Tag: stumblingblock

It Pleased God

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

1Corinthians 1:21-29 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For you see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.

‘It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.’ It pleased God to confound the wise men of that day by the preaching of a crucified Christ. The Jews would not have Him because they expected the Messiah to come as a mighty conqueror to deliver them from the Romans and not as a poor man having no appeal to worldly people (2Cor. 8:9; John 15:19-23; 17:14-16).

‘Foolishness’ [Greek: moria] silly, absurd, foolish. The Greeks perceived Christ and His gospel as silly, absurd and foolish, more or less the same as most people do today.

‘Chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.’ Things God has chosen and the reasons: Foolish things to confound the wise; weak things to confound mighty; base things to humble the exalted; despised things to humble noble and powerless things to bring to defeat the things that are powerful.

‘No flesh should glory’ – People tend to glory in themselves or others’ accomplishments or station in life. The Word warns us against being proud [Greek: huperephanos] to endulge in pride or self-gratulation; be exalted; elated; glory in self; display or strut self before others; an undue sense of superiority; unnatural self-esteem; arrogance; wishing all people to receive their sayings as oracles (Luke 1:51; 2Tim. 3:2; Jas. 4:6; 1Pet. 5:5); or to be boasters [Greek: alazon] self-exalted, vain, and arrogant braggarts (2Tim. 3:2). We can do nothing good without God and boasting about things that are supposed to be to God’s honour; will lead to the downfall of others and the boaster.

Election of Grace

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

Romans 11:5-10 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeks for; but the election has obtained it, and the rest were blinded  (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. And David said, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway. 

‘Remnant’ – the doctrine of the remnant always refers to Judah and the other tribes of Israel, never to Gentiles or the body of Christ. It teaches that God is obligated to save a remnant of all Israel, so as to preserve their line to eventually fulfil with them the covenants made with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David. God promised an eternal line to these men, and He promised their descendants an eternal land (Gen. 12:1-3, 7; 13:14-17; 15:18-21; 17:2-8, 19; 21:12; 22:17-18; 26:3-4; 28:3-4, 13-15; 2Sam. 7:1-29). God often predicted the deliverance and preservation of a remnant of the thirteen tribes and their final and eternal restoration under their Messiah (Isa. 1:9; 10:20-22; 11:10-12, 11:16; 38:1-22; 46:3; Jer. 23:3; 31:7; 39:9; 40:11; Ezek. 6:8-10; Joel 2:32; Mic. 2:12; 5:3-8; Zeph. 2:7-9; 3:13; Zech. 8:6-12; Rom. 9:27; 11:5; Rev. 12:17). According to Isaiah 1:9 Isaiah predicted that a very small remnant would be saved in the coming destruction of Judah and Jerusalem; otherwise Israel would have been totally destroyed like Sodom and Gomorrah.

‘Election of grace’ – grace elects to save all that will believe. Anyone chosen of God at any time, Jew or Gentile, is the elect of God (9:11; 11:5, 7, 28; 1Thess. 1:4; 1Pet. 5:13; 2Pet. 1:10). All men are called to become God’s elect or chosen ones and can be if they will choose God (Matt. 11:28-30; 20:16; John 1:12; 3:16-20; 6:37; Eph. 1:4; 2Thess. 2:13; Jas. 2:5; 1Tim. 2:4; 2Pet. 3:9; Rev. 17:14; 22:17).

‘And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace’ – the Jews were saved by grace and not because of any connection with a covenant of works. If it were of works, then it would cease to be a free and unmerited gift.

‘What then?’ What then is the real case under discussion? It is this, Israel has so earnestly desired. The election or chosen ones only have obtained it. The rest have been blinded.

‘God has given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear’ this is the 12th Old Testament prophecy fulfilled in Romans (11:8; Isa. 29:10). The very Word of God that should have awakened them has blinded them. God is not to blame, Israel is (9:12-18).

‘Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock …’ this is the 13th Old Testament prophecy fulfilled in Romans (11:9-10; Ps. 69:22-23). Their table (i.e., providential blessings) become a snare, a trap, a stumbling block and a means of punishment.