"please excuse the mess"

[seekeroftruth]

Romans 11:25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, 26 and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written:​

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“The deliverer will come from Zion;
he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27 And this is my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.”​

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28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, 29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. 30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. 32 For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.​

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I'm glad I'm not on Paul's jury. I would have to find him guilty just because anyone who spends this much time explaining something in such a convoluted way has to be guilty as sin!

That's the point. Paul was guilty of sin. He didn't expect to get off Scott free for holding the coats for the men who beat Stephen to death. He shouldn't have expected it either. He knew he was guilty. On the other hand, the Jewish boy in him also knew that God promised Abraham that He would watch over Israel.

Was Paul one of the guys who voted to send Jesus to the Cross?

God also told Hagar that He would watch over Ishmael's kids too!

There are two sides to the story. There is the Isaac side and the Ishmael side.

God promised to look over both sides of the argument. Isaac's kids begged Ishmael's kids to crucify Jesus for them.

The Jews thought they had exclusive rights to God's mercy. The Jews thought God would have told them He was about to send the Messiah so they could clean the Temple for company. Since God didn't convene a meeting with the Sanhedrin before sending Jesus to earth, then it didn't happen. They were sure Isaac's people were better than Ishmael's people. That wasn't true.

Paul figured it out. Of course, he would have to figure that out or be in eternal turmoil.... Paul was Jew and Gentile in one!

Jesus came as Messiah. He came as the Messiah for both the Jew and the Gentile.

Neither Jew or Gentile was ready for Him. Neither Jew or Gentile had their ducks in a row.

According to Paul, God was working with the Gentiles while the Jews got their house back in order.

What would happen if Jesus just showed up for dinner at your house?

Would you have your house in order?

I'd have to beg Him to "please excuse the mess".