Conceited Conclusions
It has always amazed me that different people can read the same Word of God and arrive at different conclusions. For example; the church of Christ denomination looks at the word " For " in Acts 2:38 and concludes that it means " in order to obtain " in relation to baptism and Salvation. The writer, Luke, did not intend for this to be the meaning because he used the indefinite preposition " eis " , not the definite preposition " hina " which should have been used in order for Acts 2:38 to mean what baptismal remissionists insist that it means; in order to obtain. This " conclusion " is foundational to this denomination, as well as others, in their interpretation of Scripture. Those who would " conclude " that God is forever through dealing favorably with the Jew and the nation of Israel have made the same mistake; concluding that words mean something that they don't. These groups of people include Preterists ( all prophecy was fulfilled by A.D. 70), Amillinealists ( no earthly kingdom of Christ ), and Replacement Theologians (all promises made to Israel now belong to the Church ). It is unmistakeably clear that the group of people being discussed in Romans 9, 10, and 11, is the ethnic Jew and National Israel, of which group Paul repeatedly identifies himself with. When He asks the two questions in Romans 3:3-4 and 11:1, it is evident that He is talking about Israelites ( Jews). Here are the questions 1. Shall their ( Jews ) unbelief make the faith of God without effect ( void, nullify)? 2. Has God cast away His people ( National Israel)? Paul answers these questions in the strongest negative term found in the New Testament; GOD FORBID! ( i.e. NO!!!!!). All Preterists, Amillinealists, and Replacement Theologians MUST answer YES!!!!! to these Pauline questions, since their theology demands that God will never favor Israel as a group of people again. Paul stated in Romans 11:25 that those who would arrive at such a conclusion regarding Israel are " wise in their own conceits " ( intelligent within themselves ). In other words, these people have arrived at THEIR OWN CONCLUSIONS, not the one the writer of the Bible has concluded. I will list at least five " self-conclusions " that are made regarding the future of National Israel and the Jew; 1.God is through with the Nation of Israel. Paul clearly denies this claim with his answer in Romans 11:1-2. Anyone who will take the time to study the prophecies in the Old Testament will know why Paul answered this way in the New Testament. 2.The term " Israel " in Romans 9, 10, and 11, means the Church. If Israel is the Church, then only the " elect " in the Church are saved, and the rest of the Church have been blinded by God Himself ( Ro.11: 7-10 )! It is clear that Paul , an Israelite, identifies himself with " his people ", " them ", and " they ", who are fellow ethnic Jews ( Ro.9:3-4, 10:1, 11:1-2 ). 3.The lump, root, branches, and firstfruits in Romans 11:6 is the Church. If you read the entire context here, you cannot Biblically arrive at this conclusion; it is a predetermined one based upon a theological presupposition ( the Bible has to agree with my doctrine ). In this passage, some branches were " broken off "(ethnic Jews ) and the wild olive tree ( saved Gentiles ) were " graffed in '. Into what? Into the part that had ALWAYS EXISTED, the REMNANT. This remnant, and not the Church, is the PERPETUAL root, lump, branches, and firstfruit. 4.An unbelieving Jew is graffed back into the Church. That's not what the Bible concludes in Romans 11:24. The believing Jew is graffed back into " their OWN olive tree ", thus the olive tree cannot be what these groups say it is. 5. God is through dealing favorably with any group of people other than the Church. In Romans 11 we find the terms " Israel " and the term " Zion ". The terminology of both these words when rightly dividing the Bible is reserved for National Israel and not the Church. The word " Zion ", both in the Old and New Testaments means " a hill or mountain in Jerusalem". The word Israel always is defined as " the decendants ( offspring ) of Israel ( ethnic )". God is not through dealing with Israel because the writer of Romans 9, 10, and 11 emphatically stated in the strongest possible terms that National Israel had not been cast away ( Ro.11:1-2 ), and National Israel had not voided or nullified God's faithfulness because of the unbelief of some within National Israel ( Ro.3:3-4 ). The afore mentioned groups of people are in contradiction with the Bible rightly divided when they " conclude " that God's favor will never be upon Israel as a nation again. Listen to God's reply to them; " If these ordinances depart from me, saith the Lord,then the seed of Israel shall cease from being a nation before me forever ( Jer.31:35-36 ). Has the sun and moon stopped shining? Have the stars fallen from the sky? Then God has NOT forsaken the Nation of Israel. Man's conclusions are what they are; conclusions. God's word, however, is always true.
