Epistles of Paul 79

The basic theme of the book of Romans covers God's plan of salvation.

In the first eight chapters, Paul covered God's plan to redeem man from the wages of sin, because we all as human beings, we've gone off the track of the right way.

And so that's what basically what we covered in the first eight chapters which we have already completed. Very briefly in chapter eight we saw the biblical definition of the Christian in verses nine and verses 14. Let's just look at verse nine says, but you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is none of these. And then also in verse 14 he says, for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. And so in a sense that is or are good definitions of a true Christian.

We are now as true Christians having received God's Holy Spirit, we are going through a spiritual growth process to ultimately be born again. And that means resurrected into glory, into God's very glory. If we suffer with him, if we suffer with Christ as we read in Romans in Romans 8 verse 17, we'll be joined heirs of God and joined heirs of Christ, if indeed we suffer with him. And that means we go through a testing process in which we have to prove ourselves.

These sufferings as we read in verse 18 are not to be compared with the glory which God is going to give us. And as we see there in verse 18 is not to be compared with the glory which will be revealed in us. And then even in verse 20 through 22 it says the whole subject, the whole creation our big apart was subject to futility, but the whole creation itself grounds and labors with birth pangs together until now, until the glorious liberty of the children of God as we see in verses 21 and 22. So we all are waiting for that day that we'll be spirit beings. Even the creation is waiting for it. In the meantime in verse 34, a big part of us we can conclude the chapter, it says in verse 34 that we have access to the Father through Christ by one spirit, by one power.

It is Christ at the right hand of God who makes intercession for us. And then in verse 35 says who can separate us from the love of God, the love of Christ? And in verses 38 and 39 Paul says I'm persuaded there is nothing, nothing, no trials, no difficulties can separate us from God's love towards us. And so not even death or any living thing can separate us. And so that's basically our Paul concludes chapter eight in the section of God's redemption of mankind because of our sins.

And so now we start in chapter nine, but in these three chapters nine, ten and eleven, Paul explains God's dealing with Israel and his care and concern for them. In chapter nine, the emphasis is on Israel's past election. It was the past and they were chosen as the people of God, the ones God had chosen to do a specific job. In chapter 10, the emphasis is then on Israel's present rejection. They rejected God's calling, God's purpose for them, and they rejected the Messiah. And then in chapter 11, Paul's emphasis is on Israel's future restoration on how God is going to extend salvation to Israel as a nation.

And that is a big lesson for all of us and for mankind. So these three chapters nine, ten, eleven, nine being Israel's past election, ten being their present rejection, and eleven being their future restoration. So today we're going to cover one of the first sections of Romans chapter nine.

In Romans chapter nine, we could split it into four sections, Romans chapter nine. Romans chapter nine from verse four through to verse thirteen, it basically highlights God's faithfulness.

And then from verse fourteen through verse eighteen, highlights God's righteousness.

Then verse nineteen through twenty-nine, highlights God's justice. And the last few verses from verse thirty to thirty-three, it highlights God's grace towards us. And so it basically starts these sections with a question. The first one is more of a rhetorical question, but in verse fourteen you can see it starts with a question. What shall we say there? In verse nineteen, we can also see that starts with a question. So you'll say to me then why does it still find fault? And in verse thirty also starts with a question, what shall we say then? So we can see these sections start with questions. Today we're going to cover the first section that is from up to verse thirteen, which basically addresses God's faithfulness. So let's start reading in verse one. And it says, I tell the truth in Christ, I'm not lying. My conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit. In other words, he's saying, look, I'm being absolutely honest and true. This is how I really feel. And then in verses two and three, he puts himself into a position very similar to what Moses said. And we'll look at that in a moment. But let's read verse two and three. And it says, that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart, for I could wish that I myself had accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen, according to the flesh. And so Paul is very grieving for the Israelites because he sees that the Israelites have basically rejected God, have been called, but they have rejected God, they've rejected that calling. And so he's saying that he felt deeply that if he's dying or he's losing, salvation would help. He would be prepared to do that. That is an amazing attitude that he has. And as I mentioned, it's very similar to Moses because Moses right here in Exodus 32, let's turn down to Exodus 32, verses 30 through 34. Exodus 32, Moses states that same sort of attitude or willingness, Exodus 32, verse 30 through 34. Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses said to the people, you have committed a great sin. So now I'll go up to the Lord, perhaps I can make a torment for your sin. Then Moses returned to the Lord and said, oh, these people have committed a great sin and have made for themselves a God of God. Yet now if you will forgive their sin, but if not, I pray blot me out of your book which you have written. It was unprepared to die for them. That is an amazing attitude and it is in a sense is God's attitude which and exemplified by what Christ is doing for us. And he says, and the Lord, verse 33, says, said to Moses, whoever has sinned against me, I'll blot him out of my book. So each man will have to answer for his own actions. Now therefore go, lead the people to the place which I've spoken to you.

