I have been asking the Lord about this thread and how to respond to the confusion and then it dawned on me – that all things do indeed work for good for those who love the Lord and are called to hi purposes. Zoe, Gman, Jlay, PL, Byblos, other who resound are all called so let’s learn from this.
I often mention how reading the bible; we can come to a time when we must wrestle with the Lord to uncover an answer to a supposed contradiction that we may find. This very thread offers a time that illustrates what I mean how to go about such wrestling and how it works. Instead of you and the Lord, we have here, each other. Zoe brought up a great point – are we not already one in Christ and thus how are the Jews fit into this. Gman brings out valid points that they are God’s chosen people, etc. Another comes in and says, wait what about this point – is that a contradiction?
When this happens it is best to learn to wrestle with this with the Lord. You do what Psalm 46:10 says: Stop, be still before the Lord and know that He is God. When you stop, you go before the Lord and say, what about this Lord how does it jive with that – show me. Next wait, never try to say Lord My doctrine says this is how it is right and theirs wrong. God will not be exalted in this – and no answer will you find despite all the knocking and asking one may do echoing in a void.
The Lord will begin connecting the dots in the bible, leading you to scriptures in uniques ways, building off what you already know, challenging it, or leading you there by whatever means He wills that so often will blow our doctrines right out of the water, and solve the contradiction. Now if a person tries this to support their views on Preterism, dispensationalism , Zionism, etc.. and etc – you are exalting your doctrine above the knowledge of God and you will receive silence and no growth will be the only answer found.
Try this on your own and first question: So how do you reconcile the following:
Gal 3:28 - There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Eph 2:15 - having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,
Eph 3:6 - that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,
With the Jews mentioned in by Paul in Romans 9:1-36. You begin wrestling with the Lord and say, “How will God save the Jews, are they saved by some other way other than grace (John 3:16)? If so, that would be a contradiction – how then Lord does this make sense?”
You sit still and know that He is God. You cannot bring your pet doctrine before him as the answer you receive will not exalt your doctrine but always exalt him – reveal a glimpse of the Majesty of the Lord. It will never tell you to commit violence, etc… You will find yourself led to various verses in the bible that will cause you to ask more questions: You asked, How will you Lord save all the Jews as Paul said.
You come across later month, days, weeks, years, minutes… to verse – Matt 24:27c, coming in clouds, then another John 19:34-37c, then Zec 12:10. You stop and ask – what are you trying to show me Lord… Then you come across a seemingly unrelated verse that catches your eye – The Lord inhabits Eternity – then you are remind of all the info you learned on the Timlessness of God.
You are seeking out what He means – how can the Jews be saved any different than us? Then the Lord brings things together like – read the context of the verse – did this happen or not, if you think so – when – are you sure – how does it exalt me (The Lord) or does it your doctrine? What your motive? You may have to eat some crow as the they say and move on.
Suddenly it is like blinders are removed from your eyes and you see a picture emerge from the bible that reconciles what you first thought was a contradiction by pointing and exalting God and not your doctrine! So for time sake for this you find:
There will be Jews at a certain point in time, in Israel, who will be brought to believe in the Lord like anyone else does when they SEE the Lord come in the Clouds and that Zep was correct in recording that the Mighty One will save them – they will call on him whom they pierced – all Israel at that time will be saved.
What about the Jews now, are there two people or one as Gal 3:28 says? You discover that eternity there is no time, the timeless nature of eternity helps you see things from God perspective but we live in time – those Jews who are called before that time of looking upon him who they pierced become saved like anyone else does and they are one with us as we are of the same vine (Christ). The others who at a certain time will be evangelized by the Lord himself coming in the Clouds, etc and etc (all the scripture connect)!
When will the last person become saved – Time of Gentiles end and who’s left to be saved – the Jews! Then Romans 11:24-27 makes sense. At that final moment – the two become one new man bringing to completion the building of the body of Christ! In God’s sight, timeless eternity, there is a building processes where people are added in (we are in this time frame now) and a completed stage when it is done! Then you see all the bible verses that point this out remarkably clear and God is exalted in it and you shout
Glory – that’s so cool, so clever, wise, powerful – geeze these aspects of my doctrine were in error but now I see!
Then you come to another question another problem and you practice the same thing. The Lord builds upon what you know. People get frighten of this because it involves faith – real faith to be still, set your sight upon the Lord and wait for him to put all the pieces together. It is when people try this with the intent to match their doctrine and ideas is how people branch off into flakiness and one-upmanship. If you don’t do this as Jesus said in Mat 13:52 be willing to bring forth what is old and new before him to get rid of the bad. You’ll remain stuck…and not know what is of value and what is not from any treasure old or new.
If I were to take sides, I would side with the Dispensationalist for one reason only. They are more apt to repent and change doctrine more toward the truth once they see that its contradictions can’t be reconciled and thus are more able to toss out the bad.
Preterits can do the same but in my personal opinion, it comes much harder for them to do because there are more hard headed Preterist than hard headed dispensationalist. You can tell the hard headed preterist a mile away cause when they come near they come swinging
then both sides repeatedly
but-t heads and nothing is ever settled.
So be still, wrestle with God over this – take your time, be willing to repent when you find what you thought was truth was instead error and be led to the next question. Jesus tells us to keep on asking, seeking, knocking for God to be exalted, not yourself or you doctrine’s dogma, and you will have those things you asked for.
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