Kent Hughes, “if” and “then” are not the language of faith. Faith does not bargain with God, saying that “If God will do thus and so, then I will make him my God.”... Jacob is a piece of work, a work in progress who has a long way to go… “Jacob is still more scoundrel than saint” These kinds of conversions are not ideal, but sometimes God uses them. Martin Luther tried to make a similar deal with God. Application: is immature. Conviction, Assurance, and Jacob’s faith confidence in goodness have begun, but they are a long way God’s from completion. In the meantime God commits himself to love Jacob, to not leave him or forsake him. We have said that God identifies those that he has chosen by speaking to them, that he spoke to Jacob through a dream, that choosing is rarely this dramatic, and that none of this was God’s merited. the essential elements of communication to Let’s look at God’s Jacob. 1st A ladder connected earth and heaven. The angels were going up and down on that ladder. 2nd At the top was the God of his grandfather, “the Lord,” Abraham. God repeated to Jacob the promises that he had given to his grandfather. To your descendants I will give this land. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth. In your all the families of the earth will be blessed “Offspring” In other words, you, Jacob, are the grandson through which the promises will come.
Kent Hughes, “if” and “then” are not the language of faith. Faith does not bargain with God, saying that “If God will do thus and so, then I will make him my God.”... Jacob is a piece of work, a work in progress who has a long way to go… “Jacob is still more scoundrel than saint” These kinds of conversions are not ideal, but sometimes God uses them. Martin Luther tried to make a similar deal with God. Application: Jacob’s faith is immature. Conviction, Assurance, and confidence in God’s goodness have begun, but they are a long way from completion. In the meantime God commits himself to love Jacob, to not leave him or forsake him. We have said that God identifies those that he has chosen by speaking to them, that he spoke to Jacob through a dream, that God’s choosing is rarely this dramatic, and that none of this was merited. Let’s look at the essential elements of God’s communication to Jacob. 1st A ladder connected earth and heaven. The angels were going up and down on that ladder. 2nd At the top was “the Lord,” the God of his grandfather, Abraham. God repeated to Jacob the promises that he had given to his grandfather. To your descendants I will give this land. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth. In your “Offspring” all the families of the earth will be blessed In other words, you, Jacob, are the grandson through which the promises will come.