Go and lead them and do what you need to do. So we see in Romans chapter 9 in verse 2 and 3 that Paul is exemplifying an attitude very similar to Moses's attitude. Then another point here is in verse 3 he says, I could wish that I myself with a curse from Christ. That is destroyed as that he would lose his salvation for the sake of his brethren. It is indeed an amazing attitude.

Now starting in verse 4 we can begin to see God's faithfulness. Let's just read verse 4.

According to the flesh, so he's talking about my brethren or countrymen according to the flesh, who are Israelites to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises. And so we start here to see God's faithfulness because he's talking about why God chose the Israelites. Why did God chose Israel? Were they better? Were they more righteous than others? No. God chose them, chose the Israelites because of the promise that God made to Abraham. And the promise was that he would use Abraham's descendants.

And so we see the blessings that came as a result of being chosen by God.

Those are blessings that would be attributed to Israel and that is if they would obey.

They are blessings if people obey and curses if they disobey. And so what advantage is it to be an Israelite? Well we covered that earlier in Romans, if I remember correct, with Romans chapter 4. Let's just quickly turn there. I'll be a part of Romans chapter 3 verse 1. It says, what advantage then as the Jew, what prophet, circumcision, in every, much in every way, but chiefly because to them we're committed the articles of God. To them we're committed God's word. And therefore he says, for we some do not believe, will there and believe make the faithfulness of God without effect. So we are we seeing God's faithfulness. They were committed articles of God but they were committed other things as well. Because yeah in chapter 9 verse 4 it says, to whom pertain the adoption. In Greek 5206, 5206 Euiphysia, that is the the sonship being placed as sons. In a sense we can see that's also what happened. Yeah in Exodus chapter 4, let's just look at Exodus chapter 4 verse 22 and 23. Exodus chapter 4 verse 22 and 23.

Then you shall say to Pharaoh, that says the Lord, Israel is my son, my firstborn. So and and so you and so I say to you, let my son go that he may serve me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I'll kill your son, your firstborn. So you see yeah we have Israel being placed as God's son.

And it pertains the the sonship, it pertains to the Israelites. They were chosen children of God.

Now as as spiritual Israelites, even more so when we receive God's Holy Spirit and we are begotten again by the Holy Spirit, a subject we covered two studies ago. Then continuing our reading in verse 4 of Romans 9, we see the glory. Now to the Israelites, the physical Israel pertains the glory. What glory? Look in Exodus chapter 40. Exodus chapter 40 for instance, yeah we see in verse 34 through 38. It says, then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. That Shekinah glory of God resided in the tabernacle with the Israelites people. And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting because the cloud rested upon it or above it and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would go onward in all the journeys. If the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey till till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was above the tabernacle by day and fire was over it by night in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys. And so we see that Shekinah glory of God resided in the tabernacle. We also see other references to that. One for this is being in first kings chapter eight. First kings chapter eight verse 10 and 11. First kings chapter eight verse 10 and 11.

It says, and it came to pass when the priests came out of the holy place that the cloud filled the house of the Lord so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord. That's that Shekinah glory. It filled that tabernacle and so to them pertain the glory. Look at Exodus 24 as well. Exodus 24 verse 16 and 17. Exodus 24 verse 16 and 17.

