BISHOP ELIJAH BANKOLE
[biblegateway passage=”Romans 11:15-29″ display=”Romans 11:15-29″]
In Paul’s writings to the Romans, he focused his letter on how the Jews rejected Christ and how the Gentiles got included into God’s plan for salvation.
God had a covenant with Abraham and his unborn children. This caused the Jews to remain with this belief that they are very special before God. Their father Abraham walked with God (a relationship), but they grew apart from the relationship God cut for them and replaced it with service and religion. The Devil is happy when he sees people basking in religion. This is because religion binds, it is only relationship with Jesus that sets one free.
[biblegateway passage=”Romans 9:1″ display=”Romans 9:1″]
One major way the devil attacks us is to make us feel that he does not exist that there is no war to fight. Another subtle thing the devil is doing again in the church is that he is gradually taking hymns away from our mouth. If the cannons of the Bible were not closed, the hymns would have been considered to be part of the Bible.
Paul was not happy because his brethren in the flesh (the Jews) have missed it. As up to now, in the present Israel there are not up to 5% of the Jews that are saved.
[biblegateway passage=”John 1:12″ display=”John 1:12″]
As many as believed Jesus, to them was given Authority to become the sons of God. Authority is different from power; without authority, power cannot be given.
God adopted the Jews at first, but the Jews had forgotten that they were adopted and never thought it possible that God could adopt the Gentiles also.
Peter also had the same issue and it even took God to bring Peter through a special experience in order to teach him that the gentiles have a portion in the salvation plan. Peter could not continue with this plan of Salvation to the Gentiles if he had continued with the attitude of segregation.
Paul particularly was the one who needed to understand the mystery of how it was possible for the Gentiles coming unto the Father through Jesus because he was the Apostles of the Gentiles. God deliberately blinded the eyes of the Jews so that we (the Gentiles) can be grafted into him.
[biblegateway passage=”Romans 9:6-33″ display=”Romans 9:6-33″]
The Jews could not believe the possibilities of a man being saved or justified without laws. It actually even takes faith to believe that ones sins have been taken away by the death of Jesus. The wages for sins is death (eternal separation from God), but instead of this that we normally deserve we have received eternal life through Jesus because of our Faith.
Grace is the ability of God to be God placed on a mortal man. The Jews were so used to law that they could not cope and comprehend the grace that came through Christ. The word of God even expressly says that the keeping the Law cannot make any man justified.
The purpose of the law was actually to help man fail. The continuous falling of the Jews should have suggested the obvious need for another plan from God (salvation) for them. But they were oblivious to this fact and even though, we the Gentiles were not desiring God, He still came for us.
[biblegateway passage=”Romans 10:4″ display=”Romans 10:4″]
Our hope for heaven is not in what we do or what we do not do, it is the finished work of Jesus. Not one of our righteous deeds would qualify us for heaven. Whatever sin anybody may commit has been made for. Jesus said that he came to fulfill the law and not abolish it.
[biblegateway passage=”John 3:35 – 36″ display=”John 3:35 – 36″]
God had no backup plan after Jesus. The blood of Jesus has no alternative since the Father has committed all things into his hands.
[biblegateway passage=”2 Corinthians 5:21″ display=”2 Corinthians 5:21″]
Jesus never sinned but was made sin for us to become the righteousness of God. This is what the Jews could not understand and they failed to accept Christ.
God even ensured that in a public display at the crucifixion of Jesus, He made a sinner (who did not deserve justification) to be justified. He did nothing other than just believe Jesus as Son of God.
[biblegateway passage=”Revelation 13:8″ display=”Revelation 13:8″]
Jesus was the lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world. Before the world was, Jesus had been slain meaning that before the creation of Adam and Eve and before the fall of man, the solution to the sin was already planned for.
[biblegateway passage=”1 John 2:1-2″ display=”1 John 2:1-2″]
Jesus is the propitiation of the sins of the whole world not only those who are saved only. The propitiation of the sins that we have received is not only for us, it is also for the unbelievers.
God is a God of justice, likewise the Devil. To leave the captivity of the Devil, one has to show him a legal proof as to why we can be permitted to leave. We were lawful captive of the Devil before we accepted the calling of Christ. The cross was and still is our legal proof.
[biblegateway passage=”Romans 9:33″ display=”Romans 9:33″]; [biblegateway passage=”Romans 10:4″ display=”Romans 10:4″]
These verses are the summary of the gospels. What brought God and Abraham together was by faith. God’s calling on those who believe in Jesus through Faith is without repentance and is irrevocable.
Calling precedes gifts. Like Abraham, the calling of God is a call into relationship. Gifts are for responsibilities and profitability. God is a business man and grace is His investment into our life.
[biblegateway passage=”Ephesians 1:1-6″ display=”Ephesians 1:1-6″]; [biblegateway passage=”Genesis 12:1-4″ display=”Genesis 12:1-4″]; [biblegateway passage=”John 1:11-13″ display=”John 1:11-13″]; [biblegateway passage=”John 15:16″ display=”John 15:16″]
The calling is for a purpose and for the calling to benefit anyone, we need to respond properly. The beginning of Chapter 12 of Romans is a summary of Romans 9,10 and 11. That is simply telling us how to respond properly to the calling of God.
The question is this: what is our response to the call of God?
[biblegateway passage=”John 7:37″ display=”John 7:37″]
If anyone thirsts, let him come to me. Scriptural believing should lead us to becoming a pipe and not a barrel in which the fullness of God would reside in it and the life would flow out. God called us that through us “rivers of living waters in different form can bless others”. This tells us that we have been called into a selfless life. The pipe that carries the water is never thirsty.
Father, give me the grace to accept the call to relinquishing my will for your will.