Examining "A More Christlike Word"
by Brad Jersak
Day 56
“For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.” (Paul’s concern from 2 Corinthians 11:4)
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The False Filter |
The Biblical Filter |
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The word OR the Word |
The Word THROUGH the word |
I introduced my previous day’s journal journey with the clarification that BJ is contrasting his fabricated conflict between divine judgment and all people being saved. As I suspected, this section is full of his pattern of strawman innuendos that make him sound like he’s got a good point. I decided that I could not take the time to expose all the strawmen and misrepresentations (pick any name for them you would like). Instead, I’m looking at the Scriptures he uses to make his point.
Repeating my main point, “If they do not say what he wants them to say,
and they do not prove that we are mishandling the texts when we believe what
they say in context, then his whole section is just one more misleading segment
of the garden path.” And, after looking at what Jesus said about the sheep and the goats, and what Paul said in I Corinthians
15:22, BJ has once again thoroughly misrepresented what the Scriptures say
making himself a greater authority than the Scriptures, and even greater than the words of Jesus
Christ and the apostle Paul in the Scriptures!
POINT:
BJ picked a Scripture that he claims teaches universal inclusion. The verse
doesn’t even remotely teach that. The people “in Christ” are only true
believers in Jesus Christ, those who have been delivered out of the domain of
darkness and transferred into the kingdom of God’s beloved Son. As we look at
his next offering, we must keep this in mind, that he has not only struck out,
but he’s not even in the ballgame!
The
second Scripture BJ wants us to “authentically” attach to is Romans 11:32, “For
God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.”
First
question: who is the “all”?
I ask
this because “all” doesn’t mean “all people in the world for all time” unless
that’s what it says it is talking about. If someone was telling about their
time at a dog show and started focusing on the huskies because they were so
fascinating and then said, “I loved all of them”, the “all” wouldn’t mean all
the dogs, but the context would mean all the huskies.
So
too, when we look at what Paul is talking about, we must first find out if he
has qualified who is the “all” he is speaking about. In I Corinthians 15:22 we
discovered that “shall all be made alive” is qualified by “in Christ”, so it doesn’t mean all people, but all who are in Christ, specifically dealing with
how to think of those believers who have fallen asleep in the Lord.
So
let’s look at the context to see who Paul is referring to in Romans 11 about
the “all”. And the first thing we discover is that we need to go back to
chapter 9 to get to the beginning of this thread of the tapestry! Yes, it is
quite the context!
·
Paul
speaks of someone he calls “my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.
They are Israelites…” (9:3-4). This means the “all” he gets to a couple of
chapters later is already clearly NOT “all people everywhere from all time”. I
wish we could be done here, but let’s continue!
·
He
clarifies that there are two groups in focus, those who are Israelites in “the
flesh”, and those who are the offspring of Abraham as “the children of the
promise” (9:6ff).
·
He
then elaborates that he is speaking of “us whom he has called, not from the
Jews only but also from the Gentiles” (9:24). Note, both the Jews and Gentiles
in question are “us whom he has called”, not every Israelite or every Gentile.
So, again, we already know this cannot lead to universal inclusion since Paul
has already left so many people out!
· This is clarified even further, “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved” (9:27). He is now speaking of “a remnant” of Israel will be saved, not all of Israel. Notice that the “all” that BJ wants to start with “universal inclusion” has already been reduced a number of times. A “remnant” of Israel CANNOT mean, “all people everywhere from all time” because it doesn't even mean "all Israelites everywhere from all time"!
·
When
Paul writes, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone
who believes” (Romans 10:4), he shows that the Israelites “did not submit to
God’s righteousness” because “being ignorant of the righteousness of God,” they
were “seeking to establish their own” (10:3). We see this clearly in the
Gospels as the Jews fought Jesus at every turn for calling them out of their
manmade righteousness into the righteousness of faith. But please note that, as
we saw in relation to what it means to be “in Christ”, Paul continues to
emphasize that these “alls” BJ wants to mean universal inclusion are referring
to a select group called “everyone who believes”.
·
It
is interesting that we must include the very well-known Scriptures of Romans
10:9-10, “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and
believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For
with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses
and is saved.” Clearly chapter 11 will continue this universal message of God’s
word that there is no "universal inclusion"! The people of God are those who have faith. They are the only ones
who will be saved, so whatever else Paul says, it will be the people of faith
he is speaking about, both Jew and Gentile.
