Compassion and Faith

Praise God for revealing the way of eternal salvation to us! There is a life after this one. I want to be with God when I die not with the devil.

Last night, I kept thinking of the Lord words to Israel: “The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples.” [1]

The Lord chose the children of Israel not when they were a world conquering empire but when they were slaves. God delights in showing compassion. He chose Israel because they were the least not because they were the greatest.

This has been my story. Not only does the Bible say this, but others have told me that it was because of someone else’s advocacy other than their own that they decided to help me when I could not help myself. God has saved me by grace in more ways than one. God has graciously reminded me throughout my life that my salvation is of Him.

“It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Your faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, says my soul; therefore will I hope in Him.” [2] Amen!

The Apostle Paul grieved for his countrymen because although God adopted them, showed them His glory, gave them the covenants, gave them the fathers of the faith, the service, the promises and the Messiah, most failed to realize His compassion for them. [3]

The Lord says, “They are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called.’ That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.” [4]

This passage is saying that the true Israel and the true descendants of Abraham are those who believe God’s promises. We who live by trust in what God our Father has said to His children.

Next, the Lord says that Jacob was chosen by God’s grace before he was born not because of any works that he did. Jacob’s brother Esau was a mighty hunter, but Jacob was saved because his mother intervened for him. In fact, when Jacob expressed concern to his mother that if his father, Isaac, discovered their deception, he might curse him instead of blessing him. His mother, Rebekah, assured him that she would take the blame for the potential curse, and that Jacob should proceed with her plan. In this way, she was a type of Christ. The Bible says, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.’” [5]

“Not only this... the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), it was said to her [Rebekah], ‘The older shall serve the younger.’ As it is written, ‘Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.’” [6]

God hates pride. That whole pride in performance orientation! Jesus said to the religious “elite” among His people, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.” [7]

The Lord said to Moses, “’I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.’ So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My Name may be declared in all the earth.’ Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.” [8]

Pharoah wanted to proclaim his worth based on his performance. The Lord let him do it to his own destruction, but the Lord saved His people via His mercy, compassion and love for them.

“God made known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles. As He says also in Hosea: ‘I will call them My people, who were not My people, and her beloved, who was not beloved.’ And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ there they shall be called sons of the living God.” [9]

God loved unlovable me. He made a person out of me/you who was not a person. He has made known the riches of His glory by showing me/you mercy and saving me/you by His grace.

Many in Israel were not saved because they were led by false prophets (the Pharisees) to reject Jesus. “They did not seek it [salvation] by faith.” Faith is receptivity. It receives Christ and all that He has done for us. “They [Israel] stumbled at that stumbling stone.” Namely, Christ! The Bible says that “whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” [10]

Isn’t that what a good performance is about? Not being put to shame? The Lord says to forget about performing for people, just trust in My forgiveness, My grace, My compassion and My love for you. Whoever believes in Me will not to be put to shame. To the contrary, they will enjoy eternal glory with Me.

[1] Deuteronomy 7:7
[2] Lamentations 3:22-24
[3] Romans 9:1-5
[4] Romans 9:6-8
[5] Genesis 27:12; Galatians 3:13
[6] Romans 9:10-13
[7] Luke 16:15
[8] Romans 9:15-18
[9] Romans 9:23-26
[10] Romans 9:30-33