EXAMINING THE FIVEFOLD GRACE OF GOD IN ROMANS 9: 27

Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.

Romans 9: 27 - 28

e taste a fivefold richness of Grace in these verses. It is not the cloudy and indiscriminate pseudo-grace of the Dispensationalist, that Semi-Universalism that without distinction blankets the entirety of the human race under a mythological "Age of Grace," as though all sins were already pardoned through the death and resurrection of Christ, as indeed, some Dispensationalists have openly affirmed that they are. But it is Grace, nonetheless, true Biblical Grace, God's Grace, "marvelous, infinite, matchless Grace". And we sip it's honeyed sweetness from these verses, not in a single measure, nor yet a double measure, or even a triple measure, but in a fivefold measure.

I say that it is not the grace of the Dispensationalist. For that ambiguous and bastardized offspring of a hellish and heretical hermeneutic, the first cousin to Higher Criticism on the one hand, and the Roman Whore of Babylon on the other, yea, the enemy of the Gospel on all hands invented by the infidel and blasphemer John Nelson Darby and sometimes styled as "Dispensationalism" is an artificial grace nowhere described in the Word of God. Make no mistake, Beloved, about the nature and implications of the Dispensationalist error, when it heretically speaks of "The Age of Grace". Make no mistake either about what is herein implied, nor yet about how these implications have been practically applied in the ministry of the Gospel in local churches around the world, particularly in the rise of the so-called "Seeker-Sensitive Movement". It is a grace nowhere to be found in the entire Canon of Holy Writ, a pseudo-grace that stands apart and entirely disconnected from the Law of God and the Wrath of God "revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness", that Wrath that so motivated the Apostle Paul to preach the Gospel to Jew and Greek alike (Romans 1: 16 - 18).

We speak here of God's Grace, Biblical Grace, and not the Dispensationalist counterfeit. And that Biblical Grace shines forth all the more radiantly because it is not divorced from God's Law or God's Wrath, but is rather the deliverer from them. It is against the ghastly backdrop of condemnation, the terrors of the Law, the grisly torments of eternal perdition and the howling moans of the damned of all ages that our passage speaks to us today, uttering golden notes of peace, sweet assurances of deliverance and tender promises of Gospel mercies and heavenly consolations and blessing, even against the echoing cries of unending misery. "Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved".

I. GOD'S GRACE IN COMMUNICATION

Notice first of all, God's Grace in communication. From a doctrinal standpoint, this would better be termed as revelation. More specifically than that, it is God's Grace in special revelation.

Who is writing here? How is he writing, and why? It is the Apostle Paul. Yet he speaks not to us merely of his own volition, but rather as a vessel of inspiration. He has been seized upon by the Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost has inspired him, and he writes, not "by the will of man", but as one "moved by the Holy Ghost" (II Peter 1: 21).

And he is quoting someone. Who is he quoting? He is quoting Isaiah. "Deep answereth unto deep". The Old Testament prophet, moved by the Holy Spirit of God, spares not, but cries aloud, lifting up his

voice like a trumpet (Isaiah 58: 1). And the New Testament Apostle, moved by the same Holy Spirit, echoes back the response in antiphonal harmony: "Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved".

But who is Isaiah quoting? Or, more specifically, what is he making reference to? He is making a clear allusion to the Abrahamic Covenant, God's promise to Abraham that his seed would be as the sand of the seashore (Genesis 22: 17).

And what is this, but the Grace of God? What was it but Grace that spoke to Abraham as he lived amidst a society of godlessness and idolatry and called him to "go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance" (Hebrews 11: 8)? It was Grace, God's Grace , "marvelous, infinite matchless Grace"!