·
Speaking
of “Jew and Gentile”, I will add in a free reference that goes back even
further than the beginning of Romans 9, in fact, all the way back to chapter 1!
Paul wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for
salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For
in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is
written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith’” (Romans 1:16-17). He was already
talking about the “everyone who believes” in relation to Jews and
Gentiles/Greeks right from the beginning of his letter.
·
Note
how Paul uses Scripture within this Scripture when he says, “For the Scripture
says, ‘Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame’” (10:11). And
yes, this is ONLY those who believe in him who will not be put to shame. The
rest will call on the rocks and hills to cover them and hide them from the
wrath of God shining out from the face of the Lamb (Revelation 6:12-17).
· “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’” (10:12-13). Obviously, “Lord of all” does not mean “all people”, but “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord” because they are the only ones who “will be saved”. The "Lord of all" is helping the early church understand that both Jews and Gentiles who call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ are equally saved through the gospel so that Jesus is the Lord of all believers no matter what their background.
· The rest of chapter 10 shows Paul explaining how the Israelites did not follow Christ, concluding with verse 21, “But of Israel he says, ‘All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.’” As we move into chapter 11, keep in mind that it is “of Israel” Paul is talking about.
·
In
11:1-4, Paul reminds his readers of Elijah thinking he was all alone as a
prophet of God and how God clarified that “I have kept for myself seven
thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” In other words, Elijah
wasn’t the only one left serving Yahweh (even though it felt that way to the
prophet), but there was a remnant of Jews who were faithful to God.
·
Paul
then applies that to the New Covenant era, “So too at the present time there is
a remnant, chosen by grace” (11:5). His focus is now narrowed to “a remnant” that
will be saved because they are “chosen by grace”, speaking of a select group
(literally) within the Israelites.
·
Still
speaking of the Jews, Paul distinguishes between “the elect” who obtained what
God had promised and “the rest were hardened,” so they “would not see” and
“would not hear” (11:7-10).
·
He
then explains how the Gentiles now benefit from Israel’s hardness because the
gospel has come to them, but he continues exhorting the Gentile believers not
to think divisively because God is not finished with the elect remnant of
Israel (11:13ff).
·
Paul’s
warning is “They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast
through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. For if God did not spare the
natural branches, neither will he spare you” (11:20-21). Notice that previous
generations of Israelites “were broken off because of their unbelief”, and the
only reason the Gentile Christians “stand fast” is “through faith”. We cannot
forget that this is the context, that NO ONE who persists in UNBELIEF is saved.
Ever. But when ANYONE comes to faith in Jesus Christ, they receive the gift of
salvation “through faith”.
·
Now
look how Paul speaks against BJ’s cheap grace message, “Note then the kindness
and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's
kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will
be cut off” (11:22). If you keep in mind the swinging pendulum extremes, there
is no doubt that some churches are on the kindness-without-severity side (like
BJ), while others are on the severity-without-kindness side. The plumbline is
“note then the kindness AND the severity of God”. This, of course, is
consistent with Jesus’ message about the sheep and the goats which BJ has
contradicted to his shame.
·
“And
even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for
God has the power to graft them in again” (11:23). The “they” is still speaking
of Israel, not the whole world.
·
In
verse 24 he speaks of how “the natural branches” (meaning Israelites), may “be
grafted back into their own olive tree,” meaning, may be added to the church
Jesus is building in the same repentance and faith expressed by the Gentile
believers.
·
Next
Paul tells the readers about something that must happen during the end times
(between Jesus’ two comings): “Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not
want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come
upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (11:25). Right now
God is working on “the fullness of the Gentiles”, which clearly does not mean “all”
Gentiles, but the Gentiles who are being saved as was the case with the ones
Paul was writing to. But when that “fullness of the Gentiles has come in”, God
will remove that hardening from the Israelites who are alive at the time so
that the remnant he has already spoken about will come to Christ through the
preaching of the gospel of the kingdom and join all the rest of us in the
church Jesus is building.
·
This
means that “And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, ‘The
Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob’; ‘and
this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins’” (11:26-27).
