Friday: Further Thought ~ Abraham’s Seed
Further Thought:
Read Ellen G. White, “The Vineyard of the Lord,” pages 15-22; “Hope for the Heathen,” pages 367-378; and “The House of Israel,” pages 703-721, in Prophets and Kings.
“No distinction on account of nationality, race, or caste, is recognized by God.
Image @ Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com
He is the Maker of all mankind. All men are of one family by creation, and all are one through redemption. Christ came to demolish every wall of partition, to throw open every compartment of the temple courts, that every soul may have free access to God. His love is so broad, so deep, so full, that it penetrates everywhere. It lifts out of Satan’s influence those who have been deluded by his deceptions, and places them within reach of the throne of God, the throne encircled by the rainbow of promise. In Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free.” — Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, pages 369, 370.
Read 1 Peter 2:9-10 to discover the four titles Peter applies to the church. Most of these titles are reflected in the following Old Testament texts which refer to Israel: Exodus 19:6 and Isaiah 43:20. What does each of these titles emphasize about the church’s relationship to God? (For example, the title “chosen nation” emphasizes the fact that God chose the church and has a specific destiny for it.)
Discussion Questions:
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Summary:
God’s true Israel (whether before or after the Cross) is the Israel of faith, persons who live in a spiritual, covenant
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What is the take-away message from this week's lesson study? I come back to the issue that sometimes we apply the labels, "Remnant", God's Chosen People", or "Spiritual Israel" to ourselves and adopt a "them and us" attitude to other people. We need to remind ourselves there is a strong sense of servant leadership in the Christian sense of value. Jesus, equal with God, took on humanity and worked with us to save us. He ate with sinners, and publicans; he touched lepers; he visited with women of ill repute. He had no room for spiritual elitism. He exemplified what Paul was to say later.
I hope that I am understood when I say that Christianity is not so much about keeping clean, but getting your hands dirty working for others. Our discussions about Christianity are often cerebral. We occupy our minds with trying to describe doctrines and beliefs to one another. But we need to use those beliefs to power our relationship with others so that "they may see our good works and glorify our God."
I have found the following comments from Skip MacCarty very helpful in understanding Paul's comments on the "old covenant experience of the Jews" - as Peter said, sometimes Paul's writings are hard to understand (2Peter 3:15-16)
Skip MacCarty, In Granite or Ingrained?
The old and new covenants are sometimes viewed in Scripture as historical eras and sometimes as contrasting spiritual experiences – contrasting ways of relating to God and His law.
The old covenant historical era covers spiritual history before the advent of Christ, while an old covenant experience represents either rebellion against God’s law or a legalistic reliance on it as a means of achieving salvation through obedience.
The new covenant historical era covers the period of spiritual history that commenced with the advent of Christ, while a new covenant experience represents acceptance of God’s salvation by grace through faith and reliance on the Holy Spirit to write God’s law on one’s heart for the empowerment of loving obedience and faithful witness.
The covenant God made with Israel at Sinai was a grace-based, gospel-bearing, faith-inducing, mission-directed historical old covenant that bore all the DNA markers, promises/provisions of God’s description of the new covenant in Jeremiah 31:31-33 and Hebrews 8:8-12.
On the whole, Israel’s response throughout its history to the gospel proclaimed and offered in that covenant was an old covenant experience of overt disregard and disobedience on the one hand and legalistic reliance on law-keeping for salvation on the other.
It is just as possible to live in the new covenant historical era, in which we live, and experience an old covenant experience through flagrant, unrepentant disobedience to God’s law or reliance on obedience as one’s qualification for salvation.
Conversely Scripture affirms that true believers living in the old covenant historical period possessed a new covenant experience (Hebrews 11).
Thank you for sharing this very perceptive insight
I BESEECH you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Rom 12:1-2.
The Priests were to examine all animals brought as a sacrifice, and were to reject every one in which a defect was discovered. Only an offering “without blemish” could be a symbol of His perfect purity who was to offer Himself as “a lamb without blemish and without spot.” 1 Peter 1:19. The apostle Paul points to these sacrifices as an illustration of what the followers of Christ are to become. He says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:1
PP 352-353.
Abraham’s Seed
Today as Abraham seed and as a child of God, believing in Jesus, I, by his grace present myself a living sacrifice. By his strength I promise to abstain from sinful acts and words.
