Paul
the apostle told the people in Rome,
“I
could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my
kinsmen according to the flesh”,
and he identified them as “ Israelites;
to whom pertains
the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the
law, and the service of
God,
and the promises.
Whose
are
the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came,
who
is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.”
In
chapter nine and verse six of Romans,
Paul told his readers, “not
as though the word of God has taken no effect”
where
we read:
Not
as though the word of God has taken no effect. For they are
not all Israel, which are of Israel:
The
verse begins, “Not
as though the word of God has taken none effect.”
Paul
began with the words, “not
as though”
which means “in no way, sort or manner moreover” “the
word” or
“the doctrine and teaching”
“of God”
which means “the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of
God the Father, Christ the Son and the Son of God” “has
taken none effect”
which refers to “has fallen to the ground, was ineffective and been
powerless”. Paul recognized how God's “word”
was not completely “ineffective”.
The
verse goes on to say, “For
they are
not all Israel, which are of Israel:”.
Paul
added the words, “for
they are not”
or “because these people who identify themselves are not
necessarily” “all
Israel”
which means “each, every, the whole and everyone belonging to
Israel” “which
are of Israel”
or “who are from the country of Israel” which means “he shall
be prince”. Paul shared how not every person who is from “Israel”
is actually part of those to whom the “word
of God”
has not “taken
effect”.
When
we meditate upon these words of Paul, we see how national identity in
no way draws people to a closer or separate relationship with God.
Just because people belonged to “Israel”
did not mean they were void of “God's
word”
or complying with it. God's “word”
has the capacity to affect everyone who will receive it, and when
they accept Jesus Christ as their “Savior and Lord”, they receive
His Holy Spirit who will “guide
you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever
he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he
will shew you things to come.” (John
16:13). May all who read these words receive Jesus today whether they
are from “Israel”
or from any other country.
Next
time we
see Paul share,
“because they are the seed of Abraham”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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