Exodus 24 verse 16 and 17. Now the glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai and the cloud covered it six days and on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud and the sight of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel. And so we see that today and pertained that glory. Also in Exodus 34 verse 29 when he talks about Moses face shining. Exodus 34 verse 29 and he says, and now it was so when Moses came down from Mount Sinai and the two tablets of the testimony were in Moses hand when he came down from the mountain that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shown while he talked with him. And so when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses behold the skin of his face shown and they were afraid to come near him. And so you read that section here about Moses face shining and we can see that the glory of God that Shekinah glory that was on the tabernacle throughout those 40 years they traveled in the wilderness. It was with them as fire by night and cloud by day. So the glory of God was with them. So in Romans chapter 9 verse 4 when it says about my countrymen of the to the flesh who are Israelites to obtain the adoption the glory as we've discussed and the covenants God gave to Israel the covenants and to know other nation. First there's the covenant to Abraham later we know was to Moses we also know of the covenant that was given to King David and also the giving of the law. Let's read there in verse 4 says the covenants the giving of the law it also pertained to the Israelites that God's law was given to them on Mount Sinai, Exodus 20 to govern them for their religious life but also God's other civil principles for their social life and their civil laws were given to them.

So the giving of the law pertained to them and then the service of God. Yes the ministry and the tabernacle was given to the Israelites and the promises the promises like for instance the promised land the promises that they would go to a promised land it was given to them and they also with it they had blessings if they obeyed and curses if they disobeyed as we read in Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26. So this is what Paul is talking about that I wish myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren my physical brethren to whom pertain it says yeah the adoption the glory the covenants the giving of the law the service of God and the promises. So we went through those besides as we've shown in Romans chapter 3 that they were giving even God's word the oracles.

Now verse 5 of whom are the fathers and from whom according to the flesh Christ came who is overall the eternally blessed God. Amen and so yeah we see that of whom are the fathers in other words through Abram, Isaac and Jacob they are the fathers the patriarchs and and God gave to them the blessings. So what was the purpose that God gave to them these blessings and his promises? Well first and foremost we remember that it was through Abram, Isaac and Jacob that his blessings were given. Let's just look at them very briefly. First in Genesis 12 verse 3. Genesis 12 verse 3 when Abram was asked to leave the land of his family and in verse 3 he says I'll bless those who bless you and I'll curse him who curses you and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. So there were great physical blessings to come towards him because he says I'll make you a great nation in verse 2 and all those people who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed and all the families of the earth shall be blessed. That is referring to not only national greatness but spiritual blessing in other words about Christ. We confirm that a little later in Genesis 22 verse 17 and 18 a few years later when Abram was prepared to offer Isaac we read here in Genesis 22 verse 17 and 18 he says blessing I'll bless you and multiply or multiply your descendants as the stars of of the heaven and as a sand which is on the seashore and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. So great physical blessings for Israel as a nation but then it says in verse 18 in your seed singular and that refers to Christ as we gather that from relations 3 verse 14 through 18 he says in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed because you Abraham have obeyed my voice. So these promises through Abraham of national greatness and of the Messiah because in your seed it was the Messiah being Christ. So the purpose of a nation like Israel and the people was that through them the Messiah would come the Messiah would ultimately as we know would save mankind save us and open the door for our ultimate salvation through God's plan which is well delineated by God's holy days. So one of the main reasons therefore that God did what he did is so that the blessing of the Messiah could come to the whole world through that faithful family Abram, Isaac and Jacob and he made that promise to that family in other words to those patriarchs to those the father of the fathers of the faithful and so all these blessings were therefore then freely given to Israel and not to any other nation and that is in spite and in spite of all these advantages that God gave Israel the Israelites failed and so even when the Messiah appeared when Christ appeared they rejected him and killed Christ they crucified him and a very many scriptures in the Bible refer to that and many prophecies are like that but one that we could look at is in Isaiah chapter 1 verse 2 through 4 let's look at Isaiah chapter 1 verse 2 3 and 4 let's just look at Isaiah chapter 1 and it says verse 2, Hear O Evans and give ear O earth for the Lord has spoken I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me. There was Israel.

