The “Israel” beyond Israel, Romans 9:19-29

Posted on December 22, 2014 by KD Manes under Bible Study

Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden.” – Romans 9:1, NIV

This passage—like last week’s—is difficult to understand.

After Paul attributes God’s dealings of mercy and judgment by using Moses and Pharaoh as examples, he continues his defense as if he is sparring with an imaginary opponent.

Paul writes (of his imaginary opponent): “Then why does God still blame us? For who resists His will?” (vs. 19).

Paul answers: But who are you, O man, to talk back to God?

“Then I went to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something on the wheel. But the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he remade it into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make. Then the word of the Lord came to me saying, ‘Can I not, O house of Israel, deal with you as this potter does?’ declares the Lord. ‘Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.” – Jeremiah 18:3-6, NASB

“Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use? (vs. 20-21).

In this context Paul asks the hypothetical question in verses 22-24: What if God makes His power known to those He bestows mercy through His judgment on those destined for His wrath?

Paul refers to Old Testament passages in verses 25-29 to show: 1) God will redeem some Gentiles (Hosea 2:23; 1:10), and 2) only a remnant of believing Jews will be saved (Isaiah 10:22-23; 1:9).

So What?

Paul isn’t implying that some people are more valuable than others. But his tone does suggest: “God is God. Who is eligible to measure His actions and decisions?” Like the sculpted pottery, our very existence and function depend upon God.
God chose Israel to serve His sovereign purposes. Everything in God’s redemptive history can be attributed to His faithfulness to the promise He gave Abraham and his descendants.
God has graciously extended an invitation to all people, (Jews and Gentiles), to become part of His family through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.

The Stumbling Stone, Romans 9:30-33

Posted on December 21, 2014 by KD Manes under Bible Study

What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the “stumbling stone.” – Romans 9:30-32, NIV

The “stumbling stone” was none other than Jesus. Because Jesus did not meet many of the Jews’ expectations for their Messiah, they rejected Him as God’s Son. Although the Jews pursued a worthy goal of honoring God, some became short-sighted and dedicated themselves more to the Law than to God. They either didn’t see—or want to believe—their Old Testament Scriptures that salvation (righteousness) comes by faith, not by human effort (Gen. 15:6).

Paul had reminded his readers earlier in chapter 9 that: 1) The Jews couldn’t earn God’s favor through their national heritage, 2) God’s ways are not bound by human ideas and plans, and 3) The Jews were responsible for rejecting Jesus as Messiah.

As it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” – Romans 9:33

On the other hand, Paul explains that some Gentiles acquired God’s righteousness, but not on the basis of perfectly following the Law. Rather, their righteousness was given from God as a gift because they accepted Christ and His message.

So What?

Like the Jews in Paul’s day, it’s human nature to try and get right with God by being good. This can take many forms: faithful church attendance, church work, giving, being nice, volunteering, good sportsmanship. Although these are worthy pursuits, according to Scripture they won’t make us right with God.

Some people stumble over Christ because salvation by faith goes against all they’ve experienced and been taught. Some think because God is love He will overlook their sins. Some stumble over Christ because He asks for humility and requires obedience.

But Scripture makes it clear: There is only one way to obtain righteousness and become right with God. It boils down to accepting or rejecting God’s Son, Jesus Christ.

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” -John 3:36

If you haven’t placed your trust in Jesus, and the work He did for you on the cross to forgive your sins, why not do it now? None of us are guaranteed tomorrow. And eternal life is at stake. Simply admit to Him your sins and ask His forgiveness. Tell Him you believe He is all He claims in the Bible. Ask Him to come into your life and indwell you through His Holy Spirit. Then follow Him by obeying His commands.

Seeking a Right Standing With God, Romans 10:1-17

Posted on December 20, 2014 by KD Manes under Bible Study

Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. Christ is the end of the law so that there may be a righteousness for everyone who believes.” – Romans 10:1-4

This section echoes Romans 9:1-5 as Paul longs for the salvation of his Jewish people. Paul, who knew firsthand of the Jews’ zeal (Galatians 1:13-14), was pained that they lacked knowledge of Jesus’ identity and mission. Instead of accepting that Jesus fulfilled the Law and opened a way for right standing before God through faith in Him (Romans 3:21; Galatians 3:19-4:7), they sought righteousness through their traditions and through Law keeping. They failed to recognize God’s plan of redemption through Christ.

How is Christ the fulfillment and end of the Law?