The phrase “all Israel will be saved” has already been explained. There is only
one way anyone is saved, by believing in Jesus Christ as revealed in the
Scriptures. It is a “remnant” of Israel that will come in. God will know when
that remnant has been brought in so that it is fulfilled that “all Israel will
be saved”. Bringing the Jews to faith in Jesus Christ at the end of these end
times is happening as we speak. There are delightful and uplifting videos
online presenting the testimonies of Jewish people who have come to faith in
Jesus Christ as their Messiah.[1]
·
“As
regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election,
they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the
calling of God are irrevocable” (11:28-29). There was both the present reality
that the Jews were enemies of the church because they rejected the gospel, and that God has purposes in election (to save a remnant, not every Israelite). He will fulfill his promises to Abraham in some identifiable way that shows
many Israelites being saved. Again, the videos in the footnote above show
examples of how this is happening. Here is another link to the “So Be It!”
ministry of Jews For Jesus.[2]
·
“For
just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy
because of their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order
that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy” (11:30-31). The
Gentiles clearly understood that they were previously “disobedient to God but
have now received mercy because of their disobedience”. In other words, because
Israel rejected the gospel, Paul was called by God to go to the Gentiles.
Everywhere he went he presented the gospel to the Jews first, and everywhere he
went the Jews rejected the gospel and Paul took it to the Gentiles. Now he
wants the Gentiles to understand that the disobedience of the Jews is not
final. They will also receive mercy through the same gospel as the Gentiles. However,
he means the remnant that he has already mentioned coming to Christ through the
power of the gospel he is not ashamed to proclaim.
·
Okay,
so now we come to BJ’s pet verse, “For God has consigned all to disobedience,
that he may have mercy on all” (11:32). “All” we need to do is ask ourselves,
who is the “all” Paul has been talking about for three chapters? Answer:
Israelites. Has he already talked about what he means by “God has consigned all
(the Israelites) to disobedience”? Yes, and it is the stage on which the gospel
came to the Gentiles. Has he explained what he means, “that he may have mercy
on all”? Yes, that he will show mercy to the elect remnant of Jews just as he
has shown mercy to all the Gentiles who believed in Christ (in other words,
none of the Jews will come into the kingdom without receiving the same mercy of
the gospel as the Gentiles had received! There is not a different route for the
Jews to come in than what the Gentiles experienced in believing in Christ).
Does “all” ever mean “all people everywhere throughout all time”? No,
absolutely not. There is not one place in Scripture that states that God will
save all people, and there are many places in Scripture that state very clearly
that he will not save all people.
I hope that this answers BJ’s biased claim with a hearty helping of words from the mouth of God (not mine, but the ones in the Scriptures!). I know BJ wants us to join his mirage that taking the plain reading of Scripture to heart is somehow bad. However, because Paul said that all Scripture is breathed out by God so that what we have in the Bible is the very words of God, and I have shared so many Scriptures that explain what Jesus and Paul meant in their respective passages, we have done something that BJ has clearly failed to do. Not only was he wrong in claiming we could not “authentically hear Paul when he says…”, but we have been able to authentically hear Jesus at the same time while showing that BJ did not authentically hear either of them! And Jesus and Paul did not contradict each other in even one word, let alone whole sentences and paragraphs and chapters as BJ wants his followers to believe. BJ, on the other hand, has ONLY contradicted the clear statements of God's word.
Conclusion: because BJ has made the fatal error of arguing with God
about what it means that the Scriptures are inspired, he has replaced the Word of
God as head of the church and the word of God as Jesus’ authoritative manual to
guide us through to his return, making himself the authority on what Scripture
says and means. The result is what Paul warned us about, “another Jesus”, “a
different spirit”, and “a different gospel”.
By now, everyone should feel the same way about BJ as Paul felt about the false teachers of his day:
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed (Galatians 1:6-9).
© 2024
Monte Vigh ~ Box 517, Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8
Email: in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the
English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text
Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of
Good News Publishers.)
A More Christlike Word © 2021 by Bradley Jersak Whitaker House 1030 Hunt
Valley Circle • New Kensington, PA 15068 www.whitakerhouse.com
Jersak, Bradley. A More Christlike Word: Reading Scripture the
Emmaus Way. Whitaker House. Kindle Edition.
Definitions from the Bible Sense Lexicon (BSL) in Logos Bible Systems
[1]
This playlist had 116 videos
at the time of copying the link. IT is all testimonies of God bringing Jewish
people to Christ, showing us what he had in mind when he breathed out his words
through Paul in Romans. It is amazing, and we cannot let the BJs steal the glory
of God from us by denying the gospel of salvation as so clearly revealed in the
Scriptures. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXiBkdTbRi-wmDEU85JJcZbqDw8RoOxOc&si=so9aymllJ-XoXyWl
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