:16 JESUS IS THE ROOT OF DAVID. All of
these examples fit the SUPERNATURAL prerequisite that this portion
of Romans demands from us.
Footnote 22. p.167
“For example, Ridderbos
argues against interpreting "first fruits" as a reference to Jewish
Christians on the ground that the parallelism in v.16 suggest that
the two parallel lines refer to the same reality [Ana de Romeinen,
p. 257].”
aaron-I would have to
believe that Professor Ridderbos would also identify this "same
reality" as our Lord Jesus Christ.
"The metaphor of the olive
tree becomes a summary statement of all that Paul has been saying.
The olive tree exists only because God chose to plant Israel in the
midst of the nations. Because of unbelief among those who are
Jewish Israel, Gentiles are grafted into the olive tree to share in
the privileges that God gave to Israel. Gentile Christians become
part of the olive tree, a part of the Israel whom God elected."
p.167
aaron-Now let’s take some
extra time here to identify these Gentiles after these “Gentiles are
grafted into the olive tree and to share in the privileges that God
gave to Israel—When the Gentile Christians become part of the olive
tree and a part of the Israel whom God elected.” Now we can
correctly see the Gentile Christians, after being grafted into this
Blessed Olive Tree, becoming part of the Olive Tree and a part of
the Israel whom God elected. It becomes evident to the reader, that
we must understand that this indissoluble "Israel whom God
elected" would now, according to Dr. Holwerda, consist of Jews
and Gentiles indistinguishably combined together. Once these
branches are grafted into this Blessed Trunk, it matters not what
their origin may have been, they would look exactly like all of the
other branches—a part of God’s holy Israel; the invisible Israel of
God. Dr. Holwerda’s view is in fact the very same view that is
generally associated with Augustine, Calvin and others.
B. John Calvin's theory
"All Israel" refers to the
total number of the elect throughout history, all those who are
ultimately saved, both Jews and Gentiles.
In his Commentary on this
passage Calvin expresses himself as follows:
"I extend the word ISRAEL to
all the people of God, according to this meaning: when the Gentiles
shall come in, the Jews also will return from their defection to the
obedience of faith, and thus will be completed the salvation of the
whole Israel of God, which must be gathered from both..." ROMANS -
Hendriksen - p.380
aaron-To become part of the
olive tree and to become part of this hidden Israel, must mean that
all distinction would disappear altogether from these alien
branches. Once the engrafting was complete, these alien branches
would, in all reality, look, act, and exist exactly like all of the
other branches within their new existence; Identical to the natural
branches that they had become like. They would be JEWS—INWARD JEWS,
and part of the CIRCUMCISION—INWARD CIRCUMCISION OF THE HEART
[Rom.2:29; Phil.3:3]: and an absolute part of ISRAEL—THE HIDDEN
ISRAEL OF GOD [Rom.9:6; 11:25-32; Gal.6:16]. But yet, we must
understand that the “all Israel” of Rom.11:26 does not in any way
represent the REMNANT hidden Israel of God, but factually represent
the REST—the whole corporate peoples of God; which is inclusive of
all of the institutional visible corporate Israel and all of the
institutional visible corporate Christian Church. These must
represent all of the combined visible corporate covenant peoples of
God—the resurrected sheep of Mat.25.
"In that sense the salvation
of "all Israel" is already under way. Yet, as we have said, the
dynamic of Paul's argument points to the fullness of Israel as an
eschatological reality that will exist without the mark of hardening
that now characterizes Israel's existence and divides Jewish Israel
into the remnant and the rest.34 p.174
aaron-Yes, the salvation of
"all Israel" is already under way. And yes, Paul's argument points
to the fullness of Israel as an eschatological reality that will
exist without the mark of hardening. The only reason we perceive
that there is an evidence of hardening in Israel, is because we
still have our eyes and our minds fixed on the natural—the
physical—the visible. I would tell you that there is no hardening
at all in the true Israel: No, not even the appearance of any
hardening in the hidden Israel of God. The whole of God’s
salvation, whether visible or invisible, is completely facilitated
by grace, grace, wonderful grace—that is all based completely on
Christ’s propitiation.
(Footnote) 34.
“John Stek's position (To
the Jew First: An Exegetical examination of a New Testament Theme
[Grand Rapids: Board of Home Missions of the Christian Reformed
Church, 1973], pp.168-258) is in many respects similar to mine but
with one significant exception. Stek also believes that
"all Israel" does not refer to the elect of all ages. However
true that may be theologically, it does not fit the context, which
speaks of Israel as the seed of Jacob (Romans 9). However, because
of the mutual interdependence of Jew and Gentile in salvation
history, Stek does not believe that Paul's view "requires a final
epoch in which the mass of Israel shall be turned to the Lord"
(p.252). MY FOCUS ON THE FULLNESS OF THE GENTILES AS THE
ESCHATOLOGICAL LIMIT ON THE HARDENING OF ISRAEL IMPLIES A
SUBSEQUENT SIGNIFICANT CONVERSION OF ISRAEL.” p.174
aaron-THE FULLNESS OF THE
NATIONS IS A SPECIFIC POINT IN GOD'S ESCHATOLOGICAL TIME TABLE,
WHICH WILL BE MANIFESTED IN THE CONSUMMATION OF ISRAEL'S
SALVATION; INVISIBLE ISRAEL—THE HIDDEN ISRAEL OF GOD. "THE
HIDDEN ISRAEL OF GOD" [THE INVISIBLE KINGDOM], is, in all reality,
non-existent (fragmented) until the full measure of the NATIONS has
been brought in. But as soon as the full measure of the Nations has
been brought in: That is, the Jewish remnant and the non-Jewish
remnant are brought together into God's hidden Kingdom, does the
pre-Armageddon resurrection and gathering occur and the Israel of
God become a complete entity within the Body of Christ. Even though
this view of Calvin and Ridderbos is mistakenly looking only at the
invisible dispositions of God, we must not let ourselves overlook
the probable fulfillment of the planting of God’s visible corporate
peoples within the forthcoming New Earth environment—where they are
to inherit the Kingdom prepared for them; “and so all
Israel will be saved”—the resurrected sheep of Mat:25.
"Paul's prophetic insight
reaches from the time of his own preaching mission to the
culmination of God's plan of salvation. While the ‘now’ points to a
process of redemption already under way, it cannot be used to
restrict Paul's vision to the present moment. There is an
eschatological fullness of both the Gentile world and Jewish Israel
that awaits consummation.35" pp.174, 175
(Footnote 35.
“Because Paul does not
declare that after the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, then
all Israel will be saved, Ridderbos refuses to interpret this as a
future conversion of Israel. He prefers the language of the
salvation of Israel, but does say that "Israel as a nation will not
again exhibit the image of the people of God before the Gentiles,
too, have brought their full portion into it." Ridderbos criticizes
G.C.Berkouwer who, in The Return of Christ, argues that Paul is
simply concerned with the Israel of his day. Although the process
of the mystery is already opening up in the present, Ridderbos
argues that one should not overlook the future element in Paul's
pronouncements, the fullness "as a not yet fulfilled eschatological,
or if one will, apocalyptic reality, whereby the question of whether
more or less `near at hand' plays no special part."
H.N.Ridderbos, Paul: An
Outline of His Theology, p.35, 71.”
aaron-“Ridderbos
refuses to interpret this as a future conversion of Israel. He
prefers the language of the salvation of Israel”. Could Professor
Ridderbos be viewing National Israel’s future hope on the promises
of Romans that are supported in Ezek.34:1-31, 36:1-38, and 37:15-28?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PART
THREE
A review of Abraham’s Covenants with God
aaron-THIS misunderstanding
respecting the absolute transition in God's program of
reconciliation and the manifested complex characteristics of God’s
Covenants and of God’s peoples, is the major cause for the many who
have mistakenly taken up the premillennial /Postmillennial
eschatological banners. And by this interpretative error, they are
doing great injury to the truth of God. One incorrect teaching of
Premillennialism is their promotion of a time for salvation
subsequent to the resurrection and gathering of the Elect Israel of
God. There is absolutely no room in the Church today for this
grievous error, and I find it extremely difficult to understand why
there is not more vocal opposition to these erroneous postulations.
It can only be that there is a great vacuum in our current
understanding.
The absolute inclusion that
is evident in this transitional Gospel is clearly seen in Romans iv.
and specifically in verses 23 and 24:
"Now it was not written
for his (Abraham's) sake alone, that it was reckoned unto him; but
for our sake (we of the Church) ALSO, unto whom it shall be
reckoned, who believe on Him (God) that raised Jesus from the dead,
who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our
justification."
The Gospel message as we
know it, was the basic thesis of the original Covenant of Grace that
God first established with father Abraham—the Everlasting Covenant
of Grace:
"And he (Abraham) believed
in Jehovah; and He reckoned it to him (Abraham) for
righteousness." Gen.15:6 /Rom.4:3
aaron-What is most
disheartening for me, is that there seems to be a slight
misunderstanding among many of the reformation theologians over this
very same issue. I continue to believe that this problem would be
greatly simplified if we had this proper understanding of the
precise identification of the members of the invisible Congregation
that is hidden within the coexistent visible Congregation. That is,
understanding the hidden identification of God's invisible historic
peoples as Israel corporately, as the Circumcision collectively, and
as Jews individually. Now this is not something completely new
because these identifications were originally manifested for us in
God’s first peoples Israel. But because of the mass confusion
within the many segments of today’s Church, its coexistent visible
and invisible characteristics are now surly new to our
understanding. Now if "Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and
forever." (Heb.13:8), then we must consider the finality of those
things established and accomplished by God in the same perspective.