It is the same Grace that called you, my friend, if you have "believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God", thereby escaping the just condemnation and Wrath that hangs above a world (John 3: 18) cursed by the Law of God (Galatians 3: 10) for the transgressions of its commandments (I John 3: 4). Consider for a moment where you were, what you were bound for and where you would be today, had not the light that "shineth in darkness" (John 1: 5) shined in your heart, "to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (II Corinthians 4: 6). "Remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ" (Ephesians 2: 11 - 13). Consider where you were, what you were bound for, where you might be today, and where you are instead, through the Grace of God's revelation, the communication of the Gospel truth to you. Consider also the massive catalogue of your sins, your transgressions of God's Holy Law, the inescapable guilt of your hands and heart and the fiery sentence decreed against you by that Holy Law, "the soul that sinneth, it shall die." Is it not, Beloved, by the Grace of God that you are not in Hell today? Is not God's revelation to Abraham, which the New Testament defines as "the gospel" (Galatians 3: 8), and God's revelation to you through his Gospel ministers a wondrous testimony of his Grace?

II. GOD'S GRACE IN CONSUMMATION

But God's Grace in this verse exceeds the Grace of Communication, or of his special revelation. This verse tells us also of God's Grace in Consummation, that is to say God's faithfulness in performing his promises. It reminds us that "Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it."

Isn't that what we recognize here? The Lord had called Abram in his old age and his childlessness. Sarah had never born him a son, and his body was by this time, according to Scripture, "now dead" (Romans 4: 19). And yet, by faith, "Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised" (Hebrews 11: 11). Now notice the following verse:

"Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable." In other words, God not only gave Abraham a unique revelation in calling him from the Ur of the Chaldees, but he also fulfilled his promise, just exactly as he had spoken it. He performed it in spite of failures and famines, Pharoahs and Philistines. Even when the children of Israel murmured and provoked him to wrath in the wilderness by their evil heart of unbelief (Hebrews 3: 7 - 4: 11), he remained faithful. Look at what the Scripture says about God's faithfulness in fulfilling his promises in Joshua 21: 45:

"There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass."

The Dispensationalist says that God has never completely fulfilled his land promises in the Abrahamic Covenant. But that's not true, the Scriptures say. Here it is again:

"There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass."

And is not this, Beloved, a blessed consolation? What doubts have plagued your mind in relationship to the fulfillments of God's promises? Have you grown weary in the work of love, laboring in the Lord's vineyard in seeming fruitlessness? Cheer up, dear Brother or Sister in the Lord. Take courage. Take heart. God's promises are true, no matter what the Dispensationalist has told you. Let us just consider a few of them, and may God grant us Grace to appropriate them by faith:

"He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." (Psalm 126: 6)

"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?.... Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." (Romans 8: 31, 32, 37) "Thanks be unto God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." (I Corinthians 15: 57) "Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place." (II Corinthians 2: 14) "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" (I John 5: 4 - 5) "And I say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16: 18) "And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly." (Romans 16: 20)

Now Beloved, can you not find but one of those promises to cheer you heart and lift your languishing spirit? Seize upon it, yea, upon all of them! Claim them by faith! Imitate your father Abraham (Galatians 3: 29; Romans 4: 11 - 17)! Stagger not at the promise of God through unbelief, but be strong in faith, giving glory to God! Many a year now, you have been barren and fruitless, but be of good courage. What he has promised, he is able also to perform (Romans 4: 20 - 21).

But perhaps your heart condemns you because of sin in your life (I John 4: 20). Perhaps the powers of darkness have claimed some territory in your life (Ephesians 4: 27) and set up their strongholds. Perhaps you feel that you are even now in bondage to sin, that sin has dominion over you, contrary to the promise of Scripture (Romans 6: 14).

Take courage, dear Brother or dear Sister. God will be faithful to you, though you find yourself unfaithful to him. "He abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself" (II Timothy 2: 13). Yes, and he has promised to give you victory over the old man, your old carnal nature. Consider these precious promises of Scripture, and my God grant you Grace to claim them by faith:

"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace." (Philippians 1: 6 - 7)

"The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands." (Psalm 138: 8) "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." (I Corinthians 10: 13)

You see, Beloved, the Dispensationalist perspective is an outright denial of God's character. It strikes at one of his most wonderful and important attributes. Dispensationalism tells us that the Church leaves this world, weak, weary, wounded and defeated, having failed at the Great Commission that her Beloved Bridegroom left her to accomplish.

And this strikes at God's attribute of faithfulness. It says that there are these wonderful promises throughout the New Testament, and that many of saints throughout the history of the Church have claimed them and seen God fulfill them, but that now, we have come to these "last days" and that God will not faithfully perform what he has promised to us in the New Testament because of our time context, and so as a result, it is useless to pray for revival or for a mighty harvest of souls to be gathered into Christ's kingdom. It essentially denies not only the faithfulness of God, but his immutability. It says that God's promises were true for some believers hundreds of years ago, but not for you today, because you live in these "last days". And this is both wicked and blasphemous.

No Beloved, Dispensationalism is a lie from the pits of Hell. "God is faithful" (I Corinthians 10: 13), not mutable. This is actually one of his most wonderful titles in all the Word of God:

" And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war." (Revelation 19: 11)

"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." (Hebrews 13: 8)

"For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." (Malachi 3: 6)

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." (James 1: 17) So, God be thanked, we can consequently unite with the song-writer in that blessed hymn, Great Is Thy Faithfulness:

'Great is Thy faithfulness,' O God my Father, There is no shadow of turning with Thee; Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be. 'Great is Thy faithfulness!' 'Great is Thy faithfulness!' Morning by morning new mercies I see; All I have needed Thy hand hath provided 'Great is Thy faithfulness,' Lord, unto me!

Amen and amen.

III. GOD'S GRACE IN CONDEMNATION

Yet we notice a distinction made. "Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved". In other words, they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: "Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed."

Now what is this but the Grace of God in condemnation, God eternally condemning all those who remain outside of Christ? Perhaps this seems like a paradox. Can God condemn, yea, condemn unto the very Lake of Fire and yet be Gracious at the same time?

And of course the answer is "Yes". In order to understand that, we must consider the corrupting and destructive nature of sin. We do not really understand that, at least not in its fullest scope. We "have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak" (Revelation 2: 24). But sin is so hideous and so corruptive in its character that if God permitted the unregenerate to enter Heaven and to live eternally, they would make a Hell of Heaven. And their unchanged sinful nature, waxing worse and worse throughout the eons of eternity would sink to depths of utter depravity and abomination that our minds cannot begin to comprehend.

Nor would the unregenerate have peace or joy, the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5: 22), even in Heaven. You see all around you how miserable they are outside of Christ, even with all the blessings that prosperity and an opulent economy can afford. And would they then acquire joy and peace merely by exchanging this estate for Heaven? Of course not. They would be miserable still, wretched still.

And so it is the Grace of God that condemns and casts out and damns lost sinners eternally to the Lake of Fire. It is God's Grace, not so much for the lost as for the saved. He makes a distinction, he divides the sheep from the goats so that his sheep may at last enter into their rest, no more to be plagued or persecuted or disturbed by the wicked, who "are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest" (Isaiah 57: 20). It is not an indiscriminate Grace that treats all alike, as Dispensationalism does, blanketing the whole of humanity under an all-encompassing "Age of Grace". It is specific Grace, specified Grace, particular Grace. It is God's particular Grace bestowed uniquely on those who have received Christ by faith, God's Grace even against the backdrop of eternal damnation and misery and perdition and ruin and the sufferings of agonizing, excruciating, unspeakable torments.

IV. GOD'S GRACE IN COUNSEL

And in this we find a word of counsel, God's Grace in unfolding his Eternal Counsel in salvation and condemnation unto us through the Word of God in the pages of Scripture. Perhaps that seems like high doctrine to some. It is. And yet it is very practical doctrine as well. And it is especially practical to the soulwinner, laboring wearily in the harvest fields amidst the heat of the day.

Some of you spend many hours, week after week seeking the lost. Many doors have been slammed in your face. Unkind, bitter, hurtful words have been directed towards you. Often you have endured the scowls and vicious expressions of the wicked. And you have gone home discouraged, defeated, tempted to quit, to despair.

Dear Brother or Sister, take heart. God never promised that all would receive the Gospel. In fact, he indicated that we who labor in his harvest fields would have to endure the same kind of rejection that our Saviour endured. Consider the following Scriptures:

"And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved." (Matthew 10: 22) "Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake." (Matthew 24: 9) "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." (Mark 13: 3) "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake." (Luke 21: 17) "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you." (John 15: 18) "I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." (John 17: 14)

Beloved, do you think that the Saviour repeated that warning about rejection so many times in vain? Of course not. He warned us of this in order to prepare us for it, so that we could fortify our hearts and our minds against discouragement.

Remember what he said in the Sermon on the Mount? He said

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

Notice the last seven words:

"and few there be that find it."

Few. Not many. Few. "A remnant shall be saved."

Beloved, don't be discouraged because you experience some rejection. Christ already warned about that reality. Understand it, accept it, and "press on towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3: 14).

V. GOD'S GRACE IN CONFIRMATION

But perhaps some would ask "How is that any different from the defeatism of Dispensationalism?" To that we answer, "It is a great deal different". It is different because what appears upon the surface to be discouraging, actually contains a word of assurance, of confirmation, a blessed promise. Consider the passage again:

"A remnant shall be saved."

Now look at that third word:

"A remnant shall be saved."

And what is this, but a promise? What is that but a blessed assurance from the Sweet Holy Spirit that though our labor be long and our rejections frequent, yet

"A remnant shall be saved."

Beloved, God has already assured us of fruitfulness in our labors. I do not say that we will necessarily see it in our lifetimes, or that we will build the biggest churches or witness the most conversions. But he has promised that

"A remnant shall be saved."

God has promised that his Word will not return void (Isaiah 55: 11). He has promised that

"He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." (Psalm 126: 6)

He has promised that

"your labour is not in vain in the Lord." (I Corinthians 15: 57)

He has promised that

"The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly." (Romans 16: 20)

Dear Brother or Sister, do not be discouraged because of the "many" that take the broad road to destruction (Matthew 7: 13). There is a remnant. There is a remnant in your community. They may remain unknown to you, but they are known to God. He has foreknown them before the foundation of the world (Romans 8: 29; I Peter 1: 2). And he knows that they will hear and believe the Gospel message. Don't let the "many" slacken your zeal for God's elect remnant. Imitate the Apostle Paul who said

"Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory" (II Timothy 2: 10).

Beloved, the remnant is out there. They are waiting to hear the Gospel message. "But how shall they hear without a preacher" (Romans 10: 14)?

The ancient Paulicians referred to their preachers as "vessels of election". They understood the fact that God calls those whom he has foreknown and predestined through the means of faithful and obedient laborers. The faithful Paulician preacher endured "all things for the elect's sake" (II Timothy 2: 10). In their ministerial vows, they anticipated "scourgings, imprisonments, tortures, reproaches, crosses, blows, tribulation, and all temptations of the world". And indeed they experienced them as well. Yet they endured. Not because they expected everyone to receive their message. Not because they expected everyone to believe the Gospel. Not because they expected everyone to call upon the name of the Lord. They endured "for the elect's sake". They were seeking for the elect, the remnant that God foreknew and promised would receive the Gospel invitation. And they blazed the Gospel across the European continent from Bulgaria to the British Isles in what was perhaps the greatest missions campaign that the world has ever witnessed, the Bogomil missionary movement. They sowed the Gospel seed even as far as the fertile soil of England, and according to some accounts, half of the people of England forsook the Harlot of Babylon, the Roman Catholic Church and became Bogomils.

Beloved, why don't you profit from their example? Take heart. Believe the promises of God. Things may seem discouraging now, but cheer up. God has given us his Word:

"A remnant shall be saved."