It has always amazed me that different people can read the same Word of God and arrive at different conclusions. For example; the church of Christ denomination looks at the word " For " in Acts 2:38 and concludes that it means " in order to obtain " in relation to baptism and Salvation. The writer, Luke, did not intend for this to be the meaning because he used the indefinite preposition " eis " , not the definite preposition " hina " which should have been used in order for Acts 2:38 to mean what baptismal remissionists insist that it means; in order to obtain. This " conclusion " is foundational to this denomination, as well as others, in their interpretation of Scripture. Those who would " conclude " that God is forever through dealing favorably with the Jew and the nation of Israel have made the same mistake; concluding that words mean something that they don't. These groups of people include Preterists ( all prophecy was fulfilled by A.D. 70), Amillinealists ( no earthly kingdom of Christ ), and Replacement Theologians (all promises made to Israel now belong to the Church ). It is unmistakeably clear that the group of people being discussed in Romans 9, 10, and 11, is the ethnic Jew and National Israel, of which group Paul repeatedly identifies himself with. When He asks the two questions in Romans 3:3-4 and 11:1, it is evident that He is talking about Israelites ( Jews). Here are the questions 1. Shall their ( Jews ) unbelief make the faith of God without effect ( void, nullify)? 2. Has God cast away His people ( National Israel)? Paul answers these questions in the strongest negative term found in the New Testament; GOD FORBID! ( i.e. NO!!!!!). All Preterists, Amillinealists, and Replacement Theologians MUST answer YES!!!!! to these Pauline questions, since their theology demands that God will never favor Israel as a group of people again. Paul stated in Romans 11:25 that those who would arrive at such a conclusion regarding Israel are " wise in their own conceits " ( intelligent within themselves ). In other words, these people have arrived at THEIR OWN CONCLUSIONS, not the one the writer of the Bible has concluded. I will list at least five " self-conclusions " that are made regarding the future of National Israel and the Jew; 1.God is through with the Nation of Israel. Paul clearly denies this claim with his answer in Romans 11:1-2. Anyone who will take the time to study the prophecies in the Old Testament will know why Paul answered this way in the New Testament. 2.The term " Israel " in Romans 9, 10, and 11, means the Church. If Israel is the Church, then only the " elect " in the Church are saved, and the rest of the Church have been blinded by God Himself ( Ro.11: 7-10 )! It is clear that Paul , an Israelite, identifies himself with " his people ", " them ", and " they ", who are fellow ethnic Jews ( Ro.9:3-4, 10:1, 11:1-2 ). 3.The lump, root, branches, and firstfruits in Romans 11:6 is the Church. If you read the entire context here, you cannot Biblically arrive at this conclusion; it is a predetermined one based upon a theological presupposition ( the Bible has to agree with my doctrine ). In this passage, some branches were " broken off "(ethnic Jews ) and the wild olive tree ( saved Gentiles ) were " graffed in '. Into what? Into the part that had ALWAYS EXISTED, the REMNANT. This remnant, and not the Church, is the PERPETUAL root, lump, branches, and firstfruit. 4.An unbelieving Jew is graffed back into the Church. That's not what the Bible concludes in Romans 11:24. The believing Jew is graffed back into " their OWN olive tree ", thus the olive tree cannot be what these groups say it is. 5. God is through dealing favorably with any group of people other than the Church. In Romans 11 we find the terms " Israel " and the term " Zion ". The terminology of both these words when rightly dividing the Bible is reserved for National Israel and not the Church. The word " Zion ", both in the Old and New Testaments means " a hill or mountain in Jerusalem". The word Israel always is defined as " the decendants ( offspring ) of Israel ( ethnic )". God is not through dealing with Israel because the writer of Romans 9, 10, and 11 emphatically stated in the strongest possible terms that National Israel had not been cast away ( Ro.11:1-2 ), and National Israel had not voided or nullified God's faithfulness because of the unbelief of some within National Israel ( Ro.3:3-4 ). The afore mentioned groups of people are in contradiction with the Bible rightly divided when they " conclude " that God's favor will never be upon Israel as a nation again. Listen to God's reply to them; " If these ordinances depart from me, saith the Lord,then the seed of Israel shall cease from being a nation before me forever ( Jer.31:35-36 ). Has the sun and moon stopped shining? Have the stars fallen from the sky? Then God has NOT forsaken the Nation of Israel. Man's conclusions are what they are; conclusions. God's word, however, is always true.
