Having established that God has had a plan for the nation of Israel and for the “church” since the beginning of the world, I think it will be best for us to go through Romans 9-11 verse by verse in understanding the position of each in relationship to one another. I will jump from my journal in Romans making revisions and/or corrections as needed.
Romans 9:1 “I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,”
This verse is a statement emphasizing the truth of what Paul is about to say. Truth is according to Christ and the word of God—not the word of Paul or of men.
Deuteronomy 32:4 “He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.”
John 17:17 “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”
When we speak the truth, our conscience is clear and we experience no guilt or conviction of the Holy Spirit—unless we are speaking with a wrong attitude.
Romans 9:2 “That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.”
What Paul is about to say is a source of great sadness and continual grief to him. It’s not just of general concern or something that bothers him once in a while. This is a very convicting statement to me regarding my “burden” for my people and my nation.
Romans 9:3-4 “For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;”
Paul is grieving over his people, the Israelites, those to whom he is related physically by blood. He is so concerned that he would rather be accursed from Christ (condemned in judgment without eternal life) himself than for his own people to be spiritually lost. I don’t think I could honestly ever make a similar statement.
It was the nation of Israel that God first chose as His own peculiar people.
Deuteronomy 14:2 “For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.”
The process of choosing a child as your own is adoption. God’s choice placed the people of Israel in a position of glory (dignity, honor) before the other nations of the world.
After He had delivered them from slavery in Egypt, the nation of Israel was privileged to have the “glory” of the Lord dwell with them physically through the cloud that led them in the wilderness and rested over the tabernacle when they were camped. That glory was later manifested in Solomon’s temple.
1Kings 8:10-11 “And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.”
The nation of Israel was singled out for a covenant relationship with the Lord beginning with Abraham and on to Moses and David. God’s final covenant with Israel (Jeremiah 31:33-37) is yet to come. It is important to note that God’s covenant with Abraham was unconditional. Once Abraham stepped out in faith to leave his land, God’s promise was sure.
Genesis 12:1-3 “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
This unconditional covenant was confirmed to Jacob.
Genesis 28:13-15 “And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.”
The Israelites were privileged to receive the revelation of God’s law—the oracles of God (as stated by Paul earlier in 3:2). They were singled out for the privilege of serving God; the Greek identifies this service as “worship.” This service included the responsibility of presenting God to the Gentiles and demonstrating how submission and obedience to Him would result in blessing.
“the promises” – At first you might think this is a repeat of the Abrahamic covenant and the promises it included. I think it goes on to embrace all the promises in scripture associated with the conditional covenants and promises related to specific acts of love and obedience such as delighting in God’s word (Psalm 1). These promises will culminate for Israel with the eventual establishment of the Messiah’s Kingdom and the establishment of the nation under the new covenant.
Romans 9:5 “Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.”
Several of the translations I read for this verse reference the Patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This makes sense to me. This nation came from specific physical descent as designated by God. He often refers to himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Exodus 3:6 “Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”
Exodus 4:5 “That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.”
Matthew 22:32 “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”
Paul is clear that Christ, Jesus the Messiah, was descended from these same fathers. As he speaks of Christ, he can’t help but acknowledge that He is LORD as blessed by God the Father.
“Amen” = What Paul has said is just said is firm, trustworthy and sure.
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5 comments:
Dear Sharon,
The statement, “I will show mercy to whomever I choose; I will have pity on whomever I wish” (Romans 9:15) seems to be saying that God blindly chooses to save some people.
This implies that God also blindly chooses to condemn others to hell. St. Paul has quoted Exodus 33:19 for that statement. The quote is following the Golden Calf incident of chapter 32. God chose Moses over firstborn Aaron. It was not blindly that God chose Moses, but because of Aaron’s sin in forming the idol for the people to worship. The inclusion of this story by St.
Paul in Romans 9 continues his motif of the firstborn being passed over in favor of the younger brother. In v. 9 Isaac is chosen over Ishmael and in v. 13 Jacob is chosen over Esau. St. Paul’s point is not that God predestines to heaven and hell, but rather that God will pass over the unrighteous firstborn (the Jews) in favor of the righteous younger brother (the Gentile).
God did not do this arbitrarily. He did this because the Jews hardened their hearts against the acceptance of Jesus. They refused to accept the obvious fact that Jesus was the Messiah. Jesus spoke to the Pharisees on this very subject. “If you were blind there would be no sin in that. But 'we see’, you say, and your sin remains” (John 9:41).
“But you refuse to believe because you are not my sheep” (John 10:26). St. Paul then introduces the example of Pharaoh as one who refused to believe something that was obvious (vv. 17-18). Some have wrongly concluded that these verses prove that God arbitrarily makes some people hard-hearted against the Gospel.
It is important to note that when Scripture says that God hardened someone’s heart it means that God let that person suffer the consequences of his freely chosen action. “And Pharaoh seeing that rest was given, hardened his own heart, and did not hear them, as the Lord had commanded” (Exodus 8:15; see also 8:28 & 9:34).
God deals with individuals according to their decisions. If one refuses God then God may let that person suffer the consequences of his own freely chosen action. “And so God has given those people over to do the filthy things their hearts desire” (Romans 1:24 GNT [Good News Translation]).
Dear Michael,
First I want to say I appreciate your feedback. I am assuming this is your starting point in this series of blogs that is basically focused on the truth that God is not finished with Israel.
Like you, I believe that God deals with individuals according to the choices they make. I also believe that God knew the choices of each person before He created the first thing and formed His plan of redemption by utilizing those choices to accomplish His purpose.
I don't think you can say God passed over the "firstborn Jew" since they were established in the position of blessing. They forfeited their privilege through disobedience and God chose the Gentile church to continue the outworking of His plan of redemption. The point I am making in this series of blogs is that God will one day restore the Jew to rightful heritage as the firstborn among the nations on planet earth. Regarding spiritual heritage and blessings, however, they will become one in Christ with the true Gentile church with no distinction among peoples. I define the "true" Gentile church as including every person who freely chooses to accept God's gift of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ as Lord based upon His death, burial and resurrection.
I hope you will continue to read subsequent blogs that deal in particular with verse 15 in this chapter.
I appreciate the dialogue and try very hard to keep an open heart as to areas in which I might need correction.
Dear Sharon,
Some will look at Romans 9: 19-22 and believe that God arbitrarily makes some people “vessels fit for wrath, ready to be destroyed” (v. 22).
In other words, ready to be sent to hell. This is actually the opposite of what St. Paul has in mind. He is quoting from Jeremiah 18:1-12.
In this passage the potter, God, does not make vessels, people, to be destroyed. He reshapes the vessels giving them another opportunity to be useful.
“Can I not do to you house of Israel, as this potter has done? says the Lord. Indeed, like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, house of Israel.
Sometimes I threaten to uproot and tear down and destroy a nation or a kingdom. But if that nation which I have threatened turns from its evil, I also repent of the evil which I threatened to do (Jeremiah 18:6-8).
Therefore, St. Paul is saying if the Jews repent and turn to Christ they will receive salvation, but if they stubbornly refuse then they will receive damnation.
His point is that either way it is a personal decision not an arbitrary one that God makes. This is very much different then those that say St. Paul is teaching that we have no choice in what our final destiny will be.
St. Paul himself was once a vessel set for destruction so he is well aware that God can remold the vessel and make it useful if we desire it.
St. Paul received a second chance when he repented of attacking the Catholic Church and become a missionary bishop of God’s Church.
The Potter remolded St. Paul on the road to Damascus (Acts 26:5-20). So you see that this passage actually means the opposite of what the Reformed Calvanist says it means!
Dear Michael,
I think if you will continue to read to the post that addresses the section of verses you are referencing, you will find that we are in agreement regarding the free will of man and the sovereignty of God. It seems that you have the idea that I am a Calvinist, but that is incorrect. In fact, this series of blog posts is meant to directly refute the reformed doctrine of replacement theology.
I hate labels. I am a student of the word on a journey to discover God's truth wherever that may lead.
Paul was attacking the "church," the true followers of Jesus Christ, but not the "Catholic" church as we know it. Somewhere along the way the leaders of the "church" began to mingle the wisdom of men with the word of God just as the Jewish religious leaders had done to create the form of Judaism that existed in Jesus' day.
I think this is the glaring error in all denominations. I am sure that the Holy Spirit teaches only one truth, and my goal is to discover that truth without regard to denomination.
Dear Sharon,
I wonder if this might help you!
God bless you
Michael Gormley
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