“I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars; I alone am left, and they are seeking my life.” But what is the divine reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace.” Romans 111:1-6

What Paul does in the chapters of Romans 9:1 – 11:36 is to proceed through a four stage progression of the initial rejection of Christ by most Jews except for a remnant who do believe, through to the final stage where, upon seeing the acceptance of the Gospel by the Gentiles, the Jews will be aroused to jealousy, then repentance, belief and salvation. Thus, what appeared to be a failure of the divine plan actually results in in a greater fulfillment of it for both Jews and Gentiles. It seems that Paul’s final argument is that Israel will be saved – in fact he says all Israel will be saved. What does all Israel mean? That will be another argument for another time — but if Israel, as a whole, is the chosen race, the people with whom G-d made a covenant, then it seems the Israelites are and continue to be G-d’s chosen people.

Another interesting comment by Paul is that G-d has hardened the heart of Israel, just like G-d tells Isaiah that the people’s eyes, ears, and minds will also be hardened and closed off to Isaiah’s preaching. How do you feel about this fact that G-d hardens the heart of some intentionally? As I have lived my life, I have encountered some people who have hardened (or who have had hardened for them) the walls of their hearts against the Word of G-d. Does G-d eventually soften the same hearts? Did G-d soften the heart of Pharaoh when the people finally fled Egypt? How does this effect your ideas of evangelism when it seems that much of our efforts to reach people with the good news of the gospel may just fall upon deaf ears?

Pastor Dave

“Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. I can testify that they have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened. For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they have not submitted to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

Moses writes concerning the righteousness that comes from the law, that “the person who does these things will live by them.” But the righteousness that comes from faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).

But what does it say? “The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. The scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” But not all have obeyed the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:1-17

I have said it before, I will say it again, there is so much good stuff in Paul’s letter to the Romans. Here in chapter 10 we have such verses as 9 “if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” And verse 13, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” And verse 15, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.” We have lost the practice of verse memorization in our confirmation classes, and our Sunday school classes, and in our own daily reading. Here, in Paul’s letter, are some great verses to commit to memory. Verse 15 is an adaptation of Isaiah 52:7 and is used by Paul to support his claim that faith comes by what is heard — especially in his day when most people were illiterate. When most people learn through hearing, then there obviously needs to be a plethora of people proclaiming the word of Christ. Paul’s point is that we must be the messengers of that word – even if we have the ugliest feet in the world – because our feet will be transformed just as we are transformed by the word of Christ.

Pastor Dave