Tag: spare

Romans 11:21 – The Almighty Gardner

Posted on by Will

For if God did not spare the natural branches, Neither will He spare you.

Truth to Learn

God rejected the Jewish people because they refused to believe that Jesus was their Messiah. Since He was willing to do this, He is just as willing to reject Gentiles in the future and deal exclusively with the Jews once again.

 

Behind the Words

“If” is translated from the conditional particle ei. When used as it is in this verse, it indicates a conditional statement of the first class. In the New Testament there are three classes of conditional statements. The first class condition assumes that the “if clause” is true, the second class condition assumes that the “if clause” is false, and the third class condition makes no assumption about the “if clause.” Therefore, in a first class conditional statement some translators use the word “since,” although it is not required.

The word translated “spare” is pheidomai, which means “to abstain or to treat leniently.”

The second half of this verse starts off with mēpōs in the Greek text. This word is made up of mē, a conditional negative particle and pōs, meaning “somehow, anyhow, in any way, or in some way or other.” Mēpōs is often translated as “lest by any means” or “lest perhaps.” Here it is immediately followed by the Greek word oude, meaning “also not” or “neither.”

The second occurrence of “spare” is again the word pheidomai. In some Greek manuscripts it is expressed in the subjunctive mood, indicating what might possibly or will probably happen. However, the best Greek texts express it in the future tense, indicating action that will happen.

 

Meaning Explained

The point that Paul is making is that if God did not spare the natural branches, the Jews, but rejected them as a people, thus turning to the Gentiles and grafting them in, then we should not be arrogant about this. Instead, we should consider our position as God’s chosen ones with reverential fear knowing that God is just as able to reject the Gentiles and turn back to the Jews.

In fact, I believe that this is exactly what God is going to do. If you study Daniel 9:25-29 you will learn about the 70 weeks of years that God has decreed for the Jews. The first 69 weeks cover the time from the decree to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem up to the rejection of the Messiah by the Jews and the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in AD 70. Between the 69th and 70th weeks, however, there is a pause, which is where God turns to the Gentiles. This is the church age that we are living in right now. Just before the 70th week begins, God will rapture the church, removing them from the earth, and will once again deal with the Jews. This ushers in Daniel’s 70th week, the seven year period called The Tribulation.

During this seven year period, God’s focus will once again be on the Jews, not the Gentiles. In other words, during the tribulation God will reject the Gentile world. That is, He will break them off as branches. At the same time, he will deal directly with the Jewish nation once more, a remnant of them will believe, and He will graft them back into the holy root stock.

Take special note of the fact that this series of verses is not talking about rejecting believers (causing them to lose their salvation). He is talking about rejecting the unbelievers.

 

Application

God does as He pleases, not as we want Him to do. We need to be humble and in awe of Him. He is Almighty God and we are but His chosen children. Give Him thanks and praise!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 8:32 – All Things Given

Posted on by Will

Indeed, He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not also with Him freely give us all things?

Truth to Learn

God has freely given us the payment for our sins and has also freely given us everything we need to be godly people.

 

Behind the Words

The word “spare” is translated from pheidomai, which means “to spare” or “to treat leniently.” God was not lenient toward His Son, but gave Him to suffer for you and me.

“Delivered” is translated from paradidōmi, which is made up of para, meaning “beside, to the side of, or over to” and didōmi, meaning “to give.” Hence, it means “to give over to” or “to surrender to.”

The word translated “freely give” is charidzomai, which means “to willingly bestow an undeserved favor.” This same word is translated “having forgiven you” in Colossians 2:13.

 

Meaning Explained

Paul has just declared, “If God is for us, who is against us?” We know from other passages of Scripture that God is Almighty, that is, All Powerful. No one is more powerful than God (our father is stronger than their father). But, just because He can do anything to protect us and defend us doesn’t mean that He will make our lives one of ease and prosperity. In fact, because He is an all-knowing God, He knows what things will make us most Christ-like. He knows that times of trial and difficulties in our lives will make us stronger. That’s precisely the issue that Paul is addressing in this verse.

God the Father, did not spare His only Son, Jesus. In fact, God the Father, sent His only Son to live a perfect life and then freely offered that life as a substitutionary sacrifice to pay for your sins and mine. He permitted His precious Son to be subjected to one of the most cruel and painful tortures ever invented by the sin-sick minds of man. Then, once our sins were paid for, He then declared us to be righteous and adopted us as His children. That has been His plan since before time began and nothing can alter that plan.

So, Paul’s point in this verse is very simple; if God is willing to offer up His only Son so that He could adopt us as His children as well, He must really love us. And if He loves us this much, surely He will freely give us all that we need, or as Paul put it; “how shall He not also with Him freely give us all things?”

But what does Paul mean by “all things?” The Apostle Peter gives us the answer to that question in his second general epistle to the church:

His divine power has given us everything pertaining to life and godliness through the full knowledge of him who called us through glory and worthiness. (2Peter 1:3)

Thus we see that in addition to giving the life of His Son to pay the penalty that we can’t pay ourselves, God gives us everything we need to live full lives as godly people.