The ox knows its own and the donkey its master's crib but Israel does not know my people do not consider. Verse 4, Alice soon formation a people laden with iniquity a brood of evildoers children of our corruptors they have forsaken the Lord they have provoked to anger the Holy One of Israel they have turned away backward and so we see that God gave all these opportunities and all these blessings to Israel physical Israel and now other nation but they failed they failed and so now from verse 6 of Romans chapter 9 from verse 6 of verse 9 of chapter 9 God's blessings are extended today from physical Israel to spiritual Israel and it explains what God is doing because God is faithful God is faithful so His promise will continue and so he's explaining that it's not because of natural descent in it was in the Old Testament God did choose one nation but now He has lifted up His church and He did not limit that blessing to that nation but now He's opening up through His church that blessing beyond one nation beyond one people beyond one race so it's not limited now to one nation one people one race and so what He is saying is that you are not part of spiritual Israel today just because of your natural descent because we all we all Jews and Gentiles become spiritual Israelites if we are part of Christ because we then were grafted in into that olive tree because of Christ so we then become true spiritual Jews that is also covered in Romans chapter 2 verse 28 and 29 which we've covered before but let's just look at Romans chapter 2 verse 28 and 29 for He is not a Jew who is one outwardly nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh but He is a Jew who is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit not in the letter whose praise is not from man but from God so we are true spiritual Jews if we are true Christians if we are led by God's Holy Spirit tying in to Romans chapter 8 with him in verse 9 and verse 14 where He identified the true definition of a true Christian and so the rhetorical question is does Israel's failure yes because they failed to live up to the calling and to the election that God gave them does this mean that the word of God failed obviously the answer is no because let's just then read verse 6 of Romans chapter 9 but it says yeah but it is not that the word of God has taken no effect of no effect is the Greek word ekptu which means the word of God has not fallen down has not perished is not without effect no because God is faithful no matter what God I'll be a part of no matter what man does God's word is true is faithful and so God is faithful and so that's why it says in verse 6 but is it not that the word of God has taken no effect no not at all and yeah it's the answer for they are not all Israel who are of Israel they are not all Israel we are who are of Israel and so to be of true spiritual Israel you don't have to be part of physical Israel and so now in verse 7 Paul explains the reason for Israel's past election and that is because they are the children of Abraham and and that does not mean just because you are the children of Israel that you are a spiritual Israel he's a light so he's explaining that because he's explaining there is a difference between a natural seed of Abraham and a spiritual seed of Abraham let's just read verse 7 and then we'll talk a little bit more about it nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham but in Isaac your seed shall be cold you see Isaac was a son of promise you see in Galatians 3 verse 16 Galatians 3 verse 16 Galatians 3 verse 16 says now to Abraham and his seed where the promise is made now his seed obviously refers to Christ but Yah is bringing an example because Yah in verse 16 says he does not say to seeds as of many but as of one to your seed who is Christ but is Yah talking about the seed of promise and he is focusing out in Romans 9 verse 7 he says in Isaac your seed shall be cold now understand that the promise went through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob not through Ishmael and not through Esau you see Abraham had two sons right Isaac and Ishmael well later he did have additional six sons through his concubine Keturah as we read in Genesis 25 but basically initially while Sarah was alive Abraham had two sons Isaac and Ishmael and by descent Ishmael because he was the first born he would have been by natural let's call it birthright being the first born he would be the one that would have the inerrantances that would come afterwards but he says no it's because of promise because God chose Isaac which came through Sarah which was his second born not through his first born which was Ishmael and so it's not by the physical first born but by promise and that's what it's saying here in verse 7 for nor are they all children because they are of the seed of Abraham in other words they're not all spiritual Israelites because of they are the seed of Abraham but in Isaac your seed shall be cold because Ishmael would have by first physical natural descent would have had the inheritance but no it was given by promise it's a seed of a promise of God's choice so it's not just by human descent but by choice from God so God promised to Abraham a seed through Sarah specifically Isaac but his seed ultimately this talking about is Jesus Christ but it would be through Isaac and we know a number of cases that you can read carefully in the Old Testament that it was indeed through Isaac and then Isaac himself with his wife Rebecca had twin sons as we know Esau and Jacob but Esau was the