He said in his word, he made 'No distinction on account of nationality, race, or caste, is recognized by him. I am no better than anyone regardless of the color of my skin, my education, the region where I live, my political affiliation, my birthplace, my soc-economic standing, my spiritual/religious beliefs or thinking that I am part of the remnant.
I am a child of the heavenly King and so is everyone who is alive at this present time. Even the vilest offender.
It is only difficult to dwell among sinners while trying to remain "unspotted from the world" if we still find pleasure in unrighteousness. Enoch walked with God among those whom God needed to remove from the earth for their great wickedness, from which only eight persons escaped.
If we see church membership as "salvation", then yes, our fellow members who exhibit unbelief will be a snare. We must discern between faith and unbelief, no matter what a person may claim to be. We have been urged to "take heed lest ANY deceive you", and unfortunately, this may often hit close to home. Satan will use those closest to us if they allow it. We need not run around being suspicious, but we must know the "good, acceptable, and perfect will of God" if we would escape deception and falsehood.
I have found this week's lesson to be reassuring, indeed. How comforting it is to know that God loves us, and that He still keeps His promises, as He did to Abraham of old. He will not withhold any good thing from us. He has anointed me for His mission of truth, purity and patience. Duet. 7:7-9
I am His beloved: I can trust only Him to guide me safely and favorably, in His will, by the aid of the Holy Spirit. Duet. 28:1
He will not cast me (or anyone else) out, if we are faithful. My thoughts are to be centered on Him. Genesis 6:5 He sacrificed himself to save me. For this reason, I must constantly renew my life in Him. Romans 10:1-2; Matthew 23:37-39
God is gracious to label me for the benefit of His mission. Isaiah 10:20-22; 42:6 I am to be part of the solution, as one bringing water to a thirsty land.
As a child of the covenant, spiritual Israel, the seed of Abraham (Romans 9:6-8), I will cling to His promise of salvation through acceptance of the new life made possible through Jesus Christ. John 1:12-13.
"But as many as received Him ...gave he power to become the sons of God ...born, not of blood, ...but of God."
So, by faith, I anticipate fulfilling the mission of taking the everlasting gospel to, "every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,..." Revelation 14: 6-7, till The Promise-keeper comes with His reward, "to give every man according as his work shall be."
Keep us all obedient, Dear Lord. Amen.
Yes, the family of believers in Christ’s Faith is universal! The Holy Spirit gave Mrs.White the words to declare this unique fellowship so aptly, noting that this family of Christ’s Faith are the spiritual children of the heavenly Father, re-born by the faith of our Savior Christ Jesus. We are a ‘family by creation’, and as believers a 'family by redemption'.
The Father’s heavenly kingdom is a spiritual kingdom in which we live by faith. All His Faith-children choose to jointly live in this, His 'spiritual kingdom of heaven' here on earth. Christ was, is and showes us the Way of Truth and Light. He lived His life as the Son of man to be an example for mankind to understand how God’s children live their lives individually and with each other according to the Father’s Will.
To be chosen by God means to me a ‘working relationship based on faith’ between the Father and the individual believer. I think the children of Israel were chosen to become a nation to increase God’s spiritual impact on the world as He unfolded His Plan of Salvation of mankind.
He established Israel in the midst of Heathen nations, demonstrating and teaching Israel and its neighbors His Power and Glory – Justice, Mercy, and peaceful living with each other. He also used prophesy to inform all who have an ear to hear of events to come as this age comes to a close. But again, this was received/perceived or declined by the individual; which is also true today.
Then as it is now, the Father calls the individual to believe in Him and follow His teachings by faith. Then, His Prophets proclaimed the Words of God and His Judges administerd justice. Later, governmental leadership was instituted to administer and direct the nation to follow and live their lives by faith in the revealed Word of God.
I think God knew this concept of spiritually influencing the wellbeing of a whole nation through decrees of laws by their religious and civic leadership was impossible to accomplish; its implementation was hostage to their leaders’ imperfect spiritual faithfulness to administer God’s practical, but ultimately spiritual guidance by/through human civil institutions.
At last, God offered the clear, unmistakable, uncorruptable version of His Covenant to man - Salvation by Faith. As individuals, we are called to daily overcome the world by faith in the Living Word; living Christ’s teachings by faith as the Shining Light on the hill; living the Truth to lead the thirsty to the Well of Truth which causes all who drink to thirst no more.
As our lives unfold in Christ’s Faith as citizens of the Father’s heavenly kingdom here on earth, members of the brotherhood of believers in Christ, we are justified by faith - Gal.2:16KJV.