upon all those who are unredeemed. At the crucifixion, it was the first and last time in all eternity that the face of God the Father was turned from the face of the Son. Absolute fellow ship was broken, a fellowship of the Trinity. This was the thought about which our Lord Jesus Christ was pray ing. With our feeble finite minds, we cannot begin to comprehend such a pic ture. We also need to remember that this was a temptation, for our Lord was tempted in all points like as we are, yet He was without sin. It is not a sin to be tempted. Sin enters when, as the' Gospel song rightly suggests, we yield to temptation. The Saviour did not yield for even a moment. He ex claimed, “Nevertheless, not my will, but Thine be done.” Think of the in finite cost Christ paid when He died on Calvary’s cross. It was necessary for the Lord Jesus Christ Himself to go through this separation to bear our sins in His own body on the tree. He was willing to make this supreme sacrifice because He so loved us. “Hallelujah, what a Saviour!” Q . San Diego, California — “If God in tends partial blindness to remain on Israel until He relieves them of it, can we step in between w ith what our wish is and what God’s w ill is?” A. God has predicted that partial blind ness would remain on Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. Yet, please understand that it is not God’s will that any individual in Israel should remain in blindness. “But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away” (II Corin thians 3:15, 16). The Lord is not will ing that any should perish. Our zeal in reaching the Jews will not be inter posing our wish against God’s will. This desire to witness to them is a spiritual urge wrought by the Spirit of God (Romans 11:25-27). Q . Miamisburg, Ohio — “W ill Russia in- (continued on next page) 17
tural indication that God created two worlds. Q . Sacramento, California — “I have heard, some preachers make such a point of the statement ‘To the Jew first.’ Who actually does come first, especially in the light of the fact that in the first chapter of Romans the Bible says that God gave them up?” A. Reading through Romans 1:18 to 32, the Holy Spirit is referring to how God gives up those who have had only the light of nature and who do not in that realm respond to Him. This does not even refer to Gentile moralists, and certainly not to the Jewish religionists. Actually, this part of the question has nothing to do with the Scriptural in junction, “to the Jew first.” It is not correct to give special emphasis on reaching Jews in exclusion of the Gen tiles. The Bible clearly tells us, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Again Paul points out that all must be reached, “For there is no respect of persons with God” (Romans 2:11); “Both Jews and Gentiles . . . are all under sin” (Romans 3:9). As far as the availability of Christ is concerned, as well as His efficacious salvation, Jew and Gentile are alike. God does all things in order, however, and there is a reason why He has set this order in getting out the Gospel. “To the Jew first” is a matter of order, not one necessarily of priority. The 'Lord has promised a special blessing upon those who are concerned for the salvation of the children of Israel. Q . Roseburg, Oregon — “W hy does Jesus pray, ‘If it be possible, let this cup pass from me’ (Matthew 26:59). Didn’t He say before, ‘To this end was 1 born, knowing all things’?” A. Some have erroneously surmised from this that our blessed Lord might have been afraid to die. This is not what the “cup” refers to. In the book of the Revelation we read of the cup filled with the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out in judgment
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