There is not much concern, nor much direct Scriptural reference (but a great amount of Scriptural inference by the OT prophets and NT passages) to the Eschatology of Israel; so it is expected that not many believers will find much interest in the theology relating to this subject. But when will God finally restore His people Israel? The only time remaining is during the Millennial Kingdom!
Christians can differentiate the attributes between Law and Grace: law says be obedient and live; grace says God will ensure you will be obedient and live (Phl 2:13; Jde 1:24). It wasn’t until God would indwell man by His Spirit that He would control the believer by the new man, or new nature—through His Holy Spirit, which of course was always God’s plan; esp. when considering the depth of evil to which humans succumb to the control of the “old man” (“dominion” – Ro 6:14).
NC
What is commonly called “The Lord’s Prayer,” and is in reality, the prayer that the Lord taught His disciples when contemplating the kingdom, is prayer concerning the millennial kingdom (which will be on the old earth—NC). He said (Mat 6:8-15; 7:11): “After this manner therefore pray ye.” The prayer is directly concerned with the issues of the coming millennial kingdom. “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”
Of the great themes mentioned in this model kingdom prayer, but one is taken up here for special comment and emphasis. It is as though the Spirit of God were seeking to save the reader from any confusion at this point. This special comment amplified the one petition: “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” The divine comment on this reads: For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (this is law, because under grace the Spirit convicts believers to forgive—NC).
This, again, is purely legal. Forgiveness on the part of the Christian is enjoined; but it is enjoined in agreement with the exalted principle of grace: “Tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you”; “Even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye” (Eph 4:32; Col 3:13). The legal character of this great kingdom-prayer should not be overlooked because of sentimental reasons growing out of early training (immature understanding—NC).
Attempts have been made to relate this divine forgiveness, which is conditioned on a forgiving attitude of the sinner (unsaved—NC), with the Father’s present forgiveness towards the believer who is under grace (i.e. the unsaved forgiven by God if they forgive, which is not true—NC). Such an interpretation is as foreign to the precise relationship which belong to grace as it would be if the passage were said to teach the present divine forgiveness of the unsaved. Present forgiveness for both the unsaved and the saved is a matter of pure grace, and the divine conditions which are imposed are in perfect harmony with this fact.
In this present dispensation, the unsaved are forgiven as a part of the entire accomplishment in salvation on the one condition that they believe (become Christians—NC); and the saved are forgiven on the one condition that they confess (1Jn 1:9 - the saved already forgives—NC). These two words do not represent meritorious works; they represent the simple adjustment of the heart to that which is already provided in the grace of God. The Cross has changed things for all, and a covenant of law-works is stated in the passage in question (in question; the preceding paragraph, which explains that the unsaved are not forgiven even if they forgive, because they are unsaved—NC).
Such a covenant is the very foundation of all kingdom teaching; but it is wholly foreign to the teachings of grace. Christ, as some claim, must not be presented as a stern, austere Ruler. The marvel is that He is ever anything else. God’s holiness is not subject to gracious leniency toward sin. Apart from the Cross where redemption’s price has been paid, there could be nothing but the consuming fire of judgement; but, since God in infinite love has provided a Substitute, there can be boundless grace.
In this present dispensation, God is dealing with men on the ground of His grace as it is in Christ. His dealings with men in the coming dispensation (final dispensation—millennial kingdom—NC) are based on a very different relationship (different than time of OT believers in God—NC). At that time, the King will “rule with a rod of iron” (Rev 2:27). There is no word of the Cross, or of grace, in the kingdom teachings. This prayer is, by its own expression, a kingdom prayer. The basis of appeal in prayer under grace is that of the believer’s present union in identification with Christ in heaven at the right hand of the Father.
—L S Chafer (1871-1952)
MJS daily devotional excerpt for February 5 (I recommend reading the entire devotions for more understanding)
“The defect in souls in general is the incompleteness of their conversion. It is pardon that is apprehended and not acceptance. Acceptance embraces God’s side—how He feels, and this should be chief, for we as sinners have offended Him. The offender has been removed from His eye by a Man—the Lord Jesus Christ, and He can receive us on the ground of the Man who glorified Him in bearing our judgment (Eph 1:6).
