God has set aside the Law of Moses. But in order for us to receive the benefit we must activate that which has been sovereignly offered.

Divine sovereignty has spoken, but for it to be effective the human must respond in faith and obedience.

Some of the computer software packages include programs that are present in the material but not available to the user until the required cost is paid. The user has the material but must activate it by sending money.

A scriptural example follows:

He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. (I John 2:2—NIV)

Christ has made an atonement for the sins of every person. This is a Divine intervention in the affairs of mankind. We have the material on our computer, so to speak. But the atonement does not operate until we pay the cost of activation, which is faith and obedience.

We recognize this fact when we speak of accepting Christ as our personal Lord and Savior.

So it is true that God is willing to set aside the requirements of the Law of Moses. But this blessing does not accrue to us until we activate this Divine intervention by choosing to count ourselves as dead with Christ and risen with Christ.

Every aspect of our salvation is an opportunity!

Let us turn now to the ninth chapter of the Book of Romans and notice the basis for the Christian teaching that stresses one aspect of this seeming inconsistency (Divine intervention) to the virtual exclusion of the other (human activation). The current overemphasis on Divine intervention to the neglect of the need for human activation has greatly weakened the moral strength of the churches.

The light of good works, which is the only light the world can see, is missing because of the overemphasis on God's role, and the neglect of our role, in the operation of salvation. Sometimes we view salvation as a ticket, not as something that must be worked out with fear and trembling. Is this true?

What follows in the ninth chapter of Romans is too strong for American humanistic thinking. Yet it is just as much the Word of God as John 3:16; it is the basis for current Christian thinking; and it is not to be watered down or compromised in any matter whatever. We always must say Amen! to all of the written Word of God regardless of whether we fully comprehend it or not.

Also, we must not take favorite passages and deduce truth from these. The Bible must be approached inductively, that is, we must accept all verses and construct truth from these rather than adding our own "therefores."

It is not as though God's word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's children. On the contrary, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring. (Romans 9:6-8—NIV)

To be continued.