first born so by descent you would have gone to Esau but God chose Jacob and now note both Esau and Jacob had the same father and mother the same parents Isaac and Rebecca so again is not just by physical descent God did not base his election on physical descent neither on who is the first born he based his election on promise on his promise on his choice and his will to carry out his plan and his purpose God decided which individual he wanted to use which characteristics he wanted to place in those individuals and God was going to work through those that he chose and that is a lesson for us today and the lesson is it is according to God's will and it's not according to those who will in other words it's according to what God wants not according to what we desire so it is according to God's will not according to our will people you and I can will but it is according to whom God calls and wants and chooses and so continuing now in verse 8 there is those who are the children of the flesh these are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted as the seed so the children of the promise Isaac was of the promise Jacob was of the promise and and it so goes on and happens today and look at verse 9 for this is the word of promise at this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son that was a promise to Sarah and not only this but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man even by our father Isaac for the children are not yet being born the children of Isaac and Rebecca namely Jacob and Esau they had not yet been born he says nor having done any good or evil that the purpose of God according to the election might stand not of works but of him who calls you see it's not a works they have not been born yet none of them had done anything good or anything bad they were not born yet but God chose so in verse 12 and 13 it was said to her the oldest shall serve the younger it's got choice not based on who came first or it's God's choice it's not based on their works not based on their character at that time it's God's choice now obviously once God chooses and calls us and we have to respond to that calling we have to respond to that calling as it is written written Jacob and I have loved but Esau I have hated now I'll explain a little bit more about that in a moment but the point that I want to emphasize here is that God's calling God's calling and election is according to God's purpose it's according to what he decides to work out now some people may say but that's not fair how can God do that now my question is isn't God doing the same thing today you and I are here because God called us he chose us we are his election today we are the chosen ones today we are part of God's church today but there are billions of people there today who have not been called and chosen both Jews and Gentiles but they've not been called and chosen now God yes will give them a chance and a choice at his time but now God is choosing whom he wants to work through that's his choice that's his calling now you may ask and I ask we all ask we all ask us soon and we all may say God why me why me why me Lord there are lots of other people out there that are far better than me true but it's not according to who has got more talent or more skill or who is intellectually superior it is according to God's calling and election according to his will now in the world tomorrow in the kingdom of God you and I may ask father why did you call me surely God has a logical reason for each one of us to be young but today we don't know why we don't know why we individually are called and that's not important now obviously why we're called is important in a broad sense we know we call to be trained to be kings and priests we called to respond we called to grow that's why he has called us and we have to grow we have to change we have to overcome we have to be faithful to the end that's why it's cold but why he called us we don't know but we just have to be humble and be grateful for the responsibility and the plan that God asked for us now I did mention that I was going to cover a little bit about verse 13 because verse 13 says as it is written Jacob I have loved but he saw I have hated this is quoted from Malachi chapter one Malachi chapter one verse two and three Malachi chapter one verse two and three and it says I have loved you says the Lord yet you say in what way have you loved us was not his soul Jacob's brother says the Lord yet Jacob I have loved but he saw I have hated and laid waste his mountains and his heritage for the jackals of the wilderness he saw being Edom and what this is quoted here from Malachi is actually not talking about individuals he's talking about the nation the nation of Edom you see God shows blessings and God shows also curses towards those that do evil works Edom and he saw as the nation as the descendants have borne evil works throughout the ages that God hates he saw as the descendants have been used by Satan throughout the years in history and they have been very destructive and so this section here we in verse 13 of Romans 9 is actually a quote when it's not talking about individuals but it's talking about the fruits or the works of nations the nation of Edom that has done very bad things and then we get on to verse 14 through verse 18 up to verse 13 we talked about God's faithfulness now from verse 14 through verse 18 we're gonna see Paul talking about God's righteousness being described and that will continue in our next 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