“We cannot enjoy acceptance but in the way in which it was acquired or effected for us, and if we are in the acceptance we know that no improvement of the flesh could commend us to God, and that we cannot be before Him but in Christ. But if we are in any degree dark as to the crucifixion (Ro 6:6—NC) of the old man (believers are no longer part of the “old man” - Ro 8:9—NC), we are not in acceptance experientially (though we are practically, being in Christ—NC), we are not in the daily benefit of it (more than just accepted but fully delivered from all sin—NC), and our liberty by the Spirit can never go beyond our conscious acceptance” (God want us to know we are accepted and delivered—NC). -James Butler Stoney (1814-1897) None But The Hungry Heart
Christians can differentiate the attributes between Law and Grace: law says be obedient and live; grace says God will ensure you will be obedient and live (Phl 2:13; Jde 1:24). It wasn’t until God would indwell man by His Spirit that He would control the believer by the new man, or new nature—through His Holy Spirit, which of course was always God’s plan; esp. when considering the depth of evil to which humans succumb to the control of the “old man” (“dominion” – Ro 6:14).
NC
Kingdom Prayer
What is commonly called “The Lord’s Prayer,” and is in reality, the prayer that the Lord taught His disciples when contemplating the kingdom, is prayer concerning the millennial kingdom (which will be on the old earth—NC). He said (Mat 6:8-15; 7:11): “After this manner therefore pray ye.” The prayer is directly concerned with the issues of the coming millennial kingdom. “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”
Of the great themes mentioned in this model kingdom prayer, but one is taken up here for special comment and emphasis. It is as though the Spirit of God were seeking to save the reader from any confusion at this point. This special comment amplified the one petition: “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” The divine comment on this reads: For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (this is law, because under grace the Spirit convicts believers to forgive—NC).
This, again, is purely legal. Forgiveness on the part of the Christian is enjoined; but it is enjoined in agreement with the exalted principle of grace: “Tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you”; “Even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye” (Eph 4:32; Col 3:13). The legal character of this great kingdom-prayer should not be overlooked because of sentimental reasons growing out of early training (immature understanding—NC).
Attempts have been made to relate this divine forgiveness, which is conditioned on a forgiving attitude of the sinner (unsaved—NC), with the Father’s present forgiveness towards the believer who is under grace (i.e. the unsaved forgiven by God if they forgive, which is not true—NC). Such an interpretation is as foreign to the precise relationship which belong to grace as it would be if the passage were said to teach the present divine forgiveness of the unsaved. Present forgiveness for both the unsaved and the saved is a matter of pure grace, and the divine conditions which are imposed are in perfect harmony with this fact.
In this present dispensation, the unsaved are forgiven as a part of the entire accomplishment in salvation on the one condition that they believe (become Christians—NC); and the saved are forgiven on the one condition that they confess (1Jn 1:9 - the saved already forgives—NC). These two words do not represent meritorious works; they represent the simple adjustment of the heart to that which is already provided in the grace of God. The Cross has changed things for all, and a covenant of law-works is stated in the passage in question (in question; the preceding paragraph, which explains that the unsaved are not forgiven even if they forgive, because they are unsaved—NC).
Such a covenant is the very foundation of all kingdom teaching; but it is wholly foreign to the teachings of grace. Christ, as some claim, must not be presented as a stern, austere Ruler. The marvel is that He is ever anything else. God’s holiness is not subject to gracious leniency toward sin. Apart from the Cross where redemption’s price has been paid, there could be nothing but the consuming fire of judgement; but, since God in infinite love has provided a Substitute, there can be boundless grace.
In this present dispensation, God is dealing with men on the ground of His grace as it is in Christ. His dealings with men in the coming dispensation (final dispensation—millennial kingdom—NC) are based on a very different relationship (different than time of OT believers in God—NC). At that time, the King will “rule with a rod of iron” (Rev 2:27). There is no word of the Cross, or of grace, in the kingdom teachings. This prayer is, by its own expression, a kingdom prayer. The basis of appeal in prayer under grace is that of the believer’s present union in identification with Christ in heaven at the right hand of the Father.
—L S Chafer (1871-1952)
MJS daily devotional excerpt for February 5 (I recommend reading the entire devotions for more understanding)
“The defect in souls in general is the incompleteness of their conversion. It is pardon that is apprehended and not acceptance. Acceptance embraces God’s side—how He feels, and this should be chief, for we as sinners have offended Him. The offender has been removed from His eye by a Man—the Lord Jesus Christ, and He can receive us on the ground of the Man who glorified Him in bearing our judgment (Eph 1:6).
“We cannot enjoy acceptance but in the way in which it was acquired or effected for us, and if we are in the acceptance we know that no improvement of the flesh could commend us to God, and that we cannot be before Him but in Christ. But if we are in any degree dark as to the crucifixion (Ro 6:6—NC) of the old man (believers are no longer part of the “old man” - Ro 8:9—NC), we are not in acceptance experientially (though we are practically, being in Christ—NC), we are not in the daily benefit of it (more than just accepted but fully delivered from all sin—NC), and our liberty by the Spirit can never go beyond our conscious acceptance” (God want us to know we are accepted and delivered—NC). -James Butler Stoney (1814-1897) None But The Hungry Heart
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