Faith that Lasts - Psalms 79-80 and Romans 11:1-18
Two times in these two psalms Asaph told the Lord that Israel would stay true to Him forever this time, if God would deliver them from their enemies. God had heard that so many times before. He still hears it from us today. However, in the case of Israel, they were constantly backsliding from God and chasing other gods. That is why God was punishing them so severely. That is why it seemed that He had forgotten about them. What they needed was lasting faith. That is what God is seeking. After all, temporary faith is not really faith at all. When we trust the Lord, we enter a relationship with Him that lasts forever. If our faith is not lasting faith, it shows that we did not have that lasting relationship. God was trying to show Israel that He wanted that type of relationship with them.
Romans 11 is a rerun of the same theme. Paul asks the question, "Has God cast away His people?" The answer is no. Paul says that we can tell that this has not happened because Jews like himself have trusted Christ and been saved by grace through faith. However, the majority of the Jews had not put lasting faith in God, and they had not trusted Christ, because their hearts were on works. Therefore, God had hardened their hearts. Still they were not cast off forever. Paul says that God was using the Gentile Christians to provoke them to jealousy, so they would believe in Christ and be saved. Don't let the phrase "election of grace" throw you off. The election of grace is based upon God's foreknowledge. When He sees that lasting faith in a person, He chooses to save them. Faith is not a work. Paul proves that in Romans 4. The truth is that God is doing whatever He can do to bring us all to see our need to put true lasting faith in Jesus Christ. He wants an eternal relationship with us that He begins when we put that kind of faith in Jesus.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Psalms 81-83 and Romans 11:19-36.
Romans 11 is a rerun of the same theme. Paul asks the question, "Has God cast away His people?" The answer is no. Paul says that we can tell that this has not happened because Jews like himself have trusted Christ and been saved by grace through faith. However, the majority of the Jews had not put lasting faith in God, and they had not trusted Christ, because their hearts were on works. Therefore, God had hardened their hearts. Still they were not cast off forever. Paul says that God was using the Gentile Christians to provoke them to jealousy, so they would believe in Christ and be saved. Don't let the phrase "election of grace" throw you off. The election of grace is based upon God's foreknowledge. When He sees that lasting faith in a person, He chooses to save them. Faith is not a work. Paul proves that in Romans 4. The truth is that God is doing whatever He can do to bring us all to see our need to put true lasting faith in Jesus Christ. He wants an eternal relationship with us that He begins when we put that kind of faith in Jesus.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Psalms 81-83 and Romans 11:19-36.