GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR MAN FROM START TO FINISH

Part V: God's Righteousness Vindicated In His Dealings With Israel And The Gentiles, Romans 9:1-11:36

C. God's Future Salvation Of The Nation Israel, Romans 11:1-36

3. God's Plan In Saving Some Gentiles And Some Of Israel To The Glory Of His Grace

(Romans 11:25-36)

I. Introduction

A. In our study of the book of Romans thus far, we have learned that though God chose Abraham's seed through Jacob, the nation Israel, to be His chosen people, He has currently temporarily laid Israel aside to save individual Gentiles who believe in Christ before saving the believing nation of Israel in the end.

B. One may wonder why all this shifting in God's plan -- why He chose Israel and not the Gentiles, but now has laid aside Israel to reach individual Gentiles who believe only eventually to save the nation Israel -- to what purpose is all this shifting! Romans 11:25-36 answers the question, offering a big lesson for us in the process:

II. God's Plan In Saving Some Gentiles And Some Of Israel To The Glory Of His Grace, Romans 11:24-36.

A. The Apostle Paul was concerned that his Gentile readers not be conceited over their favored position in Christ in contrast to the unbelieving nation of Israel, so he explained that God had allowed Israel as a nation to be spiritually blinded until the full number of Gentiles should be saved, Romans 11:25.

B. Accordingly, the nation Israel WILL EVENTUALLY be saved in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies like Isaiah 59:20-21 and 27:9. (Romans 11:26-27)

C. Jews as a people are currently enemies of God and Christ's Gospel for the sake of Gentile believers, but in God's foreknowledge and election, they are a nation that is beloved for the sake of their fathers, Rom. 11:28.

D. God's gifts and calling are irrevocable, so Israel as a nation has a glorious future when it will be saved, Romans 11:29. [(1) Note how this claim by Paul counters Amillennialism that denies a special future for Israel, Charles C. Ryrie, Dispensationalism Today, 1970, p. 95. (2) Note also how Paul implies the believer's unconditional salvation security: he has been pronounced righteous, or "justified," as a "gift" from God (Romans 3:24 ESV), and that "gift" is irrevocable, so God's "justified" pronouncement to him is permanent!]

E. Paul added that just as his Gentile believing readers at one time did not believe in God, they had obtained mercy through Israel's unbelief that through God's mercy that was granted to Gentile believers, the Jewish people might also later obtain mercy, Romans 11:30-31.

F. In summary, Paul noted that whether one considers the history of the Gentiles or the history of Israel, God has planned to conclude all men, Gentile and Jew, in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all, Romans 11:32.

G. Greatly moved in considering how God has planned to reveal the glory of His unmerited favor to undeserving Gentiles as well as to undeserving Jews, Paul expressed a doxology to God's glory in Romans 11:33-36:

1. Paul noted the great depth of the riches of God's wisdom and knowledge, stating how unsearchable were His ways to man's limited capacity to understand his infinitely omniscient Creator, Romans 11:33.

2. Indeed, Paul claimed that no man has known the depths of God's mind or been His counselor, Rom. 11:34.

3. God is also not indebted to any man, Gentile or Jew: no one has given something to Him that God is thus indebted to return the favor to that donor, Romans 11:35.

4. In the end, "God is the source (to him), sustainer (through him), and goal (to him) of all things," Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, ftn. to Romans 11:36. [Note how this statement completely negates human merit and works in God's plan of salvation: God as Source, Sustainer and Goal of all things leaves the Lord alone worthy of the glory of man's salvation!]

Lesson: God's plan to save SOME Gentiles and SOME Jews magnifies the glory of God's unmerited favor, His grace to ALL who will become His people in the end, be they Gentiles or Jews, that no man might glory in the presence of the Lord, but that God ALONE might receive all the glory for man's salvation.

Application: (1) May we Gentile believers always recall that we stand justified in our position in Christ by God's UNMERITED favor, by His grace, NOT by our OWN merit or works, for ALL the glory of our salvation goes to God ALONE. (2) May we thus NEVER become PROUD that we Gentiles are now blessed of God since we are in Christ and look down on many Jewish people who are estranged from Christ and in spiritual blindness, but realize that ALL saved Gentiles and saved Jews ALIKE will be saved by the UNMERITED favor of God! (3) May we Gentiles NEVER be anti-Semitic, hating Jews, for not only are they made in the image of God like any other human being, but many Jews of Abraham's seed will eventually be saved and belong to God's spiritual people.