GOD IS GREATER THAN OUR CONSCIOUS !

ROMANS 11:32 – CONFINED IN YOUR MIND

                                                                                      

Romans 11:32 (ALT) For "GOD" confined ALL in unbelief leading to disobedience, “SO THAT” He should "SHOW MERCY TO ALL"

Have you ever wondered why you just keep doing some of the things that you really wish you didn’t? Or, have you ever wondered why you doubt God sometimes when you know deep down in your heart that He loves you and is well able to take care of any problem in your life? The answer to these difficulties lies in the verse quoted above.

As the 1912 “Weymouth New Testament” puts it Rom 11:32 (WNT)  For God has locked up all in the prison of unbelief, that upon all alike He may have mercy. The original Greek here used for the word in the version above as “confined” KJV has “concluded” and here “locked up in prison” is:

# G4788

sugkleiō

Thayer Definition:

1) to shut up together, enclose

1a) of a shoal of fishes in a net

2) to shut up on all sides, shut up completely

The word was used to describe catching fish in a net in Luke 5:6

Therefore the word of God is saying he purposely placed us ALL in a condition making it “IMPOSSIBLE” to believe and therefore obey him……that’s what it says; no way around it. The passage goes on to say the reason He did it was so that He could “HAVE MERCY ON ALL”. Now hang on to your seat for what I am about to say…..consequently, God is not, will not, and cannot put the total blame on you for your unbelief because He is responsible for putting you and me and everyone in that same condition although we are still making our choices in that condition; God can now “HAVE MERCY ON ALL”, showing kindness or good will towards the miserable and the afflicted, joined with a desire to help them.

You cannot help yourself in these areas can you? The key here is in what I just said. “You cannot HELP YOURSELF” only God is able to give you the gift of faith which will lead to the obedience to overcome these behavior flaws. The word here translated in some versions as disobedience and others as unbelief is the same word and can mean either one. They go hand in hand; one is the product of the other. In “Strong’s Greek Dictionary” it is G543 apeitheia ap-i'-thi-ah meaning disbelief (obstinate and rebellious): - disobedience, unbelief. This is the condition all people are purposely put into by divine will. You might even say “it is being human”. This is the soulish physical, natural part of us that is in conflict with the spiritual side of us all the time.

Why, you may ask, did God put us in such a predicament? First of all; to show that He really is not playing favorites with anyone and desires to save ALL alike; God has put ALL HUMANITY together in the same sinking boat of self-righteousness so that we will have to take a leap of faith toward the only one that can walk out on the water, pull us up, and save us. But even the faith to do this is a gift; (we do not naturally have faith – we are naturally fearful) as when Jesus told Peter to “come” to him on the water – Peter came; but not before the invitation; before that he was “terrified”. Jesus said in John 6:44 "NO ONE CAN come to me unless the Father who sent me DRAWS him” The word used there for “draw” is literally “to drag” as in a net.

# G1670

 helkō

Thayer Definition:

1) to draw, drag off

2) metaphorically, to draw by inward power, lead, impel

Jesus said later in this same chapter:

John 6:64-65 NIV  Yet there are SOME OF YOU WHO DO NOT BELIEVE." For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.  (65)  He went on to say, "THIS IS WHY I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father HAS ENABLED HIM."

In other words God has to “ENABLE YOU” to believe, have faith and obey because it is impossible for you being “imprisoned or penned in, by your unbelieving state”

So guess what, God gets the Glory for it all; and we ALL get the gift of eternal life completely by His Grace through the faith He will give us ALL. Through the MERCY He has promised and is able to have “UPON ALL”. This is the crux or the whole verse and redemptive purposes of God; as the above verse says - “SO THAT” (this is the purpose of what he is doing) He could “HAVE MERCY UPON ALL”. So that he could save ALL HUMANITY equally without favoritism (Acts 10:34, Rom 2:11, Eph. 6:9, Jas 2:9) God’s mercy is not national, cultural, religiously prejudice, or exclusive; on the contrary, according to Rom 11:32 God’s mercy is totally “INCLUSIVE” of “ALL”. This verse is nestled in the context of Paul speaking of taking this “GOOD NEWS” to the “NATIONS” and that “until the fullness or ALL of them come in” verses Rom. 11:11-13, 25 not just one people group or belief system. And so through Gods unconditional Love, Grace, and Mercy ALL will come to him.

The GOOD NEWS is; Jesus also said

“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:31-32

NOW YOU KNOW THE TRUTH. Be a disciple (student, learner, and thinker) and be SET FREE! 

Peace, Grace, and Love to you,

Rev. Dennis D. Caldwell