The freedom of all men

The reason why God chose Jacob, the lastborn, instead of Esau, the firstborn, is the same reason why God said the message of the gospel is foolishness to the world, but the very power of Christ.

Follow me.

It is the same reason why God made the wisdom of this world look foolish.

It is the same reason why God chose things the world considers foolish to shame those who think they are wise.

It’s the same reason why God chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.

I’m saying the reason God chose weak Jacob instead of powerful Esau is the same reason why he chose those things counted as nothing and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important.

And what is this reason?

— “Not of WORKS lest anyone should boast.”

This is the same reason you hear some preachers say that the day they prayed long and fasted and climbed the pulpit was the day less power flowed, but the day they didn’t even think they were “qualified” was the day “God broke out.”

All the while, God has been trying to tell us: IT IS OF GRACE, AND NOT OF WORKS.

(No, I’m not making a case for not being diligent with your devotions. I’m strictly speaking about what Christ did for us.)

You would think this is an easy thing to believe, until you look carefully and discover how whole generations built their doctrine on WORKS.

Then it becomes an offence to say things like, “You are holy; don’t pray to live a holy life, you already are living it,” especially when those who hear these things are carnal believers living in sin.

“God HAS UNITED you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ MADE us right with God; he MADE us PURE and HOLY,...” Romans 1:30.

WHY THIS?

It is the freedom of all men, especially those in Christ, that we long for.