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Bro. Otis Fisher
All right, I have passed out a little slip of paper I Suppose you all have one. You are to write yes or no. Fold it over and Russell. I'll take it up. Now. The question is this Can you repent in order to be saved?
Russell lost the pieces of paper is yours in there. All right to tell you to write large and Heavy fancy and write negative. Well, let's take the lesson and we'll see what the answer is. Romans 11 verse 27 for this is my covenant under them when I shall take away their sin as Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake.
But as touching the election, they are beloved For the Father's sake. In other words with reference to the gospel They are enemies for your sake. But with reference to the election They're beloved for the sake of the fathers for the gifts of grace and the calling of God Are without repentance Without a change of mind.
Paul is summing up the preceding discussion. There have been two lines of thought which are seemingly in a conflict. Although both are true. In the first place Israel is regarded as an enemy for the sake of the Gentiles.
That is so the gospel can go to the Gentiles on the other hand They're beloved for the sake of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. The failure of Israel and Our failure likewise do not alter the plan or purpose of God.
The gifts Are not natural gifts. But the word has to do with grace. Can you repent in order to be saved? No. Why Russell the calling is not an invitation But it is the effectual calling of God Which is without repentance.
In other words God is not asking even repentance From an unsaved person. I'll let that soak through. The calling of God does not require any human movement of any type or It just no movement at all on your part from God's viewpoint.
It is without man's Repentance or a change of mind. Some folks think they Have to shed a tear in order to be saved. Now certainly of the shedding of tears could be a by-product Of an emotional person Who turns to Christ but the tears have nothing in the world to do With your salvation.
It is your faith in Christ that saves you and He gave you that faith and neither is your faith meritorious. It is Christ who is meritorious. Your faith enables you to lay hold of Him. Are there any questions?
Do you understand it requires nothing on your part? You can be walking down the road Paying attention to your media problems and all of a sudden you can be saved 29 for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
Now this on The first level means that God does not repent of calling you. You see Paul is writing to Gentiles. The church in Rome was largely composed of believers. By this time many were being saved.
He's drawing a line between the nation of Israel and the Gentiles. In times past the Gentiles did not believe. Why didn't they believe Russell? It seems almost unfair doesn't it? That's absolutely right.
But now remnant of the Gentiles have obtained mercy. During this same time period Israel as a nation Which formerly believed does not now believe. Paul Puts down the principle by which God saved both the Jew and the Gentile.
It is by mercy. Just as God showed mercy to the Gentiles he will show mercy to the nation Israel. Now, let me read it from the Amplified Bible for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable. Irrevocable.
He never redraws that he never withdraws them. When once they are given. And he does not change his mind. About those to whom he gives his grace or to whom He sends his call. This calling is not an invitation.
I repeat that it is an effectual call. Which is without repentance. No one can refuse this call. It's imperative. It's irrevocable. The call of God depends not on any human movement. He changes our beliefs when he notifies us.
He does it all. And I do mean all. Greg what would happen if he left part of it to man and what I considered be right you wouldn't. So he just doesn't leave any of it to man. 30. For as ye in times past have not believed God.
Yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief. Why are both Jew and Gentile so stubborn in rebellion and aggravated unbelief? Why what makes them? So Stubborn David Jew and Gentile. All right. Now, why are they stubborn?
David Paul. Yes, joy you touched on it. Paul let me get your thoughts loud. Paul is here and you can't hide back there forever. Just think about it. Why are they so stubborn? Russell, all right, but why?
All right. All right. Yes. All of this all of our stubbornness all of our Cantankerous all of our Evil ways are just so God Can Show his grace and mercy by saving us. Now everything you answered was right.
But that wasn't the real reason. Way down deep we uncover the mercy of God and I'm glad we do and that Mercy is not of us. It is a gift not of works. Best any of us should boast. There was a time if you remember when you Didn't want to be saved, but then came a time When you did want to be saved and That was after you were saved.
David is always Always talking about a radio station. Well something had to change your desire. That was God. That's so full and so rich 31 even so have these also now not believed. Talking about the Jew.
I can't open the page. That's through your mercy. They also may obtain mercy through your mercy. Through the mercy bestowed upon you by God. Not your mercy, it's his mercy. In bringing you into his church for the converted Gentiles.
Shall in their turn be instrumental in bringing back the Jewish people to Christ. Yes. Now say your question again. Well, I don't know how we could be any more disobedient than we are. It could be that it's through our disobedience.
I don't really see that in the scripture but The Jew will return 32 for God hath concluded. Now what does the word concluded mean? Greg, all right. He hath concluded conclude. Conclude. Conclude. What does it mean more than what Greg said David it means to shut up on?
All sides. Shut up completely and you cannot change it. He has concluded them all in unbelief that he might Have mercy upon all. What is the reason? That the nation will be restored. What is the reason that?
The Jews will come back. Russell. Greg it's according to the wisdom of God. God is wise David is he wise because it's right or is it right because he's wise. Is it the best that can be done? You and I have an old nature living within us and it questions God.
The best I can do it still questions God. I Hope never in an argument. I Do question his actions and his words works. I Hear many Christians say Why are the heathen lost when they haven't even heard the gospel?
Yes God has no right to condemn them. Is that right? Greg and I are here to tell you that he has every right imaginable. If you don't think it's right. Your thinking is off. And if you don't think he is being smart.
You're wrong. God's not stupid. There is a divine necessity pervading and Controlling all the freedom of men today a living a divine purpose. Mastering all of these seemingly random activities of human wills.
That's the way it appears to man. God subordinates To his sin to his purpose but It is not a subordinate element of his purpose 33. Oh the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God.
How unmeasurable Are his judgments and his ways past finding out we don't understand God. Or at least I don't. Do you joy. In 1st Corinthians 2 14 we find this. But the natural man Receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can He know them because they are spiritually discerned.
That's the natural man. Have you found this to be true Greg? Absolutely in Isaiah 55 and 8 We find for my thoughts are not your thoughts. Neither are your ways my ways saith 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.
In Numbers 23 19 we have. God is not a man. That he should lie neither the son of man that he should repent as he said and shall He not do it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good. 1134 for who has known the mind of the Lord or who hath been who hath been his counselor.
Or who has first given to him and shall be recompensed unto him again. Joy. Name something that you have given to God. David can you name one thing that would put? God in a position of owing you it's impossible in it.
Yes. Well, it would make God a subservient and he is not that. Remember he is the cause of the first cause. What's that mean Greg? 36 for of him through him To him are all things To whom be glory forever.
Amen of him. God has their creator through him as their preserver and benefactor to him as their great end. Are all things all things were created are preserved controlled and Will be disposed of to the promotion of his glory.
To whom be glory forever if all Belongs to him to him. Let it all be given all things flow toward God. Everything is for his own pleasure. Proverbs 1633 the lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposing Thereof is of the Lord all things are for him from him by him through him to him of him for his own pleasure all things Originate with him and come from him.
And all things center in and are brought to completion and To end In him that finishes the wonderful chapter 11. We'll go to 12 next. But I want to know do you have any questions or any? Statements or did you think of anything as we were going through this lesson today?
How much do we understand? David how much do we understand? All right? Greg how much do we understand? Thank you. You understand exactly what you're supposed to it seems yes. That's what man does. Yes.
How could he just look at Greg and decide to save me? Folks, it's utterly Amazing and Russell the more I study the more he reveals to me the more I want to study. The more I want to know about God. This lesson today has been tremendous for me.
I Hope it has for you. Russell dismisses, please.