we must rightly divide scripture and understand that in this dispensation we cannot think we will receive whatever we ask. This was only directed to Israel at that time and to think it was to us will lead only to disillusion and disappointment.
Breaking it up so it’s not so much in one post. What also stands out for why you assert the New Covenant must be only to Israel :
1) we cannot think we will receive whatever we ask.
2)to think (we will receive whatever we ask) was to us will lead only to disillusion and disappointment.
James 4:1-3 From where come wars and fightings among you?(from the works of the flesh not yet dead among you) come they not hence, even of
your lusts that war in your members? [2] You lust, and have not: you kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: you fight and war, yet you have not, because you ask not. [3]
You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts.
only sharing what the above means to me. First, all works of the flesh, not to Israel only…but all fight and war and lust to have.
You have proposed the reason we receive not whatever we ask is because (ask whatever in His Name and He will give you whatever you ask) was never to us but to Israel only. You clarify THAT(because it was to Israel only) is
why we will be disappointed by not receiving whatever we ask. That is NOT what the above says is the reason
you ask and receive not. It does not say you will be disappointed because you didn’t rightly divide the Bible to realize “ask and whatever you ask will be given” was only to Israel. Is actually says the reason you don’t receive whatever you ask is because “you want to devour it on your own lust.”
I’d reconsider if I were you…instead of explaining away the reason we ask and receive not whatever asked …is because it was only to Israel. It distracts from you ask and receive not that you may devour it on your own lust.
If we desire and ask for brothers to be given(born of God), for an increasing and adding to the body of Christ…why would God not give whatever we ask? Except for His saying: you ask and lust to have brethren, so you can eat them up and consume them up and devour them on your own lust and greed. We are warned “they desire to make merchandise of you”. Should we reduce “be careful you don’t consume(devour one another)” to you don’t have because it was only to Israel, having nothing to do with that you may devour brothers(the increase) on your own lust.
The goodness and mercy of God is He will not increase or give what He knows we will devour on our own lust. That is merciful, Paul understood this when he set with a brother too afraid to eat, a brother whom was weak having not the knowledge of Christ…Paul instructed to not use the power given of God to destroy a brother who was yet still weak and without power. For in harming a weak brother, he would devour and consume what was given of God on his own lust, and in so doing (he became guilty) devouring one who was weak; he sinned against Christ.