God does not make bargains with men

[skyblue888]

It is so rare for men to do anything without expecting an equivalent, that the theologians have taken it for granted that it is the same with God.

So they begin their dissertations on God's covenant with the statement that a covenant is a "mutual agreement between two or more persons, to do or refrain from doing certain things."

But God does not make bargains with men, because He knows that they could not fulfill their part. After the flood God made a covenant with every beast of the earth, and with every fowl; but the beasts and the birds did not promise anything in return. Genesis 9:9-16. They simply received the favor at the hand of God.

That is all we can do. God promises us everything we need, and more than we ask or think, as a gift. We give Him ourselves, that is, nothing, and He gives us Himself, that is, everything. That which makes all the trouble is that when men are willing to recognize the Lord at all, they want to make bargains with Him. They want it to be a "mutual" affair--a transaction in which they will be considered on a par with God. But whoever deals with God must deal with Him on His own terms, that is, on a basis of fact--that we have nothing and are nothing, and He has everything and is everything, and gives everything." E.G. Waggoner, Glad Tidings,70,71.

"In Him all things consist." Col.1:17.

"In Him you are complete." Col.2:10.

"Now all things are of God who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ." 2 Cor.5:18.

In other words, God who receives us unto Himself through the MERITS of a crucified and risen Saviour.

sky

[Gail]

He does not make bargains with men because it's not up to Him to provide proof. It's up to men to live by faith.

God is not at the command of men. It's we who need to come to His throne through the merits of Jesus, through faith in His word and promises.

That is why some people will never get proof.

[phkrause]

He does not make bargains with men because it's not up to Him to provide proof. It's up to men to live by faith.

God is not at the command of men. It's we who need to come to His throne through the merits of Jesus, through faith in His word and promises.

That is why some people will never get proof.

[joeb]

He does not make bargains with men because it's not up to Him to provide proof. It's up to men to live by faith.

God is not at the command of men. It's we who need to come to His throne through the merits of Jesus, through faith in His word and promises.

That is why some people will never get proof.

Wow! You sure are harsh making such absolute statements....

Seriously, very good points, Gail.

[Gibs]

Isa 45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

Isa 45:23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

Isa 30:21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

Ex 19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:

Salvation is a real bargain!

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[skyblue888]

I suppose one could say that to exchange our sins for His righteousness, our poverty for His unsearchable riches, our weakness for His strength, etc etc is quite a bargain!

sky

[Gibs]

What puzzles me Sky is how so many are kept from picking up on His Wonderful gift to us who do not deserve when the way He has made all could come and none be lost.

All of us Christians are obliged to be trying to help some poor perishing one find the way. They must be approached with love even though we are not appreciated never to show anything else.

We must always be aware too that we of ourselves are no match for the evil ones. With out Christ and His Love in us shed abroad we are nothing. Without Love we would be as "clanging cymbals." Scripture states tinkling cymbal. 1 Cor 13:1.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[Windsor]

He does not make bargains with men because it's not up to Him to provide proof. It's up to men to live by faith.

God is not at the command of men. It's we who need to come to His throne through the merits of Jesus, through faith in His word and promises.

That is why some people will never get proof.

Who is it up to to provide proof of God if not God?

[Gibs]

His prophecies to us prove Him.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[joeb]

Who is it up to to provide proof of God if not God?

I'm not sure that's what Gail was meaning in what she said.

Of course it is up to God to provide reasonable evidence of Himself to everyone, but He's the one who says what is reasonable for He knows the inner workings of each of our minds. He also says that we are to accept Him by faith. That rules out absolute proof, for if absolute proof existed faith would not be requried.

[Gibs]

Yes Joeb, it is faith in His Word and His Word is Truth. How do we know? A good place to start is to read the first gospel,

Isa 53:1 ¶ Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

Isa 53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

Isa 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Isa 53:4 ¶ Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isa 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

Isa 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

Isa 53:9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

Isa 53:10 ¶ Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

Isa 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

Isa 53:12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

In the area of around 600 yrs before the fact.

Also His Word is Spirit and if we read it asking for enlightenment, His Spirit comes upon us who truly inquire to know Him.

We see right away it is from the God of Love who gave of Himself and His Son that lost man could all be saved. No other religion has a saviour that showed us He is that life.

Yes it is by faith but the faith can be as solid as the Rock who gave that Word.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.