 

Application

Not only is our Father the strongest around, He loves us more than we can comprehend! And, now that you know that you have everything you need to live a godly life, what are you going to do about it?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

2 Peter 2:5 – Pre-Flood Stubbornness

Posted on by Will

And if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah and seven others, a preacher of righteousness, bringing a flood on the ungodly world;

Truth to Learn

The people of Noah’s day refused to listen to the truth and they paid the ultimate price for their sinfulness.

 

Behind the Words

The word translated “spare” is pheidomai, meaning “to treat with tenderness” or “to forbear.” In other words, God did not hold back His judgment.

“Flood” is translated from the Greek word kataklusmos, from which we get our English word cataclysm. This is a compound word made up of kata, an intensifier and kludzo which refers to the surging, washing effect of an ocean wave.

 

Meaning Explained

Peter now gives us a second example of those who have not escaped the judgment of God in spite of His longsuffering. God, Peter says, did not spare the ancient world, that is the world of people that existed before the flood. He did, however save Noah. The Greek text says,

And He did not treat the old world leniently but preserved Noah the eighth, a preacher of righteousness …

 The expression, “Noah the eighth” is an idiom that was used by many of the Greek writers of that era. It means that Noah was one of eight people who were saved, Noah, his wife, and his three sons with their wives. No one outside his immediate family believed the message he preached. Because of their unbelief they were not saved from the flood.

Noah is an excellent example of a patient preacher of righteousness. For 120 years he labored, building the ark. And although we are not told specifically, he was probably ridiculed by all those around him. He labored obediently while they lived wantonly. He believed that God was going to bring a flood while they believed that things would simply continue on as they always had. Peter declared him to be a preacher of righteousness, which implies that he was not a silent builder. It appears he warned the people of his time that God was going to judge their sinfulness. But they, like the false teachers of Peter’s day and false teachers today, did not believe that God was going to judge them.

Why does God let such people continue on in their sinful ways? It seems like the wicked continue to prosper and the righteous continue to suffer, doesn’t it? Peter will address this in the next chapter, but let’s take a quick peek there right now:

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9) [NIV]

God delays His judgment for two reasons. First, to give the unsaved every opportunity to hear the salvation message and, second, so they will have no excuse when they are finally judged.

 

Application

Our commission, like Noah’s, is not to brow beat people into believing. Our job is to proclaim the message both in word and in deed. We must proclaim the message and we must live the message, because He is risen and He is coming back soon!

It could even be today! Get the word out!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 11:21 – The Almighty Gardner

Posted on by Will

Romans 11:21 – The Almighty Gardner

For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either.

Truth to Learn

God rejected the Jewish people because they refused to believe that Jesus was their Messiah. Since He was willing to do this, He is just as willing to reject Gentiles in the future and deal exclusively with the Jews once again.

Behind the Words

“If” is translated from the conditional particle ei. When used as it is in this verse, it indicates a conditional statement of the first class. In the New Testament there are three classes of conditional statements. The first class condition assumes that the if clause is true, the second class condition assumes that the if clause is false, and the third class condition makes no assumption about the if clause. Therefore, in a first class conditional statement some translators use the word “since,” although it is not required.

The word translated “spare” is pheidomai, which means “to abstain or to treat leniently.”

The second half of this verse starts off with mēpōs in the Greek text. This word is made up of mē, a conditional negative particle and pōs, meaning “somehow, anyhow, in any way, or in some way or other.” Mēpōs is often translated as “lest by any means” or “lest perhaps.” Here it is immediately followed by the Greek word oude, meaning “also not” or “neither.”

The second occurrence of “spare” is again the word pheidomai. It is expressed in the subjunctive mood, indicating what might possibly or will probably happen.

Meaning Explained

The point that Paul is making is that if God did not spare the natural branches, the Jews, but rejected them as a people, thus turning to the Gentiles and grafting them in, then we should not be arrogant about this. Instead, we should consider our position as God’s chosen ones with reverential fear knowing that God is just as able to reject the Gentiles and turn back to the Jews.

In fact, I believe that this is exactly what God is going to do. If you study Daniel 9:25-29 you will learn about the 70 weeks of years that God has decreed for the Jews. The first 69 weeks cover the time from the decree to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem up to the rejection of the Messiah by the Jews and the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in AD 70. Between the 69th and 70th weeks, however, there is a pause, which is where God turns to the Gentiles. This is the church age that we are living in right now. Just before the 70th week begins, God will rapture the church, removing them from the earth, and will once again deal with the Jews. This ushers in Daniel’s 70th week, the seven year period called The Tribulation.

During this seven year period, God’s focus will once again be on the Jews, not the Gentiles. In other words, during the tribulation God will reject the Gentile world. That is, He will break them off as branches. At the same time, he will deal directly with the Jewish nation once more, a remnant of them will believe, and He will graft them back into the holy root stock.

Application

God does as He pleases, not as we want Him to do. We need to be humble and in awe of Him. He is Almighty God and we are but His chosen children. Give Him thanks and praise!

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2010 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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