The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Romans 11:28-29,
"As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable."
In Romans, chapters 9 through 11 Paul focuses on Israel as a nation and why it is the gospel of faith he preaches is not embraced by the nation as a whole and how that works out in God's scheme of things. In his discussion he speaks in terms of the Gentiles as a group and the success the gospel has had with that demographic, as opposed to Israel as a group of folks of whose heritage, Paul observed, "... is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen." Romans 9:4-5 This section is a fascinating read as Paul counters those who would question the veracity and authenticity of his gospel message based on Israel's rejection of it. Many, who fail to understand the context within which Paul speaks in this section of his letter, distort his observations by attempting to assign them to the personal salvation of the individual as opposed to recognizing he speaks in terms of Gentiles of faith versus law-keeping Jews as opposing groups here. It has led to many developing a confused and incoherent theology.
One of the fascinating questions you can ask your friends, a question that Paul answers here, is, "Why are the Jews God's 'chosen people'?" Why did God choose the Jews to be his chosen nation, the nation of whom Paul made his observations in the Romans 9:4-5 passage above? Why not Eskimos? Why not Apaches? Why not the Celts? I say fascinating because I have often asked that question of others and few seem to know why. You just might receive that "deer in the headlights" kind of reaction. Here in Romans 11:28 Paul tells us that "as far as election is concerned, they [the Jews] are loved on account of the patriarchs." From Genesis 15:6, we read, "Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness." Abraham manifested the kind of faith that God looks for in us all to grant us entry into his family. This is the same kind of faith that James described in James 2:14-26, where we read that the saving kind of faith is the kind that impacts what we think, do and say. There James uses Abraham and Rahab as models of that faith. The answer to the fascinating question is that the Jews were chosen, "as far as election is concerned", because of Abraham's faith. His offspring became God's vehicle of choice to carry out his agenda of redemption through in recognition of Abraham's faith. The importance of the faith of Abraham cannot be overlooked in our understanding of the gospel message.
In that the nation as a whole did not embrace the gospel message, although many did, indeed the whole of the early church was comprised of mostly all Jews, was God now done with the Jews as a nation? The answer to this is something that is simply breath-taking. Paul tells us that "God's gifts and his call are irrevocable." The invitation he extends and the gifts he gives always remain. God is not done with the nation of Israel. God loved Abraham and therefore God will never abandon his progeny. What this means to me, from my personal perspective with God, is that since our God is this way, I will never, ever have to be concerned with the promises I myself have received from God through his gospel call. The resurrection is mine. Eternal life is mine. Eternal pleasures at the right hand of God are mine. I am a child of God, a member of his family! I have a place at his table! I am a co-heir with Jesus Christ! It is mine and will never be taken away! Just how fantastic is that?!
"God's gifts and his call are irrevocable."
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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