Scary, Scary, Scary

[Anton Bruckner]

As I read the Bible, it disturbs me somewhat that that which man esteems God doesn't. You say, well of course.

But let us take it on the personal level.

Isaac had a favorite son. God rejected his favorite son, and choose the son Jacob that was the least favorite.

Abraham wanted Ishmael to stand before God and inherit the blessings, God promptly rejected Abraham.

David's favorite was Absalom. He was promptly rejected, for softee Solomon.

All of Jesse's popular sons were rejected for the goat herder David.

Many examples are throughout the Bible, where that which man esteems, God rejects, and that which God esteems, man rejects.

Now in relation to children, our children, our dear children. I know many of us rejoice at our first born, and have the most intense love for them, above all other men (including our spouses, and including our other children). Here's how Jacob described it, Gen 49:3 "Reuben, thou [art] my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:"

Of course Reuben was rejected, but that's not the point.

The point that is scaring me, is that the child that I love the most might not be found favorable with God, and the child that I love the least (I still love) will find favor with God.

What sayest thou?

 

[VictorBravo]

Keon, God only knows.

I can add that I was first-born in my family, and in many ways I was the favorite (although I shouldn't have been), but my parents were pagan. None of my siblings are yet believers.

God does what he will. At least I'm an exception to the examples you gave.

Vic

 

[LadyFlynt]

I was the firstborn, I was despised, yet I am the only believer amoung my siblings that I know of.

 

[Anton Bruckner]

Originally posted by LadyFlynt
I was the firstborn, I was despised, yet I am the only believer amoung my siblings that I know of.

You're living proof. The child that was least esteemed of the family, found grace in the eyes of God.

Victor my situation is kinda similar to yours. I am the firstborn of my mother and father (as a family) I have two older siblings. They were from the youthful dalliance of my father before he found and fell in love with my mother. I also have one younger brother of the same mother and father.
I have been ridiculously blessed to the point of being spoiled, but yet I am saved. Totally by God's grace of course.

My two older siblings are not. I hope in due time they will come to know the Lord.


Now that I have my own child, so far only one. I am totally in love with this kid, but its kinda scary, that my second or third born might find grace and he might not. Of course I pray dearly for him.

 

[LadyFlynt]

Same concern and prayer for ALL my children. The more I have, the more I know there might be some that might not find grace...then, mayhaps I will be blessed and they will all be His. It is truly in His hands and I have to be a peace with that.

 

[ReformedWretch]

My parents have been so blessed as me, and my two brothers and one sister all have accepted Christ. I have one daughter (adopted) that I wait to hear the call of Christ, I pray every day that I do not wait in vain.

 

[Contra_Mundum]

Jacob had 12 sons, (and at least one daughter). Of the sons, although their early behavior was deplorable, it would be charity to conclude that theyr repentance at the end was honest. So, they were hopefully redeemed. That's a pretty good percentage.

There was a great deal of faithlessness under the Old Covenant. That has to be attributed, at least in part and from the human standpoint, in a neglect of the proper use of means (God ordains the means as well as the end, and he appoints "ordinary means" most frequently). To suggest that the Old Covenant was slam-full of faithful parents drilling their offspring in the catechism--and yet the promise failed to hold true--is to call the promise into question. It would appear that the failure of David (1 Ki. 1:6) was not exceptional at all, but rather the rule.

But we should also recall that the fault of the people was left alone (in so many cases) as an object lesson for us (Heb. 8:8; cf. 1 Cor. 10:6,11). It is a New Covenant promise and an evidence of the Holy Spirit poured out that the church see greater fidelity in her children (not without exception, and not without diligence, "but he giveth more grace")--Malachi 4:6.

So don't play favorites. Don't assume anything about your children. Pray that God would keep his promise, and that he would make you faithful (even, or especially when your hope is put to the test) on their behalf, and that he would sanctify even your least worthy, sinful efforts to your children's salvation, and blunt the effects of your sins toward them that they work no harm.

And expect God's blessing, through the use of his "ordinary" means.

[Edited on 4-27-2006 by Contra_Mundum]

 

[Ivan]

Originally posted by Slippery

Originally posted by LadyFlynt
I was the firstborn, I was despised, yet I am the only believer amoung my siblings that I know of.

You're living proof. The child that was least esteemed of the family, found grace in the eyes of God.

Victor my situation is kinda similar to yours. I am the firstborn of my mother and father (as a family) I have two older siblings. They were from the youthful dalliance of my father before he found and fell in love with my mother. I also have one younger brother of the same mother and father.
I have been ridiculously blessed to the point of being spoiled, but yet I am saved. Totally by God's grace of course.

