Wisdom

05/16/2011 Human Observations

Romans 11:¹I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid.  ⁵Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. ¹⁶For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. ¹⁷And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; ¹⁸Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee ¹⁹Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. ²⁰Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: ²¹For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. ²²Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. ²³ And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. ²⁴For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? ²⁵For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. ²⁶And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: ²⁷For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
     I am a gentile believer in Jesus the messiah.  I was converted when I was twenty four years old, and born again the following year.  In the zeal of my spiritual youth, I frequently would go “witnessing” on the boardwalk of Laguna Beach; preaching to anyone who had the misfortune to be walking there.  I was a holy terror, thumping my bible at the world.  I held the keys to the kingdom, yet was locking its doors by my Un-wise judgment. I considered myself fortunate to be enlightened by my liberation, yet was not wise enough to recognize that for my prior twenty four years, I was being carried by God to that point where God could bring me into His fold.  Having read limited portions of scripture, I held onto certain verses that were easily remembered, finding fault with those who opposed my very limited view of these scriptures.  I argued with Catholics who called priests “father”, I argued with other Christians who limited themselves to a legalistic view of Jesus’ new covenant, and I argued against a practicing Jew’s belief, if they continued to abide under the Law, in the face of the rejection of our Messiah.  I argued a lot, forgetting how my own unbelief was tolerated by my Lord until I could “receive” His gift of understanding.  An infant cannot drink orange juice because it will literally burn him.  So also will the Word of God be injestable to those for whom it is prepared.  We all grow up at our pace.  If I do indeed care about the souls of unbelievers, then let my heart be guided to pray for them all the more fervently, knowing that the Creator of my ability to think is better equipped than me to accomplish the process of understanding.  By the way … every day is, eternally, the Sabbath Day for believers.