Thursday, November 29, 2007

Without Repentance

Romans 11:29 KJV
For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

Barnes
This does not refer to man, but to God. It does not mean that God confers his favors on man without his exercising repentance, but that God does not repent, or change, in his purposes of bestowing his gifts on man. What he promises he will fulfil; what he purposes to do, he will not change from or repent of.[1]

Gill
...they are immutable and unalterable; God never revokes them, or calls them in again, or takes them away from the persons to whom he has made such a previous donation: the reasons are, because that his love from whence they spring is always the same; it admits of no distinction, nor of any degrees, nor of any alteration; and electing grace, according to which these gifts are bestowed, stands sure and immovable; not upon the foot of works, but of the sovereign will of God.[2]

This verse does not say that once we have set out to serve the Lord we can never change direction. The verse says that what God has given us, His gifts, His calling us to salvation and His guidance and direction in our lives; these things God will not repent of nor change his mind.

What a wonderful blessing to be reminded that what God has given us in salvation will never be removed. The context surrounds God's setting Israel aside to call out a people among the Gentiles. Yet even in this God is still saving Jews as they come to Christ and God has not forsaken Israel as His chosen people. Just as God has not and will not forsake the Jews, God will not turn from those He has saved.

[1] E-Sword 7.8.5, Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible, Albert Barnes (1798-1870)[2] E-Sword 7.8.5, John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible, Dr. John Gill (1690-1771)

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