My two older siblings are not. I hope in due time they will come to know the Lord.


Now that I have my own child, so far only one. I am totally in love with this kid, but its kinda scary, that my second or third born might find grace and he might not. Of course I pray dearly for him.

Me? First born, beloved and the only believer in the family....on either side of my parent's families.

 

[Ivan]

Originally posted by LadyFlynt
Same concern and prayer for ALL my children. The more I have, the more I know there might be some that might not find grace...then, mayhaps I will be blessed and they will all be His. It is truly in His hands and I have to be a peace with that.

and

 

[Larry Hughes]

Scary, Scary, Scary



As I read the Bible, it disturbs me somewhat that that which man esteems God doesn't. You say, well of course.

But let us take it on the personal level.

Isaac had a favorite son. God rejected his favorite son, and choose the son Jacob that was the least favorite.

Abraham wanted Ishmael to stand before God and inherit the blessings, God promptly rejected Abraham.

David's favorite was Absalom. He was promptly rejected, for softee Solomon.

All of Jesse's popular sons were rejected for the goat herder David.

Many examples are throughout the Bible, where that which man esteems, God rejects, and that which God esteems, man rejects.

Now in relation to children, our children, our dear children. I know many of us rejoice at our first born, and have the most intense love for them, above all other men (including our spouses, and including our other children). Here's how Jacob described it, Gen 49:3 "Reuben, thou [art] my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:"

Of course Reuben was rejected, but that's not the point.

The point that is scaring me, is that the child that I love the most might not be found favorable with God, and the child that I love the least (I still love) will find favor with God.

What sayest thou?

Keon,

First, I am first born in my own family. Favorite? Maybe in some ways but my brother is favored in many ways. Who doesn´t love their children differently? I have two and each of them endear to me in different ways given their personality. That being said let´s look at this correctly.

Second, God´s love is entirely alien to man´s love. Does that make sense? That is to say God´s love is creative and He calls into being what He will love, man´s is just the opposite. This we see at the cross where God loves the utterly unlovable and that Gospel that occurred literally calls into being (as Paul alludes to in Romans 4) what it will love. God at the cross showed Himself to be a true Creator. Whereas man´s is brought into being by its object. That is man only loves that which is lovable for it. This helps us understand such text as you reference. For example David loved for some reason (his love came into being) Absalom. God simply called into being that which He would love by loving the unlovable. Absalom was neither better or worse than Solomon from God´s perspective. You see God is showing, describing, to us His love in the text, His redemption, not a prescription to be read.

The key thing to remember when reading Scripture, that is redemptive history, is to NOT read one´s self into the text (or one´s family or friends or otherwise by extension). This is a constant battle for us. The Scriptures are all about Jesus Christ and that redemptive history brought about and they are closed. It all points to Christ, every bit of it. Jesus Himself says the whole of the Law, Prophets, Psalms testify to Him. They do so either directly or indirectly. We get into trouble when we begin "˜reading ourselves into´ the text or our situation. Ergo, these texts are not a principle or prescription to be read whereby I will panic and fall into unbelief and say, "œOh no, I better not love my first born too much, but what if I love my second, third, etc"¦born too much"¦then what I esteem God will not. Oh no, I´m first born, what must I do!." Do you see the works principle developing behind such thought? It is manifested most by the panic that sets in by wondering "˜is there something about me, or I can do or similar or is all lost?´ That´s a works principle developing. When we read ourselves into the text we inevitably go to prescription and law to wonder what we can do to be saved. Often it is implicit for we all explicitly deny salvation by works don´t we?

These Scriptures here are not for us to "˜read ourselves into´ them, they are not prescriptions or principles to be developed. No, they proclaim that salvation will come by God alone and through Christ alone. Abraham thought he would "˜help God´ so here comes Ishmael. But the promise was through Isaiah, whom Abraham loved! What God rejects from beginning to end is man attempting to work his way to God, thus He rejected Cain´s works righteousness and accepted the naked receptive and workless faith of Abel.

You see God´s creative love will NOT EVER love something that tries TO BE lovable for that attempts to reverse the loves of man and God. Trying TO BE lovable is another way of saying, "œGod, love me and glory in ME!" It is man at the root of his fallen nature trying to be like God. Man trying TO BE lovable tries to be an object to create God´s love.

We have been given, "œThe promise is to you, and your children and to all whom the Lord shall call that are far off."

Beware of living under the Law versus living under the Gospel.

In Christ´s Love,

Ldh