When the lawyer came to Jesus asking what he must do to inherit eternal life, Jesus responded, “What is written in the law? how readest thou?” We have to ask ourselves the same question, “How are we going to read what is written in Scripture?”
We have already learned that our attempts to read it literally by the “letter” leads to all sorts of contradictory doctrines about the nature of God and of His relation to us—doctrines that have given rise to seemingly endless divisions among those who all claim to be seeking to know God.
We know that Jesus taught in parables which he had to explain to his disciples and that the entire Bible is chock full of illustrations which are impossible to understand if taken literally. We can all acknowledge that we do indeed need the Spirit of truth to guide us into the truth our Father is conveying to us through Scripture.
Today I want to look at the account of Jacob and Esau. We see that Esau was “faint” from hunger when he came home from working in the field. Jacob took advantage of this by enticing Esau to “sell” his birthright to Jacob in exchange for food. The account concludes with “thus Esau despised his birthright” (Genesis 25:29-34)
And later (Genesis 27) we see how Jacob’s mother helped him trick his father into giving him the blessing meant for Esau.
Then we learn that the Lord “loved” Jacob and “hated” Esau (Malachi 1:2-3; Romans 9:13) and had determined even before they were born that Esau would “serve” Jacob (Romans 9:12).
There are many church doctrines explaining what appears to be the “unrighteousness” of God. But when we look more closely at these chapters in Romans (which also speak of Pharaoh), we see that the main point is that it is “not of works” that we all receive the mercy of God:
Romans 11:32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
Paul keeps pounding home the truth that it is nothing we do, but what God has done, that we all can know that we are “the children of the living God” (Romans 9:26).
Romans 11:35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
All the stories recorded in Scripture are there to guide us into this central truth of the Gospel:
Jesus became sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2Corinthains 5:21). This righteousness of God is “without the law” (Romans 3:21) and is a free gift (Romans 5:16-18), not to be earned (Romans 9:11; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5).
In Galatians (4:21-31) Paul talks about Abraham’s two sons, the one “born after the flesh,” the other “after the Spirit”—”which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants.”
It could not be clearer. The story of Abraham and his two sons are there for our “instruction in righteousness” (2Timothy 3:16)—the righteousness of God without the law. The law (that leads to “bondage”) is represented by “the son of the bondwoman” which must be “cast out” by each of us in our spiritual journey (cease from our own works) if we are to enjoy the freedom of living as the children (and heirs) of the living God:
Galatians 4:1 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; 2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. 3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: 4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
That is our birthright, not to be “despised.” This is a spiritual truth that must be spiritually discerned; spiritual truth cannot be discerned by the “natural” man:
1Corinthains 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
We have attempted with our “natural” minds to understand the stories contained in scripture of “natural” men. It cannot be done; it all becomes “foolishness.” We must therefore humble ourselves before our Father, ask for the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of truth), to guide us into the truths contained in all these pictures, symbols, stories and allegories so that we might understand what the Spirit is saying to us. We have these promises to sustain us as we embark on this quest for understanding scripture.
Luke 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
It does take faith (and courage) to believe that God will reveal Himself to us by His Spirit. It takes courage to “ask in faith, nothing wavering,” especially when the revelation you receive goes contrary to the accepted beliefs of those you love.
This is when we have to “count the cost” (Luke 14:28). (See Cost of Knowing Truth.) We have to decide with Paul if we will “count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord . . . . that I may be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but . . . the righteousness which is of God” (Philippians 3:7-8).