Jacob I loved, Esau I Hated

Jacob I loved, Esau I Hated

Romans 9:13

In the body of Christ we have many highly educated Biblical scholars who, while they agree on the essentials of the Doctrines of Christ, they often find themselves at odds with each other over issues that can divide the church.  Sometimes those divisions are so profound that new denominations will spring up centered upon their doctrinal beliefs of that one subject that split them from the former church. Thus we have more denominations with more doctrinal differences then some countries have churches.

Perhaps no issue is as important or as potentially more divisive as the doctrine of salvation. Since the Protestant Reformation in the 16th Century, Christian churches and leaders have disagreed over such issues as depravity, God's sovereignty, human responsibility, election, predestination, eternal security and the nature and extent of the atonement of Jesus Christ.

In this study I will attempt to expound upon one problem I seem to run into more often then any other, Foreknowledge and Predestination. Now, I do not expect all debate on this subject to end with this study outline, and I do have commentary I wrote on this titled, “No Human Was Created For Hell”. There are those who believe Romans 8:28-30, Romans 9:9-13, along with Ephesians 1:4-6 and Ephesians 2:10 means that God predestined some for salvation and others for damnation. Today I will attempt to prove that God wants salvation for everyone and that hell was made for Satan and his demons, not for mankind.

Let us take a closer look at those two words used in Romans 8:29, 

Foreknowledge & Predestined

1. Foreknowledge speaks of God’s Omniscience

1. Because God knows everything, He has the ability to know what will happen in the future long before it occurs.

1. Some people incorrectly assume that because God knows something will happen He therefore causes it to happen, those leaning towards Calvinism believe in this doctrine

1. For example those who think this would say that:

“God created man knowing man he would be evil, born into sin, and suffer, therefore God is responsible for (and "created") evil, and suffering."

2. But we know from the scriptures that God is not the author of evil (What is Evil?)

Evil is Sin, which is anything that falls short of the perfection of God

1. In Deuteronomy 32:4 it learn that God is perfect

"He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he."

2. In Psalm 5:4 David tells us God takes no pleasure in evil,

“For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, Nor shall evil dwell with You.”

3. Finally James 1:13 points out that God cannot tempt us with evil

4. So we know from Scriptures that God cannot be a part of evil, so just because He knows what will happen does not mean He caused it

2. Now lets look at Predestination

1. Some believe that God predestined man either for Salvation or Damnation

1. This is called Calvinism or “Double Predestination

John Calvin taught that God predestined the world before time began, and that man has no choice but to do what God ordains. Thus man is predestined for Salvation or Damnation and we have no choice in the matter

2. The problem with this doctrine is that it takes away our free will to choose Christ

1. The Scriptures are replete with evidence that man can choose or deny Him

2. Need I go through the many verses that state mans choice in Salvation

3. You all know many of them, the most famous being John 3:16

4. It takes a freewill to believe or not to believe

5. No, John Calvin was as wrong on Predestination as he was on Foreknowledge

3. It also goes against what Christ said on the Mount of Olives in His “Olivet Discourse”

1. He tells the people in Matthew 25:41 “hell was made for the devil and his angels”

4. So Calvin again goes against the scriptures in his belief hat some are predestined for hell

3. So what does Paul mean then, when he says “God Foreknew and thus Predestined us”?

1. First you must understand that Paul wrote this letter to the Jewish Christians in Rome

1. He explains why God now choose the gentiles for salvation

2. The Jews were Gods chosen

3. God chose Jacob’s descendants over Esau’s

4. Jews were a racist bunch, even the Jewish Christians found it hard to accept the gentiles

2. The Jews looked at the covenant God made with Abraham as binding with them

1. But the covenant God extended to Jacob was not for his Salvation but for his lineage

Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father's house, To the land which I will show you; And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed." So Abram went forth as the LORD had spoken to him; and Lot went with him. Now Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his nephew, and all their possessions which they had accumulated, and the persons which they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan; thus they came to the land of Canaan.

(Genesis 12:1-5)

2. God extended this covenant with Jacob and the Jews believed only saw their blessing in it

Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And behold, the LORD stood above it and said: "I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you."

(Genesis 28:12-15)

3. Both Abraham and Jacob were blessed abundantly but so was Esau, Jacob was chosen to have his descendents bless the world instead of the older brother Esau

3. Paul tells us in Romans,

Just as it is written, "JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED."

(Romans 9:13)

1. The word hated used here, is in the same form as Jacob loved Rachel more then Leah

2. So what we actually read is God Loved Jacob more than he loved Esau

3. God loves everyone, even sinners

4. Romans 5:8 Tells us God loves all sinners, thus he gave His son while we were still in sin

4. God knew before Jacob and Esau were born that Jacob would obey Gods precepts and the Esau would not

1. So just as God foreknew Jacob would listen to His commands and Esau would not

1. As conniving and shrewd as Jacob was, he was not as bad as Esau

2. God also knew who would accept Christ and those who would not accept His Christ

3. Those who would accept Christ are Predestined for salvation

4. Those who He knows will not accept Christ are chosen for damnation

5. A choice each one of us makes upon our own free will

5. However, like in a game of chess between a grand master and a novice, God directed his moves to get the result he wanted.

   
   

God knew before time began who would call upon the name of His Son and who would not. He knew each and everyone person that would be sitting in Church at any given time listening to sermon. On that foreknowledge, god then predestined the lives from the time those who accepted Him were little children to lead them to where He wanted them to go. Everyone has their own unique story of how God has led them through out thier lives. Sometimes they obeyed and followed that still quiet voice called His Spirit. Other times they allowed your flesh to lead them into stumbling and would pay the price of their iniquities, but through it all His Spirit has been nudging them to do what He knew every believer would ultimately do. Yet through it all, it is our choice, given to us through free will, He just knew we would accept Him.

When considering God and all He knows, 

 one should be reminded of Psalm 139 

God’s Perfect Knowledge Of Man

O Lord, You have searched me and known me.

You know my sitting down and my rising up;

You understand my thought afar off.

You comprehend my path and my lying down,

And are acquainted with all my ways.

For there is not a word on my tongue,

But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.

You have hedged me behind and before,

And laid Your hand upon me.

Much knowledge is too wonderful for me;

It is high, I cannot attain it.

Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Your presence?

If I ascend into heaven, You are there;

If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.

If I take the wings of the morning,

And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

Even there Your hand shall lead me,

And Your right hand shall hold me.

If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,”

Even the night shall be light about me;

Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,

But the night shines as the day;

The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

For You formed my inward parts;

You covered me in my mother’s womb.

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Marvelous are Your works,

And that my soul knows very well.

My frame was not hidden from You,

When I was made in secret,

And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.

And in Your book they all were written,

The days fashioned for me,

When as yet there were none of them.

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!

How great is the sum of them!

If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;

When I awake, I am still with You.

Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!

Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.

For they speak against You wickedly;

Your enemies take Your name in vain.

Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You?

And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?

I hate them with perfect hatred;

I count them my enemies.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me, and know my anxieties;

And see if there is any wicked way in me,

And lead me in the way everlasting.