“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” (vs6).
We must BELIEVE before we call on God. We haven’t believed before, so He comes to us by gospel preaching - “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed, and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” We must hear the gospel of truth, for lies won’t save. It must be grace, predestination: the gospel of the scriptures. We can’t MAKE UP a salvation; it must be the one God gives.
Preaching, and thus the church, is REQUIRED - “And how shall they preach, except they be sent (vs15)?” There is no preaching without someone being sent, and so the church sends preachers, the church supports them financially, and the church labors to get the gospel out. He uses us; it is our mission - “As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring good news of good things” (vs15).
Like John the Baptist, we are sent by God, as promised, to bear witness of Christ and the grace in Him (John 1:6-8). We are beautiful because our feet bring good news of God’s grace to sinners by God punishing Christ for us. We carry God’s word to them. Actual people bear good news of salvation, love, and help from Almighty God. We say, The God of glory - who saves and damns -has mercy for all that trust His love, that obey His Son, that receive Him as Lord and Savior. God is at peace by the blood. We bring you the message of good things from God, poor sinner, the good Christ died to give.
What about unbelief - “But they have not all obeyed the gospel, For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our report?” (vs16). They refused mercy, but God saves by grace. It doesn’t matter that men are NOT saved; it proves that salvation is His gift to sinners foreknown (Rom 11:2). How wrong it is for the mighty God to speak by men, and men to hate God’s Son! How tragic to live for yourself, when God is giving ETERNAL life and a little suffering before eternity (Rom 8:18). Why is it wrong to believe?
What we need is faith, which comes by the gospel preached, because it isn’t in us naturally, as unbelief proves - “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God“ (vs17). We must hear the word expounded and opened, so we believe. Paul responds that hearing without faith is tragic. Solomon’s wisdom was world known, but the Jews didn’t believe - “But, I say, have they not heard? Yes, truly, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world (vs18).” Moses warned them - “But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses said, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you” (vs19). “God will make you jealous. He will take people that were not His as His own. These ignorant Gentiles will get privileges that were preached but despised among you. You’ll be displeased by mercy going to others“.
Isaiah is more bold - “But Isaiah is very bold, and says, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me“ (vs20). God will be found, but our seeking isn’t the cause. We come because He sought us, because others would not come. He went into the byways and compelled us in (Luke 14:23). He reveals Himself to men, not preaching merely, but saving whom He wills, opening blind eyes. It matters not that we wanted nothing to do with Him.
He speaks of national Israel: I have called, and you have refused, over and over - “But to Israel he says, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and obstinate people” (vs21). “You have mocked and despised, corrupted and condemned my word. You’ve done evil to my good.” Yet, has it made God break promise? No way - “I say then, Has God cast away his people? God forbid“ (Rom 11:1). He PROMISED life to His elect IN the nation of Israel, but it wasn’t promised savingly to all the nation. It was a gift He gave to His elect, and it is something He would have given to any who called. Paul speaks from experience: I am a Jew, of the tribe of Benjamin, and I know God’s love, so He hasn’t forsaken us. He simply saves whom He foreknew and leaves the rest - “For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not cast away his people which he foreknew“ (vs1-2). He loved us savingly, and He can’t return from it. He has pardoned. Who condemns?
We need knowledge - “Know you not what the Scripture says of Elijah? How he makes intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed your prophets, and digged down your altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life” (vs2-3). I feel alone and abandoned, but the Lord has always had an elect, even when Israel disobeyed in wholesale… even when religion persecuted Elijah, there was a people, even as now - “But what says the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal” (vs4). God speaks to us and says, The Lord has a people of His choosing. He will not be confounded by unbelief - “Even so then, at this present time also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace“ (vs5). There are a perfect number, according to plan, to maximize grace and fury. They worship God obediently. They worship no false idol.
I spoke to some Muslims on the atonement, and they have no answer for sin. Yet, being born into their religion, and having it become an issue of cultural unity, they did not receive it. Yet, among the Muslims, just like the Jews, there is a remnant, who no matter how DRASTIC things appear and how evil man is, they shall believe, for they were loved of God irrevocably. He’s chosen they manifest His saving mercy, rather than His wrath - “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace” (vs6).
There is a portion of humanity chosen, and if grace saves, then works don’t. If God OVERRULES man’s rebellion to save sinners, then salvation is of God’s grace, rather than human effort. So, amidst unbelief, God reveals it’s mercy that any are saved, rather than revealing failure because not many are saved. He uses the Jews’ rebellion to give the gospel to the Gentiles, saving His elect among Jew and Gentile, while punishing the unbeliever with wrath - “What then? Israel has not obtained that which he seeks for; but the election has obtained it, and the rest were blinded” (vs7).
Grace DECIDED who’d be saved, and grace saves those God chose. Works had nothing to do with it- “But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work” (vs6). It wasn’t one man smarter, better, or more religiously inclined than another; it was GRACE that made some believe, for unbelief PROVES grace. It’s not works at all
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