Wednesday, 1 January 2025

Romans part 48 - Nothing Can Deplete God

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Romans 5:2 Through Him we also have gained access by faith into this grace in which we stand and boast in the hope of God's glory.

Last time we dealt with the benefit of gaining shalom through Yeshua. Today we are going to deal with the benefit of gaining grace through Him. Sounds great! But what does it really mean "through Yeshua?" As we said before, it is more than faith IN Him, it is the faith OF Yeshua. We gain access to the kingdom of God by having the faith OF Yeshua.

Yeshua is not just our teacher, He is our example. We don't just believe in Him, we practice the same faith He practiced. That is the faith OF Yeshua, which is always contrary to the ways of this world.

Rabbi Trail: The principles of faith of the kingdom of God are almost always upside down from the expectations of this world. And there is a reason for that ... God is the creator. This world operates as a "zero sum game." That means that the only way anyone gets more is if someone else gets less. (Monopoly is a zero sum game. There is only so much property and so much cash in the "bank." When you have it all, you win (and someone else loses). Not so with God. His blessings multiply. If He needs more, He makes more. No one else can do that. God can't be depleted. End RT.

For instance, the faith OF Yeshua says we have to die in order to live. Galatians 2:19-21a For through law I died to law, so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Messiah; and it is no longer I who live, but Messiah lives in me. And the life I now live in the body, I live by trusting in Ben-Elohim - who loved me and gave Himself up for me. I do not nullify the grace of God.

Here's another example. The Greek world values the physical body (the Olympic Games came out of the Greek world), but the kingdom of God values the spirit. Romans 14:17-19 for the kingdom of God is not about eating and drinking, but righteousness and shalom and joy in the Ruach ha-Kodesh. For the one who serves Messiah in this manner is pleasing to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for shalom and for the building up of one another.

How wonderful to be part of what God is doing in the world today.