Hi again whyisthatso,
Here is an email for you to consider.
http://bible-truths.com/email17.htm --------------------------
he was speaking to the Jews only, okay. Now then, were the Jews the FIRST to be offered this salvation? Yes, of course they were -- "go NOT the way of the Samaritan" -- remember? But what is the context of these verses? Not all of the JEWS that call Jesus "Lord, Lord" will "enter" the narrow gate to the Kingdom, will they? No they won't. (Matt. 7:21). Even of those Jews who "seek to enter" will "NOT BE ABLE" (Luke 13:24). They are the FIRST TO BE CALLED, but they will not be the FIRST TO ENTER.
"There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye [Gk: 'all of you'] shall see Abraham [Abraham was not a Jew], and Isaac [Isaac was not a Jew], and Jacob [Jacob was not a Jew] and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you [JEWS] yourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the east [Jews? No, GENTILES], and from the west [Gentiles], and from the north [etc.], and from the south, and shall sit down IN THE KINGDOM of God" (Luke 13:28-29).
The Jews should have been FIRST, but the Patriarchs and the Gentiles will enter before them. The Jews will NOT ENTER FIRST!
But will they EVER enter? Do the Scriptures state that "they will NEVER, EVER, enter?" Is there such a Scripture in all the Bible, Brian? NO, there is not. There are hundreds and hundreds of Scriptures [you gave me but two] that state that the evil, wicked, sinner, unregenerate, unrepentant, etc., etc., etc., WILL NOT be saved in this lifetime. But is there ONE verse of Scripture that states they will "never EVER be saved?" No, Brian there is not. There is a plan of God, a schedule, a time table, and "order" to who God saves and when.
Let's read I Cor. 15:22-24 in a more accurate translation than the KJV:
"For since, in fact, through a man came death, through a Man also, comes the resurrection of the dead. For even as in Adam, ALL are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall ALL [it's the SAME 'all'] be vivified. Yet each in his own CLASS [or order]: [1] the Firstfruit, Christ; [2] thereupon those who are Christ's in His presence; [3] thereafter the consummation [those at the end, the LAST]..."
Paul explains this perfectly and simply: In Romans 11 Paul tells us that the natural branches [the JEWS] have been broken off and the wild branches of the Gentiles grafted in. But is this FOREVER? NO. The natural branches can also be grafted back into the tree once again, and Paul says that they WILL BE (Rom. 11:24). Now what is the "context" of all this Jew/Gentile business?
"For I would not, brethren, that ye should be IGNORANT [we don't want to be 'ignorant' of this context, context, context, Brian] of this mystery [a mystery that ALL OF CHRISTENDOM does not yet comprehend], lest ye should be wise in your own conceits [no danger of that ever happening, do you think?] that blindness in part is happened to Israel, UNTIL [if you don't know the meaning of the word 'until,' Brian, look it up] ... UNTIL the fullness of the Gentiles be come in" (Rom. 11:25).
Blindness to Israel was only to be UNTIL, UNTIL the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. Has the "fullness of the Gentiles" as yet come in? No. Well what about all of these millions and millions of "Jesus" rejecting Jews down through the centuries. Can they "reject" Jesus as virtually all of Judaism has done and still be saved IN THIS LIFE TIME? NO. Well then, just when WILL they be grafted "back into the vine" if not in THIS life time? Why in the next, of course. All of these DEAD Jews will be resurrected back to life in order to BE grafted back in, but they will have some mighty DEEP REPENTING TO DO FIRST! (See Phil. 2:9-11 Vs. I Cor. 12:3).
God used Israel for a time and then cast them away, but, as Paul asks:
"Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid, but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the GENTILES, for to provoke them [the Jews, Israel] to jealousy... For if the casting away of them [Israel -- Israel NOT entering the narrow gate, NOT entering the kingdom when it was offered] be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but LIFE FROM THE DEAD? For if the firstfuit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, SO ARE THE BRANCHES... AND SO ALL ISRAEL SHALL BE SAVED... " (Rom. 11: 11, 15, & 26).
But you see, they are NOT SAVED FIRST, are they? No, they are saved LAST!
If the Jews are cast out of the kingdom and not able to enter the strait gate, when will they be able? When they are grafted BACK INTO THE VINE, in the next life, in the resurrection, in the judgment. For in JUDGMENT, they WILL learn righteousness:
"When Thy JUDGMENTS are in the earth, the inhabitants of THE WORLD WILL LEARN RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Isa. 26:9)
And finally, back to your "context, context, context" verses. Clearly we have seen that there are MANY who will not be saved in this life. In fact, MOST OF THE JEWS will now be saved in they life. They will not enter through the strait gate and they will not enter the kingdom. They will NOT be the first to be saved, but will they be saved at ALL? Yes, of course they will, we just read it -- ALL ISRAEL SHALL BE SAVED!
When? Why AFTER the Gentiles come in -- those who come from the east and west and north and south (Luke 13:28). These Gentiles will all come in FIRST, that's what Paul taught us if we are not "ignorant" of God's "mystery." So if the the Jews are NOT FIRST, what are they according to the "context, context, context" of YOUR PROOF Sciprtures to me? Let's read it, it's the NEXT VERSE IN CONTEXT -- Luke 13:30:
"And, behold, there are LAST [the last-called Gentiles] which shall be FIRST [first IN the kingdom, first SAVED], and there are FIRST [the first-called Jews] which SHALL BE LAST."
Oh, yes, they "SHALL BE" in God's family. They "SHALL BE" saved, but they will be saved, LAST!
One final thought just to expand you thinking out of the theological hole of "context," let me show you where God likens His chosen people Israel to the God-jeweled city of Jerusalem, and where He likens the world of the Gentiles to the most wretched city of the Gentiles, SODOM. What is the fate of the evil city state of Sodom and the evil city state of Jerusalem? Right now, God is calling a people from among the Gentiles, but in the resurrection we saw that Israel will be brought back to life and grafted back into the Vine of Life once more. But what of the rest of the Gentiles that are not chosen now and the rest of Israel who was not chosen for the Kingdom?
Ezekieal 16 tells us. Read the "context" for sure, Brian, but then see the conclusions OF THE CONTEXT! God says that Jerusalem [Israel] sinned FAR WORSE than even SODOM (Ezek. 16:48). Yet we see that God will, nonetheless, YET SAVE ALL ISRAEL. When? And if Sodom is also to be saved in future judgment, when will they also be saved? Read it in (Ezek. 16:55) which tells us WHEN this will happen.
Seriously, Brian, if you think you can FIGHT the Scriptures and TWIST the Scriptures I have presented above, and suggest that I have in the LEAST taken them out of your 'holy context,' then you are FIGHTING GOD, and not me or my writings.
May God be with you, and open you eyes to these marvelous pearls of God's Word which have been trampled under the feet of swine for centuries.
Ray