The Roman’s Road to Righteousness (Doctrine of Concurrence)‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏

Hello Friends!

Welcome Back! Let’s continue our journey through the book of Romans – “The Romans Road to Righteousness.”

The Roman’s Road to Righteousness (Doctrine of Concurrence)

This week we will take a slight “detour” from our regularly scheduled tour of Romans to discuss the important – and often times misunderstood – Doctrine of Concurrence found throughout the Scriptures as we consider the Sovereignty of God and Man’s Responsibility…
 

The Bible clearly teaches throughout the Old and New Testaments the “partnership” of the Sovereignty of God (Omniscience) and Man’s Responsibility (Human will). This is known as the Doctrine of Concurrence (Compatibility). As we’ve diligently discovered and discussed in Romans chapters 9-11, the Apostle Paul has indeed laid for us a firm foundation for the establishment of this important doctrine!

Here are a few points of Truth to consider in our discussion of the Doctrine of Concurrence:

 

Point One: The regenerated man’s free will/responsibility and God’s total Sovereignty is not at all a contradiction!

Point Two: God’s moral and providential will explains how He uses sinful man to accomplish His divine purposes!

Point Three: God is not the author of sin or evil! This is the doctrine know as Theodicy – The origination of “sin” and why God allowed it.

 

While we might not fully understand these points in our human minds, they are indeed Biblical truths from the “mind of the Lord.”

Let's consider the following two Scripture passages from both the Old and New Testaments to assist us in understanding this critical doctrine found in God's Word:

Isaiah Chapter 10

God is completely Sovereign! In the tenth chapter of Isaiah we see that “woe” is upon “Assyria” and yet this nation is simultaneously the “rod” of God’s “anger” and “staff” of His “indignation”:

Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger and the staff in whose hand is My indignation – Isaiah 10:5

Then Israel is called an “ungodly nation” and the people of God’s “wrath”:

I will send him against an ungodly nation, and against the people of My wrath I will give him charge, to seize the spoil, to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets – Isaiah 10:6

God uses “Assyria” and basically says “you will be My instrument of fury against the “ungodly nation” of My “wrath” who have rejected Me.” Yet “Assyria” does not “mean” to or even “think” to act as the agent of God’s wrath:

Yet he does not mean so, nor does his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy, and cut off not a few nations – Isaiah 10:7

But, it is “in his heart to destroy” to cut off many “nations.” In other words, for “Assyria” this is another opportunity for them to grab more power by beating up on an unsuspecting” Jerusalem”:

For he says, ‘Are not my princes altogether kings? Is not Calno like Carchemish? Is not Hamath like Arpad? Is not Samaria like Damascus? As my hand has found the kingdoms of the idols, whose carved images excelled those of Jerusalem and Samaria, as I have done to Samaria and her idols, shall I not do also to Jerusalem and her idols? – Isaiah 10:8-11

God then turns on “Assyria” to “punish” them for their “arrogant heart” and “haughty looks”:

Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Lord has performed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, that He will say, “I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his haughty looks. For he says: “By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I am prudent; also I have removed the boundaries of the people, and have robbed their treasuries; so I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man – Isaiah 10:12-13

However, God uses an analogy of an “ax,” a “saw,” a “rod” and a “staff” to make His point clear:

Shall the ax boast itself against him who chops with it? Or shall the saw exalt itself against him who saws with it? As if a rod could wield itself against those who lift it up, or as if a staff could lift up, as if it were not wood! – Isaiah 10:15

 In this passage of Isaiah, we clearly see the Doctrine of Concurrence! God will hold every person accountable for the evil acts they commit. And yet, God is Sovereign over those evil acts – Amazing!

 

John Chapter 3

Jesus knew what Nicodemus was really thinking (see John 2:23-25), so He answers the true question of Nicodemus’ heart – “how is one “born again?”:

Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” – John 3:3

Jesus’ point is that just as we could do nothing to produce our own physical birth; we are also unable to produce spiritual life – “the kingdom of God.”  Sinful flesh can only produce flesh and only Spirit produces spirit!

Next Nicodemus wants to know how he can affect this “second” birth:

How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he? – John 3:4

Jesus’ point here is that being “born again” is a miraculous miracle of God! There is no way Nicodemus can do this! Therefore, we are absolutely dependent on a divine work of the Holy Spirit. One must plead for God to give new life – “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” This is God’s saving choice!

 

Later, John confirms his understanding that we “receive nothing” unless it is “given” to us by God from “heaven”:

John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven… – John 3:27

And yet, we see also here in this passage that there is a human being commanded to “believe”:

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God – John 3:14-18

In this passage reminiscent of the Old Testament book of Numbers chapter 21, we find the Doctrine of Concurrence. Those who “believe” escape judgment – Man’s Responsibility. On the other hand, those who “do not believe” are “condemned already” – The Sovereignty of God. While we might not fully understand this doctrine in our human minds, they are indeed Biblical truths directly from the “mind of the Lord.”