Then it would seem that the absolute of this portion of our
understanding of these complexities is most allusive. What I am
saying here, is that this complicated area involving these complex
characteristics of God’s covenants and God’s peoples is the nucleus
of our whole discussion. When God made covenant with Abraham,
it was established as an Everlasting Covenant and it was intended to
encompass all peoples and all time. We must understand that this
same Everlasting Covenant was also intended to be effectual for all
peoples as well. So we can plainly state that even at the
first—God's covenant was universally eternal. God's covenant is the
same yesterday, today, and forever. Just as important to our
understanding, is the fact that God's people are also the same
yesterday, today, and forever.
Remember well what I have
said--"the complex identification of the
people of God is the nucleus of this whole discussion." That
God's invisible elect peoples /or priests are now, always have been,
and will always be—historic Israel corporately and Jews and the
Circumcision individually and collectively. The circumcision that
Abraham received in the flesh [Ref.Gen.17:1-27], was, as we are told
in Rom.4:11, only "the sign of circumcision"; a visible sign
that was symbolically pointing to something that was previously
hidden from our understanding—pointing to the invisible Circumcision
of the heart that Abraham had received in his initial encounter with
God. Now this invisible circumcision was, by design, the actual
seal of the righteousness of the faith which he (Abraham) had being
yet uncircumcised. But even though Abraham obtained his invisible
circumcision while he was yet in uncircumcision, he was still
obedient to God’s later command by circumcising himself and all of
the males of his household as their initiation into Covenant with
God. Because of the present shortsightedness when it comes to God’s
Covenants with Abraham, it has not been possible for us to fully
understand how the grace of God can possibly flow through any
willful act of man. This is speaking about God’s grace flowing out
through our obedient application of God’s commanded initiatory rites
of circumcision and baptism upon our helpless infant offspring.
Nevertheless, it is the absolute sovereignty of God, which demands
that grace, completely free and unmerited, flows only from the
throne of God and not from the wisdom of man. So if God says that
there is efficacy in our act of obedience with these initiatory
rites, you can absolutely count on that promise.
As was stated earlier—the
physical circumcision that Abraham received was an external example
of an internal condition, which God had established as the seal of
His hidden Covenant of Promise with all mankind: It was a visible
example of an invisible condition. I would remind you that without
the visual symbols, speaking again of physical circumcision and
physical baptism as well, the natural man could have no dimensional
understanding of these supernatural acts of God at all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PART FOUR
A critique from "PAUL - An Outline of His Theology"
aaron-I have now come to
understand that one of the primary causes for this confusion that we
are experiencing within today’s Church, is partly the result of the
amalgamation of these physical and Spiritual principles: The
amalgamation of the visible and the invisible. I would hope that a
detailed explanation of this misunderstanding might be gleaned from
the following Ridderbos excerpts and critique:
Excerpts from "PAUL - An
Outline of His Theology" Herman Ridderbos:
"CHAPTER VIII, THE CHURCH AS
THE PEOPLE OF GOD" p.327
"Section 53. TWO PRINCIPAL
ASPECTS"
"This central and integral
significance which Paul ascribes to the Church in all his
proclamation of redemption appears especially from the two principal
points of view from which he considers the Church:
(1$$) in the first place,
THE CHURCH IS THE CONTINUATION AND FULFILLMENT OF THE
HISTORIC PEOPLE OF GOD THAT IN ABRAHAM GOD CHOSE TO HIMSELF FROM
ALL PEOPLES AND TO WHICH HE BOUND HIMSELF BY MAKING THE COVENANT
AND PROMISES. In this Paul associates himself with the
general view of the Church as it is to be found in the whole of the
New Testament, although in his epistles he provides his own thorough
elaboration of it.
(2) In the second place, he
gives his own form of expression to the real being and character of
the Church when he speaks of it as the body of Christ."
"Because of the volume of
material we shall distribute it over various chapters, and devote
the first of them exclusively to a discussion of THE CHURCH AS
THE REDEMPTIVE HISTORICAL PEOPLE OF GOD." ($)
Professor Ridderbos, on
pp.331 and 332, hits the crux of the problem with certain accuracy:
"From all this the significance of this designation of THE
CHRISTIAN CHURCH in Paul can also be clearly seen: as the
communion of the `saints' ($) it IS THE TRUE PEOPLE OF GOD, THE
ESCHATOLOGICAL ISRAEL, which may apply to itself the promises
of God because of the salvation that has appeared in Christ.
(1) On the one hand the
Church is in this way identified with Israel as the people of God;
(2) On the other hand,
however, ($$) it is thereby distinguished from empirical Israel."
aaron-What we have here, is
a brief description of the very heart of much of today’s confusion.
On the one hand the Church
is not only identified with Israel, the Church is identified as
God's people Israel. Which, if isolated, could be a form of
replacement theology.
Then on the other hand, the
historical Israel which the Church has been associated with and
identified as, is distinguished from empirical /or national /or
physical Israel. We must not loose sight of these two distinctively
different Israel’s that Professor Ridderbos has identified for us.
This is precisely the same as we have previously determined—that
Israel does in fact have a complex definition: The invisible Israel
that is always coexistent within the visible Israel—Ekklesolia en
Ekklesia.
pp.333, 334 ($$)
"Section 56. THE NEW
COVENANT. UNIVERSAL AND PARTICULAR
The significance of THE
CHURCH - which has repeatedly come to light in the foregoing -
as THE CONTINUATION OF ISRAEL, as THE ELECT,
CALLED, HOLY PEOPLE OF GOD, ought now to be defined further
according to its content and essence. We have already seen in the
analysis of these various designations that this CONTINUATION
is no simple matter.
(1) On the one hand, in a
positive sense it presupposes that the Church springs from, is born
out of Israel;
(2) On the other hand, the
Church takes the place of Israel as the historical people of God.
This means a new
definition of the people of God, and likewise a new concept of
Israel.
The question is how
one is conceived of this redemptive-historical transition,
(1) on the one hand with
regard to the historical Israel of the Old Testament that God has
chosen to Himself and to which He has given His promise,
(2) on the other hand with
regard to unbelieving Israel that has rejected Christ and thus
placed itself outside the fulfillment of the divine promises to
Abraham and his descendants."
aaron-Professor Ridderbos,
in the above statement, has once again defined TWO distinctly
different ISRAELS.
1. The historical Israel of
the Old Testament, chosen by God: The Israel that the Church (/or
more correctly when speaking about Historic Israel—the invisible
Church) is most assuredly a continuation of.
2. Unbelieving Israel, the
Israel outside of God's promises: The Israel that is Israel only in
the physical or visible sense—empirical Israel.
Although I am not sure that
a new definition of the people of God is really necessary, but a
clearer understanding of these complex concepts of Israel are
imperative. Since the invisible Church as we know it is a
participant in Historical Israel, we must assume that God's
redemptive plan is surly on track and on schedule. But the thing
that is generally overlooked here, is our need to define the
institutional Church in the exact same complex way as the Scriptures
are defining Israel. That is, that both Israel and the Christian
Church have a visible characteristic and invisible characteristic
that are always coexistent within each of these God established
visible institutions.
When the apostle Paul makes
the statement as he did in Rom.2:28,29 "For he is not a Jew who is
one outwardly, nor is that Circumcision which is outward in the
flesh;" I am not sure of the significance that most people place on
this Scripture. This verse is making an absolute statement about an
evident change in how God is identifying His people. God is saying
that He will no longer use just the Old Testament criterion for the
purpose of identifying His people, but is about to manifest a
complex criterion out from His New Covenant revelation: "but he is a
Jew who is one inwardly, and Circumcision is that of the heart, in
the Spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men but
from God." Nevertheless, we must never conclude that the visible
Jew is no longer a Jew. That would surly contradict the whole
natural order of things.
We can then see the
thoroughness of God more clearly in Rom.9:6 "But it is not that the
word of God has taken no effect, for they are not all Israel who are
of Israel". Once again, these verses are necessary because of the
manifested changes in the dynamics of God's reconciliation. When
God expanded His salvation program under the economy of the New
Covenant in fulfillment of His promise to Abraham, the dramatic
clarification in the criterion from the Old Testament must also
include God’s first peoples Israel. If the old economy Jews were
exempted in part and the old economy Circumcision were also exempted
in part, then we can naturally conclude that all of those who were a
part of visible Israel under the old economy would not automatically
become a part of the revealed hidden Israel of God under the new
economy. Then there is an added problem that immediately confronts
us—It is in understanding the present station of visible Israel with
respect to God’s New Covenant of Grace: The consummation of the
Abrahamic Covenant of Grace, and the revelation of visible Israel’s
coexistent component—invisible Israel.
pp.336,337 ($)
Professor Ridderbos, with
respect to |