| Subject: Gospel to Abraham |
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Theo Book
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Date Posted: 06:03:45 07/01/02 Mon
Author Host/IP: NoHost/209.12.207.231
Paul says that God speaks of things not yet, as though they are. "Calleth those things which BE NOT as though they WERE." [Rom 4:17] And what is Paul referencing? God's promise to Abraham about the seed, which is Christ in prophecy. "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many, but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ." [Gal 3:16]
The context in which Paul makes this profound statement, in Rom 4:17, is referencing the faith of Abraham, who, having no seed, and no heir, believes the promise of God that through his seed, all nations will be blessed. To Abraham, the promise was as good as the reality - and THAT is the focus of the contention between us.
Look at the account given of the chronology of the promise as it is made.
FIRST; the promise as it was given through a woman - "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." [Gen 3:15]
SECOND; The promise as it developed through Abraham;
"...thou SHALT BE a father of many nations." [Gen 17:4]; look now at the change in the tense of the verbs, as God's promise makes a reality of things in prophecy; "...for a father of many nations HAVE I MADE THEE." [Gen 17:5] ONE VERSE LATER, after having made the promise, God speaks the reality of it, as though it is already fulfilled, and why? Because there are to immutable things by which God cannot lie, his oath, and his promise.
God's promise, first spoken in Gen 3:15, was iterated in Gen 12 and Gen 17, and 18 to Abraham, and reiterated in Gen 22, with the oath of confirmation of that same promise - "And the angel of Jehovah called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, and said, By myself have I sworn, saith Jehovah, because that thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son; that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying, I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the seashore; and thy seed shall prossess the gate of his enemies; and IN THY SEED SHALL ALL THE NATIONS OF THE EARTH BE BLESSED; Because thou hast obeyed my voice." [Gen 22:15-22]
"And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." -Gen 12:3
"As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. 5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee." -Gen 17:4-5
"And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; 18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?" Gen 18:17-18
"And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, 16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice." Gen 22:15-18
THIRD; the promise developed through Isaac; "And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;" -Gen 26:4
FOURTH; The promise as it developed through Jacob; "And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed."
-Gen 28:14
FIFTH: The promise as it was developed by Paul the Apostle: "Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all," 17 As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations, before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were." -Rom 4:16-17
Abraham was too old to beget children, but that did not deter his faith: "And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:" 20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;" Rom 4:19-24
The meaning of this promise to Abraham was kept secret from the beginning, so it could produce faith in the world today: "Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:" Rom 16:25-26
And there was a reason for its being kept a secret; To keep Satan from discovering God's paln of Salvation, and interfering. If he had known, he would not have allowed the crucifixion of Jesus. "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world (age) unto our glory; which none of the princes of this world knew; for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory." [1 Cor 2:7-8]
This same Gospel that was preached unto Abraham - "And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed." Gal 3:8
is the same gospel that is preached unto the saints -that of faith like Abraham had "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ." Gal 1:6-7
Paul went to a great deal of trouble to make sure Christians understood the promises made to Abraham, because it was the basis for their faith. Not the covenant of law, but the promise of faith -"Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. 17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. 18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise." [Gal 3:16-18]
God wants the inheritors of the promise to understand how they got it -"Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: 18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:" [Heb 6:17-18]
Jesus told the Jews of the developement of the promise and Abraham's faith - "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. 57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am." John 8:56-58
And Paul tells us Adam preceded Christ, "And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual." 1 Cor 15:45-46
Now understand what it means "to exist in prophecy:" It means that what is promised, is as good as a done deal; a concept which Abraham appreciated to the point he was called the "Father of the faithful." He was promised seed as numerous as the stars, and the sand, while he still had no heir. To Abraham, it was considered "reality" but only in prospect, at the time of the promise. And yes, that meaning is real as to the prophetic utterances of scripture. It is the basis for our faith, and it is the reason people go willingly to thier death, knowing God will raise them up at the last day, even though they have never seen God, nor a raising from death. It is real.
God is the God of the living. Does Abraham or Moses "exist" as you understand the word? What about Enoch, the seventh from Adam? Is he "real" as you understand the term? They are as "real" to me as my hand before my face. And it meets the criteria for the definition of "real" found in any book. They have actual being. They have life. They continue to be, to persist. The fact that I do not experience them has no bearing upon their "reality," nor upon their "existence."
Look at the scriptures available to the Jews of Jesus' day: "In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. 16 There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. 17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? 18 Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath. 19 And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day. 20 So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. 21 Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath. -Neh 13:15-21
Look now at Jesus' teaching on the subject as he went about healing on the Sabbath. "And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? 12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days." [Mat 12:11-12]
Even the rulers of the synagogue did not understand the sabbath law: "And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day."
Jesus called this RULER OF THE SYNAGOGUE a hypocrite, he did not call him an understanding student of the law. 15 "The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? 16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?" [Luke 13:14-16]
And some "work" was required, even on the Sabbath, which did not violate the concept at all. "Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man. 23 If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?" [John 7:22-23] And the healing of men glorified God, on WHATEVER day it was done.
A great multitude went to hear Jesus, as they stood on the shore. Jesus spoke to them in parables. (Mat 13:2-3); The Apostles questioned Jesus as to why he spoke to the multitudes in parables. (Mat 13:10); Jesus said he spoke to them in parables "because, seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand." (Mat 13:13) "For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. (Mat 13:15)
Do not ye yet understand? [Mat 15:17, 16:9,11]
Upon a later occasion, when the Jews claimed God as their Father, (John 8:41)(they did not understand that they were claiming equality with God when they claimed God was their Father), Jesus asked them "Why do ye not understand my speech? Even because ye cannot hear my word. [John 8:43]
And if I say the truth, why do you not believe me? [John 8:46] He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God." [John 8:47
The Jews then introduced Abraham into the conversation -(The MISUNDERSTANDING Jews, I might add) "Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, if a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. Art thou greater than our Father Abraham, which is dead? And the prophets are dead; whom makest thou thyself?" [John 8:52-53]
Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. [John 8:56] Then the Jews (those same misunderstanding Jews) said unto him "Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? [John 8:57]
Tell me, my trinitarian friend, are you saying that this is the only time they understood Jesus, in all of their discourses with him? Or was Jesus mistaken when he said they did not hear with their ears, and understand with their heart? Are you going to continue to stand in the crowd with the misunderstanding Jews? Or are you going to consider what it was Jesus was saying, that was LOST ON THE CROWD?
"Jesus said unto them, verily verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am." [John 8:58] "The Jews took up stones to cast at him." Why? Because they could not hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, that Jesus spoke of the prophecies of which Abraham was familiar; (remember, the bible was not written until Moses wrote it, well over 400 years later) it was lived in the lives of the Patriarchs, and the promises were a part of their life, not something they perused at their leisure or in their daily reading. It was real and active in their very being. They were strangers and sojourners in a sinful world, because of their knowledge of the prophecies, and the God who would some day bring it to pass.
And when God made promise to Abraham, he saw the fulfilling thereof, as suredly as it was standing before him in reality. God "Calleth those things which be not AS THOUGH THEY WERE" [Rom 4:17] was a reality to Abraham.
"Before Abraham was I am" places Jesus in prophecy before Abraham and "That was not first which is spiritual (The last Adam, who was made a quickening Spirit), but that which is natural (The first man Adam who was made a living soul); and AFTERWARDS THAT WHICH WAS SPIRITUAL."
To say that Jesus claimed to "exist" before Abraham, you join yourself to those same unbelieving Jews who accused Jesus of profaneing the sabbath, and who accused him of "making himself equal with God" for saying "I am the son of God." How do I know that is what Jesus meant when he said "I and my Father are one?" Because Jesus said so. I will stand with him. You must leave the Jewish crowd, and come over to the other side, and believe the words of Jesus, not the words of disbelieving Jews.
"Ye believe not because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you." [John 10:26]
WHAT JOHN SAID JESUS SAID: "I and my Father are one." [John 10:30]
WHAT THE JEWS HEARD JESUS SAY: "I and my Father are one."
WHAT THE DISBELIEVING JEWS SAID JESUS' WORDS MEANT: "...thou, being a man, MAKEST THYSELF GOD." [John 10:33]
WHAT JESUS SAID HIS WORDS MEANT: "..because I said I AM THE SON OF GOD." [John 10:36]
Do not pretend to me that the Jews correctly applied Jesus' words to what he meant by them. He corrected, them and John, by recording them. In fact, John recorded some very profound commentary after the so called admission of Thomas that Jesus is God, John who found a decidedly different conclusion to the whole matter; "And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God." [John 20:28] YOU, and the disbelieving Jews would agree, Jesus claimed to be God, but John, Jesus' beloved disciple, said the words meant - "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book, but these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is GOD.....
No! No! No! John did not reach the same conclusion you trinitarians did,
But John said "that ye might believe Jesus is the Christ, the SON OF GOD; and THAT believing, ye might have life through his name." [John 20:31]
© Theo Book 2002
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