 

The Apostle Paul clearly understood the Sovereignty of God & Man’s Responsibility. The sinner is accountable for “faith” in “Jesus Christ” and culpable for “sinful” rejection of “Jesus Christ!” Paul also understood the important role of the Christian – our evangelical duty to present “Jesus Christ” through the “Gospel” to everyone!

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? – Romans 11:33-34

Therefore, does God owe us anything, as if He is in our debt? No!

WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN? – Romans 11:35

Does God owe us a full explanation? No! We’re not fully capable of understanding it anyway! Therefore, at the end of the eleventh chapter of Romans we are left with a sweet doxology:

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things To Him be the glory forever. Amen – Romans 11:36

Dear friends, only by understanding The Doctrine of Concurrence can we “know” that “all things” do indeed “work” together “for good” to “those” who “love God” and are divinely “called according to His purpose”:

 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose – Romans 8:28


We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com

I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <><

The Roman’s Road to Righteousness (Chapter 11:25-36)‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏

Hello Friends!

Welcome Back! Let’s continue our journey through the book of Romans – “The Romans Road to Righteousness.”

The Roman’s Road to Righteousness (Chapter 11:25-36)

 
This week we will conclude our reading of chapter 11, verses 25-36 as we consider The Salvation of Israel for the Glory of God…

The Prophet Isaiah reminds us concerning the mind of God:

For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts – Isaiah 55:8-9

Here the prophet Isaiah is saying that God has an incomprehensible mind. No man however astute, intellectual or spiritual can fully plumb the depths of the infinite mind of God! He indeed works in ways which are mysterious to man. And nowhere is this truth more graphically illustrated than in relationship to the history of “Israel” which demonstrates to us the incomprehensibly magnificent mind of God and the wonder of His unique plan for the “Jewish” people.

 

As we conclude this tremendous treaties, we learn that three truths take up the Apostle Paul's thoughts in this chapter – “Israel’s” rejection by God is partial, passing and purposeful. 

 

First ~ Israel’s rejection by God is partial (verses 1 to 10)

Second ~ Israel’s rejection by God is passing (verses 11 to 24)

Third ~ Israel’s rejection by God is purposeful (verses 25 to 36) 

This week will consider the Third and final section (verses 25 to 36) of Paul’s exposition of God’s future plan for the “Jews” and the “nation” of “Israel” in His prophetic time table of events… 

 

Israel’s rejection by God is purposeful:

 

Here Paul finishes his thoughts with a “mystery” promise – the “blindness” of “Israel” is only temporary:

For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in – Romans 11:25

We are not to be “ignorant” or “wise” in our “own opinion” – arrogant – of this “mystery” pertaining to the “blindness in part” of “Israel” which will finally come to an end when the “fullness of the Gentiles” has arrived. And then will come the “grafting in” of the “Jews.” The “fullness of the Gentiles” is referring to the true church – the Bride of Christ!

 

When “Jesus Christ” has “gathered” together all His redeemed “elect” to Himself at the Rapture, He will again “graft in” the “nation” of “Israel” during the Great Tribulation. Then after those seven frightful years, “Jesus Christ” the “Deliverer” out of “Zion” will physically return to earth – His Second Coming – and will establish His literal 1000-Year Millennial Kingdom… And then finally – “all Israel will be saved”:

And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; for this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins” – Romans 11:26-27

And here again, Paul goes back to the Old Testament for support:

“A Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,” declares the Lord. “As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says the Lord: “My Spirit which is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring’s offspring,” says the Lord – Isaiah 59:20-21

The time will come when “all” of “Israel” will be “saved” and “grafted back in” by the “Deliverer” and “Redeemer” because God has made a “covenant” with “Jacob” – the “nation” of “Israel” to “take away their sins.” That's the whole point of Paul’s analogy of the “olive tree” that he has been describing throughout this chapter. However, this does not mean every individual “Jew” alive at that time will be “redeemed” – there will be many who refuse to “believe” on Jesus Christ and thus be “saved.” But at this time, a great mass of “Jews” will “turn from transgression” and “believe” on Him – Praise the Lord!

 

The next two verses reinforce Paul’s point “concerning” God’s “gospel” of “election”:

Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable – Romans 11:28-29

Presently, during this Age of Grace, the “Jews” are the “enemies” of God for our “sake” – the “Gentile” believers. However, “concerning the election,” the “Jews” are “beloved” of God. What is this seeming dichotomy saying? On the one hand based on their rejection of the “gospel” message, the unbelieving “Jews” are “enemies” of God. But based upon God's “promise” when He “called” them through the “fathers” – “Abraham,” “Isaac” and “Jacob” – they are His “beloved.” When “God” gives His “gifts” and His “calling” they are “irrevocable” in nature. We cannot earn God’s “grace” and we certainly cannot forfeit it either! We did nothing to receive His “grace” and we can do nothing to lose His “grace” – That's God’s eternal promise!

