(Further reflections on “The Flesh & The Promise”—Sunday 7-Mar-2021)
Was God unfair or showing favoritism by loving Jacob and hating Esau (cf. Romans 9:13)? Or was He perhaps racist (Esau's skin was kind of red)? Well, if people are the ones who define what is fair or unfair, then I guess, they are always right (in their own definition) and God is always wrong, especially when His word rebukes their sins or disagrees with their lifestyles.
Now what is fair is that both Jacob and Esau were of equal standing in their sins before God. Jacob crafted a cunning deal to obtain Esau's firstborn birthright. Esau despised his birthright, which is a big thing. It is like today when you are telling God, "I'm not happy with my life and still facing many issues like my non-believing friends, what good is there to have a Christian ’birthright' or being a child of God?" Or "I'm going to die anyway, why I can't enjoy life like other people who seem to be happy and prosper? How good God's inheritance is for me now as I will only receive it in the future?" Both Esau and Jacob were children of Isaac. They were both born of the flesh by Rebekah and Isaac. The difference between them was the promise of God which set them apart (cf. Romans 9:6-8). You may say, “It’s too bad that Esau had no choice but became a child of the flesh and not of the promise.” But reflection on Scriptures (Genesis 25-33), we will see that Esau was not a man of faith but a man of the flesh (didn’t seem to have any relationship or conversation with God).
God’s children, both Jews and Gentiles- were, are, and will be distinguished by our faith in the Lord. The Jews may find security in the Jewish line as descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They may be proud of having God’s Law (though they cannot fulfill it). But we know that “…not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but ‘Through Isaac shall your offspring be named. This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring’ (Romans 9:6–8).” Now the Gentiles may find security in other things, i.e. wise-in-their-own-eyes, sovereign-self, freedom to do whatever their heart (which is deceitful) desire and power through wealth, technological advancement, scientific discoveries, etc.
Now God’s begotten son, Jesus Christ, had made it clear that the requirement and blessing of being God’s children in His family are no longer biological but by faith (cf. Luke 8:19-21; Matthew 12:46-50; Mark 3:31-35). Now some may be born in a Christian home (which is a blessing), but this does not automatically make one a Christ’s follower. A household can have several children and though Christians parents can pray to God really hard and spend time teaching them God’s word at home and church even when they were young, but each child will need to come to Jesus by having a personal faith and relationship with Christ. And this will make them “the children of the promise” (because of their faith). And if they don’t, they will be nominal or cultural or lukewarm or religious Christians who may have Christianity as a religion, for they do not have an intimate relationship with Christ, and ultimately no faith in Him. These will be “the children of the flesh” (because of their faithlessness). And we are told of God’s attitude toward them (Romans 9:13, [emphasized]), “Jacob [the child of the promise] I loved, but Esau [the child of the flesh] I hated.” What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? The story will be revealed in the rest of Romans. Stay believing in Jesus, stay being “the children of the promise.”
—
Pastor Lap
Comments