The NIV Life Application Study Bible observes: “Christ is the end of the Law in two ways. He fulfills the purpose and goal of the Law (Matthew 5:17) in that He perfectly exemplified God’s desires on earth. But He is also the termination of the Law because in comparison to Christ, the Law is powerless to save. In order to be saved by the Law, a person would have to live a perfect life, not sinning once. Why did God give the Law when He knew people couldn’t keep it? According to Paul, one reason the Law was given was to show people how guilty they are (Galatians 3:19). The Law was a shadow of Christ—that is, the sacrificial system educated the people so that when the true sacrifice came they would be able to understand His work (Hebrews 10:1-4). The Law points to Christ, the reason for all those animal sacrifices.”

Paul ends this section by emphasizing belief: c294fe65b0c2395c94e96512b22b0ae5 “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ” (vs. 17).

Shepherd’s Notes comments: “Nowhere in Scripture is the universal scope of salvation presented with greater clarity. Although God’s redemptive plan was worked out in history through one particular race, it was meant from the beginning for the benefit of all people. Romans 10:9-10 has long served as one of the most helpful portions of Scripture for pointing out the way of salvation: confession that Jesus is Lord and belief in one’s heart that God has raised Him from death. This belief is not merely verbal assent, but staking one’s entire being on this truth.”

A Disobedient People, Romans 10:18-21

Posted on December 19, 2014 by KD Manes under Bible Study

God, having placed good and evil in our power, has given us full freedom of choice; He does not keep back the unwilling, but embraces the willing.” John Chrysostom

As I listened to family speeches at my 94 year-old Grandma’s funeral service last week, we all felt the same: Each of us was Grandma’s favorite. Her decision to follow God resulted in her being a channel of His love. Inside her worn Bible was a list of all her children, their spouses, grandchildren, and great grandchildren whom she prayed for daily. Her decision to trust, love, and faithfully follow God not only has provided a wonderful example to my family and me, but has also been a ripple effect of tremendous blessing upon our families.

Choices

In this last section of chapter 10, Paul talks with an imaginary supporter of Israel. Three questions are presented by this supporter, aimed to prove Israel faultless in their relationship with God. But Paul cites Old Testament passages to prove that Israel’s choice—rejecting Christ as Messiah—is without excuse: But concerning Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people” (vs. 21).

Israel’s decision to pursue personal virtue based on works instead of following God’s requirement for righteousness by faith had nothing to do with their inability or chances to understand. For they had been given Old Testament Scripture. Paul clarifies: They were solely responsible for their rejection of God and His Word.

So What?

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” – Proverbs 14:12.

In chapter 10, Paul describes two ways of trying to obtain a right standing before God: 1) Following the Law, 2) placing one’s faith in Jesus Christ.

What is God’s way of salvation? Why did the Law fail?

What if we are busy serving God by doing good things, but we neglect His way of attaining right standing before Him through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ?

In a land where Bibles are abundant, like Israel, we will not be excused for lack of knowledge and/or opportunity to follow God’s way.

The Remnant, Romans 11:1-6

Posted on December 18, 2014 by KD Manes under Bible Study

Did God reject His people? By no means!” – Romans 11:1

This chapter begins in classic Paul style of question-declaration. What follows is a discussion of the remnant of Israel, the salvation of Gentiles, Israel’s jealousy of the fruitful Gentile mission, and the prophetic declaration of Israel turning toward Christ.

“The Remnant”, according to Shepherd’s Notes, “consists of the righteous people of God who remained after divine judgment . . . . For example, Noah and his family may be understood as survivors, or a remnant, of a divine judgment in the flood (Gen. 6:5-8; 7:1-23). In Romans 9:25-33, Paul quoted from the prophets Hosea and Isaiah to demonstrate that the saving of a remnant from among the Jewish people was still part of the Lord’s method of redeeming His people. There would always be a future for anyone among the covenant people who would turn to the Lord for salvation.”

God did not reject Israel as an entire nation. There remained a remnant of Jewish believers. Paul points to himself being a Jew, (so were Jesus’ disciples and most of the early Christian missionaries). Paul backs up his claim—God didn’t reject His special people—by using the great reforming prophet, Elijah, as an example. During a corrupt time when Israel’s priesthood and king’s court strayed from God, Elijah thought he alone remained faithful. But God replied, “I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all who have not bowed down to Baal,” (1 Kings 19:18).

Paul then connects the dots: 4caade4f52332582b74b797142db9fc8 “so too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace,” (vs. 5-6).