 

Another reason that is cause for us to “praise” and “glorify” God is His generosity. The key word Paul uses several times in this next section is "mercy":

For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all – Romans 11:30-32

The word "mercy" speaks of God's generosity and implies that “Salvation” is not something we deserve but something we don't deserve  – this is the undeserved goodness of God! “Mercy” is God withholding “judgment” when it is deserved and His granting of “forgiveness” when it is not deserved. “Mercy” is God’s tender “compassion” and “love” for us – Thank you Lord!

 

IMPORTANT NOTE: The “mercy on all” here does not teach Universalism. Paul simply means “all” in the sense of the “Gentile” church and the “Jewish” nation respectively. It is the ethnic and spiritual “all” that is the thrust of what Paul is saying here. God brought equal “unbelief” and “disobedience” to both “Jew” and “Gentile” for His own “glory!” – "For in Christ there's neither Jew nor Gentile" and “for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” No one is “good” – “no not “one.” This is the loving “mercy” of God!

 

The truth of the matter is, instead of despairing on the “Jews” because of their “unbelief,” in a sense we can be thankful because we were then “grafted” into a special place of blessing. By the “hardness” of their hearts, God has “committed them all” – locked up in prison – to “disobedience” and we “Gentiles” were then brought to the “gospel” of Jesus Christ.

 

Finally, Paul closes these wonderful thoughts with a beautiful doxology “song of praise” in where we see one other characteristic of God – His incomprehensibility:

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! "For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?” “Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him?” For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen – Romans 11:33-36

Even when God reveals Himself and His wonderful redemptive plan – His “depth,” “riches,” “wisdom” and “knowledge” – all we really know is just how “unsearchable” the “mind of the Lord” truly is… Which often leaves us with more questions than we had before He revealed anything to us in the first place!

 

So, in purposeful Pauline style, the Apostle once again fashions his final thoughts in the form of three questions taken from the beloved Old Testament Scriptures:

Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, or as His counselor has taught Him? – Isaiah 40:13

For who has stood in the counsel of the Lord, and has perceived and heard His word? Who has marked His word and heard it? – Jeremiah 23:18

Who has preceded Me, that I should pay him? Everything under heaven is Mine – Job 41:11

Here, the wonder in Paul’s mind is the inconceivable and “unsearchable” eternal “glory” revealed in the “Lord” Jesus Christ – Oh, the incredible wisdom of God!

 

THEOLOGICAL THOUGHT: Theologians through the centuries have struggled with what is known as the problem of Theodicy – The origination of “sin” and why God allowed it. God has in His nature the attribute of “mercy” of which He must reveal that He might be fully “glorified.” The only way God’s “mercy” can be exercised is when there exists “sin” and “evil” in the world. Therefore, in order to fully reveal Himself as a “merciful” God, He must permit “evil” to exist so that by His “judgment” and “wrath” He can offer His “mercy” toward the lost “sinner” through “faith” and “repentance” of “sin” and thus receiving the full “glory” that is due His Name “forever” – A very essential truth!

 

For these past eleven chapters, the Apostle Paul has been giving great examples of the infinite, “unsearchable” and incomprehensible “knowledge” & “wisdom” of God’s redemptive plan for mankind. And because the whole plan of “Salvation” is filled with such grandiose and wonder, we can see that Paul is absolutely overwhelmed by it… And we should be too!

 

In closing:

 

In the culture and time of “Abraham” all “covenants” were cut by “blood.” When a “promise” was made to someone, an animal was cut in half and each participant walked together between the two pieces. They were cutting a “covenant” by “blood” and swearing to keep their “promise” each other. 

 

When God set to make His special “covenant,” He didn't allow “Abraham” to walk between the pieces. Rather, God put “Abraham” to “sleep” and walked alone. Why? Because God was making a “covenant” not dependent upon “Abraham” but dependent solely upon His own unchangeable nature. Therefore, when God “predestined” to redeem “Israel,” it was to fulfill the “covenant” which He made with – Himself!

In terms of God’s “election” purposes, the “Jews” are still His “beloved” – even though at the present time they are His “enemies.” The “nation” of “Israel” is in a very peculiar position. When we look at “Israel” and the “Jewish” people, we may have that same sense of dichotomy that Paul shares. The “Jews” are the “beloved” enemy of God concerning the “Gospel” and the “election” of God “promised” to the “fathers” will one “Day” be “fulfilled” in their Messiah! While for the moment there is a sense of hopelessness, we look to the future when God’s “beloved” people will totally “repent” in that predetermined time…

And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn – Zechariah 12:10

The “house of David” and the “inhabitants of Jerusalem” will indeed “look” upon their “salvation” in Jesus Christ. So, when God makes a “covenant” with God, no one is going to break it! The “redemption” of “Israel” is based upon an ”unconditional” and eternal “covenant” promise that God would bless the “people” who came out of the loins of “Abraham” – the “Jews.” The Abrahamic Covenant eventually passed into the New Covenant of Jesus Christ which is equally ”unconditional.” It is based upon the Sovereign “purposes” and “promises” of the eternal God Himself who is unwavering in His ability and intention to keep them all – Halleluiah! 

Please continue reading verses 25-36 of the eleventh chapter of Romans

We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com

I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <><